the odyssey. books one thru four.

Book 1:

Poor Odysseus is stuck away from home, while his wife is being pursued by other men! The first impression of his son Telemachus is not a very flattering one. Even though his dad is a Greek hero and warrior, Telemachus does not seem to follow in his father footsteps and is unable to drive away the suitors who are plaguing his mother. He does not seem like a very strong character in the beginning of the Odyssey.

Although by the end of this book (after the visit from the goddess Athena) Telemachus does seem to change already, to grow more and mature. He is seen rebuking his mother for being upset over a song about the Greek’s role in the battle of Troy. He is in the right however, Penelope should not have been in the suitors quarters if she did not wish to listen to such music and talk. Telemachus clearly cares for his mother and wants to take care of the family but is not quite strong enough to do so.

Book 2:

Telemachus is already seen growing since we first met him in book one. He has called the assembly and is stepping into his fathers shoes. Not becoming king but making sure things are taken care of. In a sense he is becoming a man.

In regards to the problem of the suitors, I too find it interesting and side with Telemachus on this, if the suitors really wanted to pursue Penelope and marry her then why did they not go to her father? It does seem like they have just moved into the place to mooch off of the good life. However, I applaud Penelope’s thinking outside the box with the burial shroud trick. Very smart indeed.

The meeting that took place in book two gives you a better insight into the characters and what is going on among Odysseus’ home. The suitors are not very nice men, they come off as defiant, rough, and greedy. Telemachus’ character is seen as growing and establishing more of a foothold in his own home. But just when Telemachus’ character is taking a turn for the better he sets off to the open sea with a crew of loyal followers gathered with help from the goddess Athena. It seems rather rash decision on his part.

The Gods and Goddess are constantly messing with the characters lives in this story. Already in just the first two books Athena has appeared to Telemachus twice and helped him get a crew and promises to protect him on his journey. I wonder how this story would play out if there was not interference from the gods and goddesses.

Telemachus has already begun his own metaphorical journey by the closing of book one. Homer highlights his progress by showing the shock of the suitors when they are told to leave the palace after the next day’s assembly. Indeed, calling the assembly is in itself a sign of Telemachus’s awakening manhood, as Aegyptius notes at the beginning of Book two. But even before his confrontation with the suitors, the confrontation between him and his mother reveals his new, surprisingly commanding outlook. When Penelope becomes upset at the bard’s song, Telemachus chooses not to console her but rather to rebuke her. He supplements these behavioral indications of manhood with the overt declaration, “I hold the reins of power in this house”

Book 3:

Pylos: Telemachus learns more about the details of what happened after the fall of Troy. This journey that Telemachus is taking seems to be a journey of self discovery, or manhood (as I stated before). The king that Telemachus talks to encourages him and even gives him his own son to accompany him on his quest. Athena also reveals herself as a goddess, it seems that the gods and goddesss love attention and a good show. But she also genuinely seems to want to help Telemachus, she stays behind to protect his ship and crew while he continues with the king’s son Pisistratus.

Book 4:

Sparta: there is a wedding celebration going on when Telemachus and Pisistratus arrive. The king and queen recognize Telemachus as Odysseus’ son. Here is where Telemachus learns more about his father and his action/conquests at that battle of Troy. He begins to know and understand his father a little bit better. Telemachus soon learns that his father is still alive and being held captive by Calypso on her island, this report gives Telemachus hope and he sets out to return home to Ithaca.

I cannot begin to imagine what was happening in Telemachus’ mind, discovering that his father was still alive must have been exhilarating but knowing that he was being held captive and unable to return home had to be frustrating.

Meanwhile back at home the suitors are plotting to attack Telemachus and Penelope finds out and in true woman fashion become distraught over the idea of losing not only her husband but her son as well. But here again the goddess Athena steps in to reassure and protect the family. The gods and goddess’s have a very nifty ability to step in at the last minute to save and protect. They constantly have their hand in the cookie jar.

the odyssey

These are just some thoughts I had while reading the Odyssey:

The Odyssey is about a long journey home by the Greek hero Odysseus; hence the name the Odyssey. It has been ten years since the fall of Troy and Odysseus’ wife Penelope has a large amount of suitors attempting to court her and win her affections, she remains faithful to her husband. Which is saying more than Odysseus, who takes on several lovers throughout the epic tale. This is just a brief taste of the story line behind the Odyssey. The characters in Homer’s Odyssey are complex and realistic, which are characteristic to Homer’s previous writings. However, in the Odyssey these characters develop and grow along the way. Something that is not evident in any of Homer’s characters before.

The character of Odysseus has several outstanding characteristics: strength, courage, nobility, a thirst for glory, and utter confidence in his authority as a leader and king. But what stands out to the reader and listener of this tale is Odysseus’ sharp intellect. This is what gets him and his men out of several life threatening situations. For example, in book nine when Odysseus and his men are captured by Cyclops, Odysseus uses his quick thinking and wit to rescue him and his men from an almost certain death. He is a gifted speaker and has a way with the ladies that immediately wins their trust almost as soon as he opens his mouth.

In previous works done by Homer the male characters all seem to have the same character traits and are complex and realistic to their time. They do not change in the course of the tale or story, but this is not true of the Odyssey. Early in the Odyssey Odysseus is seen revealing his identity to Cyclops, prompted by his love for glory. Like all Greek heroes, a thirst for adventure and a need to satisfy his craving for glory are close to his heart. However, by the end of the tale, he is willing to be patient and instead of giving into this need for glory. This goes back to his sharp intellect. Odysseus has been gone from home for a long time and needs to reestablish his loyalties before he can act. Therefore he endures the abuse and negativity he receives when he is disguised as a beggar. He waits for the moment when he can strike back, take his revenge, and come home officially. Homer created a complex character in Odysseus and showed continuous development and depth throughout the epic tale of the Odyssey.

Another major character development is within Odysseus’ son, Telemachus. At the beginning of the Odyssey he is still maturing, however with the help of the goddess Athena he changes and improves his stature and bearing as the prince of the land. He becomes more assertive and devoted to his mother and protecting her from the suitors. No matter how much Homer develops the character of Telemachus though, he never quite matches his father’s talents or strengths through out the whole tale. He certainly has come a long way from being just a prince who did not know how to protect or assert himself but he still has a way to go; although he is slowly catching up. The scene towards the end of the tale, where all the suitors must string a bow, this puts his characters development into full light. Telemachus almost strings it and shows the readers and listeners that although he is not his father, he is his father’s son and is developing into a strong Greek prince.

Odysseus posses pride that is common among Homer’s characters. Although in the Odyssey, Odysseus’ is seen both revealing who he was to achieve glory and waiting and enduring silently in an act of patience and humility. Telemachus, although a Greek prince and son of Odysseus does not inherent his father’s strong sense of pride. Although he is proud it is not quite like his father’s pride. In Homer’s Iliad the character development is little and does not develop significantly. The heroes in both tales share the same traits common in Greek heroes but with two different outcomes. While Odysseus is finally home with his family and at peace. Achilles is an angry and bitter hero who savagely mauls the Trojans and is consumed with blood thirst, wrath, and pride. He begrudgingly reconciles with his general Agamemnon but instead of letting go of his anger and wrath, he shifts it from Agamemnon to Hector. By the end of the tale Achilles is worse than ever and his character does not develop or change like the characters in the Odyssey. Homer wrote an epic tale with the Iliad but with the Odyssey he went even further and not only wrote an epic tale that would be read centuries later but also developed and created greater depth in the characters within the tale.

helloooo

The purpose of this blog is purely for academic reasons. In my literature class we are required to keep a journal to express our thoughts and reactions to the reading assigned to us for that week. Now I never really journaled much growing up and writing things out by hand frustrates me because I am an impatient person (and I also think I have horrible handwriting). So the compromise: a blog. Here I can write everything down and typing is so much faster than writing.

The texts I will be readings include works by Homer, St. Augustine, Dante, and Shakespeare, just to name a few. I hope that not only will I learn a great deal more from these readings but that I will be able to see them in a new light.

disfrutar y gracias por comprobar hacia fuera mi blog!

yup. I used google translate for that