Abstract This paper asks the questions 'what do the characters of Odysseus, Joseph, and Gilgamesh have in common? How do their adventures compare with one another?' While Joseph is a Bible character, Odysseus was the king of Ithaca, and Gilgamesh built the city of Uruk. This paper then compares the stories of Odysseus, Joseph, and Gilgamesh, pointing out many similarities in their adventures, trials, and victories.
From the Paper "Joseph is a Bible character, Odysseus was the king of Ithaca, and Gilgamesh built the city of Uruk. Odysseus is remembered for building the wooden horse that made it possible to take Troy. Joseph is remembered for the coat of many colors. Gilgamesh was two-thirds god and only one-third human (Hooker). Comparing the stories of Odysseus, Joseph, and Gilgamesh show many similarities in their adventures, trials, and victories."
Abstract The following paper examines the heroic ideals embodied by the Sumerian hero Gilgamesh and the Greek hero Odysseus. The paper argues that the former is noteworthy for his bristling physicality, the latter for his resourcefulness and cunning. Thus, it may be posited that one embodies early, "primitive" man and the other a more restrained, thoughtful and (arguably) more advanced male archetype.
From the Paper "Gilgamesh is a very conventional sort of hero. He is extraordinarily powerful - in contrast to Odysseus who must rely upon his cunning to survive - and he is extraordinarily beautiful. He is also, it must be said, given over to intemperance and to bullying (Epic trans. Kovacs xix). While Odysseus's pursuits are ultimately sanguinary, it may be said that Gilgamesh requires no prompting to forcibly impress himself upon others and his martial skills are conspicuously praised in the tabular artifacts that have survived to the present day (Epic of Gilgamesh Ancient Texts tablet I.32-35). In this regard, it is hardly inaccurate to suggest that Gilgamesh is heroic precisely because of his might whereas Odysseus is valued for other qualities that have little if anything to do with physical prowess."
Abstract This paper contends that Odysseus is an exceptional orator, telling many stories in the course of his homecoming and constantly adapting his tales to suit his purposes, such as deception or gaining sympathy or glory. The paper further contends that, despite a lack of complete truth in the majority of his yarns, these tales provide the reader with insight into odyssesus' character, pointing out not only his cunning and his wide range of abilities, but also his greed, arrogance, and egocentrism. They also explain his restless, untrusting nature through a combination of island and betrayal motifs. To illustrate this contention, the author discusses three of Odyssesus' stories in particular: Odysseus attempting to secure Alcinous's pity after arriving in Alcinous's palace, Odysseus trying to gain praise by telling the Phaeacians about his journey, and Odysseus speaking to Eumeaus whilst trying to obtain passage into Odysseus's house under a fake identity.
From the Paper "These stories also throw light on Odysseus's character, intentionally showing him to be cunning and multi-talented, and unintentionally conveying his greed and arrogance. He displays his ingenuity, recounting his use of the name "Noman" (9) to keep the other giants from helping Polyphemus, and proves himself to be multi-talented by adding sailing to his repertoire of mastered skills: he single-handedly sails his ship for nine days because he "wanted to make good time" (10). In addition to these good traits, however, a darker side of him is inadvertently revealed. Throughout his journey, Odysseus repeatedly makes mistakes that result in the death of his men. Rather than accept the blame for his mistakes, however, he unconsciously reveals his arrogance by redirecting the blame either to his men or to the gods. For example, Odysseus decides to stop along the way to pillage the Cicones because he is too greedy to simply sail home with the loot from Troy, and this pillaging results in the death of many men. His arrogance, however, doesn't allow him to accept that it was his own fault that they died. Therefore, he first blames the men because they didn't pull out fast and then accuses the gods, claiming he and his crew were "cursed by Zeus/To suffer heavy losses" (9). Odysseus's greed and conceit get him in trouble again when he visits Polyphemus. Even though his men say they should "make off with some cheese/And then come back for the lambs and kids,/...and sail away" and despite "a strong premonition" (9) that doing so would be a good idea, Odysseus insists on waiting for the giant, hoping Polyphemus "would give [him] a gift of hospitality" (9). After narrowly escaping death, Odysseus then has the arrogance to yell back, "Cyclops, if anyone, any mortal man,/Asks you how you got your eye put out,/Tell him that Odysseus the marauder did it" (9). It is this arrogance and greed that is at the root of his suffering, sentencing his entire crew to death, and Odysseus to many more years of suffering."
Abstract This paper studies the character of Odysseus in the Greek mythic tale "The Odyssey" by Homer. The paper asserts that Odysseus is portrayed as an expert leader in this epic poem. The paper attempts to demonstrate Odysseus' various leadership qualities, including hard work, skill, loyalty, strength and intelligence. The paper also examines the role of the divine in assisting Odysseus. It concludes that despite his shortcomings as a man, Odysseus lives through all the dangers and risks which are presented to him by divine forces.
From the Paper "Odysseus displays the qualities of being a hard worker and expert sailor, which assist him in his journey. The hero is introduced in Book Five, when he is busy building his boat and thus showing his extreme resourcefulness. Odysseus announces, "For my performance, that myself should build A ship of power, my home-assays to shield Against the great sea of such dread to pass; which not the best built ship that ever was." This impressive introduction to Odysseus displays the hero's prowess and near-divine mythic stature. Furthermore, immediately after Odysseus builds his magnificent vessel, he is hurled into tumultuous storms created by Neptune; the hero navigates skillfully through the tempests to safety. As Homer writes, "two nights, yet, and days He spent in wrestling with the sable seas; in which space, often did his heart propose Death to his eyes. But when Aurora rose, And threw the third light from her orient hair, The winds grew calm, and clear was all the air." These scenes, which display Odysseus' diligence and seamanship, foreshadow the hero's excellence as he and his crews navigate the Mediterranean and back to Ithaca."
Abstract "The Metamorphoses" by Homer portrays a different side of Odysseus as a character, which is entirely different from the Odysseus that readers were acquainted to in "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" by Homer. While Odysseus is portrayed as a courageous and intelligent warrior in "The Iliad" and ?The Odyssey,? Ajax in "The Metamorphoses" is illustrated as a coward and a brilliant schemer in order to fool the people in believing that he is the rightful heir to the title of Achilles as the great warrior of the Achaean/Greek society. This main difference between Ovid and Homer's works is the focus of this paper.
From the Paper "Ovid, on the other hand, portrays a different and more critical picture of Ulysses (Odysseus) as warrior in the Roman literature. In an article by James Hunter, Odysseus? character is similar to Ovid's portrayal in ?The Metamorphoses,? wherein he is known to be a cunning and treacherous warrior who would rather find ways out of a problematic situation than to fight bravely towards solving the problem (Hunter 2003). In fact, in W. B. Stanford's analysis of Odysseus character in the ?The Ulysses Theme,? he discusses the criticism of Ovid and other Roman literary writers in the portrayal of Odysseus in the ?post-classical tradition.? "
Abstract This paper examines how in the "Odyssey", the only fully explored relationship is the friendship between Athena and Odysseus. It looks at how the Goddess and the Wanderer delight in virtuosities of deception and how they seek to out wit the other with affectionate larceny. It shows how it is a crafty, amused, deeply feminine amity that binds Athena to Odysseus and how it is Athena, the goddess of wisdom and the patron of Odysseus, who has the greatest impact on him.
From the Paper "The help of Athena can be traced back to the Iliad. During the funeral games for Achilles' friend, Patroclus, Athena helped Odysseus take many prizes. However, Athena's impact on Odysseus does not truly come about until the Odyssey. As the Odyssey opens, Odysseus is in a situation he cannot get out of without the help of Athena. He is on the island of Ogygia with Calypso, a beautiful goddess. She offers Odysseus immortality if he will stay on the island as her husband. It is at this point in the poem that Athena first interferes in the life of Odysseus. She plans to reunite Odysseus with his family. "
Abstract This paper discusses the elaborate ancient customs of hospitality, "xenia", established in the society of Odysseus' time. It maintains that these customs are crucial to understanding the methods by which the marginalized individual was reintegrated into the center. These social codes provided a means by which an individual could construct his social identity and define the interrelationship between the culture's participants. The paper takes a look at how Odysseus' voyage brings him into contact with alien cultural practices that he must navigate through in order to return home, entailing no small understanding of the functions of both society and the ways of the gods. The paper concludes that, as the foundational structure of Greek society, Odysseus' reestablishment of his position in the family yields a confirmation of the individual's identity and functions in parallel with the ritual of "xenia" as a symbol of identification within the community.
From the Paper "Upon his return to Ithaca, Odysseus faces a complicated social situation that requires he bring to bear all the knowledge of social customs he has learned throughout his long and varied voyage. Warned against the treachery of women by Agamemnon's tale in book eleven, and having to somehow overcome a house full of suitors for his wife's hand who would gladly see him dead, it is the ritual principles of hospitality that provide the means to reclaim his place in society. "Xenia functions as a unifying principle by virtue of its capacity to as a ritual both to incorporate Odysseus into his household and simultaneously to continue his estrangement from it." Through this concept Odysseus is able to disguise himself and reenter his familial space to witness the situation and decide what actions will be necessary to reestablish himself there, thus avoiding Agamemnon's fate and the threat of the suitors."
The paper analyzes Odysseus, the main character in Homer's "The Odyssey" and looks at the important characteristics that make him the epitome of Greek society in the Homeric period.
Abstract The paper examines the use of symbolism by Homer to depict Odysseus as the embodiment of the various attitudes, behavior and stature present in the Mycenaen society in which Homer lived. The paper then explores the three prevailing symbolic themes reflected in Odysseus' qualities that depict him simultaneously as father and husband, warrior, and human/mortal.
From the Paper "Another proof of male dominance in "Odyssey" is through Odysseus? character, as he introduced himself to a special gathering organized by King Alcinous. In introducing himself, Odysseus says, ?I am Ulysses son of Laertes, renowned among mankind for all manner of subtlety, so that my fame ascends to heaven.? His self-proclaimed greatness illustrates the male dominance of his society. Odysseus deems it proper to introduce himself in terms of patriarchal lineage, while simultaneously praising himself through his ascendancy and popularity as a warrior."
Abstract This paper will seek to analyze the relationship of Odysseus to the Gods in the "Odyssey" by Homer. By managing to show this supernatural connection to a higher power, we can surmise how Odysseus learns valuable lessons from them.
Abstract This paper examines how, in the "Book of Exodus" in the Holy Bible, and in Homer's "Odyssey", the leadership qualities of Moses and Odysseus are thoroughly demonstrated by their individual actions and reactions to particular circumstances in their lives. It shows how, with Moses, several examples of his leadership traits are connected to the Egyptians and to his own people, being the Israelites. With Odysseus, the best examples of his leadership qualities lie in his concern for his fellowman and the future of his family in Ithaca, comprised of Telemachus, his son, and Penelope, his good wife, who has waited more than twenty years for his return from the Trojan War.
From the Paper "One of the first important incidents related in Exodus that demonstrates the leadership qualities of Moses concerns the time when he wandered out of the Egyptian palace and came upon a scene that opened his eyes to the fate of his fellow Israelites--"And it came to pass in those days when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren" (2:11). In response to this act, Moses rescued a fellow Israelite from a beating and inflicted a kind of justice on the Egyptian that symbolized the worst excesses of the Egyptian monarchy. Thus, Moses exhibited one of the best attributes of leadership, being the saving of a fellow human being while putting his own life at risk for the sake of another."
Abstract This paper examines how Homer's two central heroes, Odysseus and Achilles, are, in many ways differing manifestations of the same themes. While Achilles' character is almost utterly consistent in his rage, pride and near divinity, Odysseus' character is difficult to pin down to a single moral; though perhaps more human than Achilles, he remains more difficult to understand. It shows how both heroes are defined not by their appearances, nor by the impressions they leave upon the minds of those around them, nor even so much by the words they speak, but almost entirely by their actions. Action is what drives the plot of both the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey" and action is what holds the characters together.
From the Paper "Odysseus is a peculiar mix of both heroic and intelligent qualities that make him seem both human and supernatural. The Odysseus portrayed in the Iliad somewhat contrasts the Odysseus we see in the Odyssey. For the purposes of the former, he is represented as a man of conviction, possessing significant military genius and guile, as well as persuasive capabilities. In the latter, however, some of his more ignoble traits are revealed: he is a braggart, he almost dishonorably uses poisoned arrows, and he shows conceit in his victory over the Cyclops."
Abstract This paper presents a comparison and contrast of Odysseus and Ulysses. It shows that on the one hand Ovid's "Ulysses" reveals striking similarities to Homer's "Odysseus" in that he is a hero who frequently engages in what we would today consider morally dubious actions; but whose defining characteristics are intellect and cunning rather than strength or success in battle.
From the Paper "A comparison and contrast of the representation of the character of Odysseus in Homer's epic The Odyssey and Ulysses from Ovid's Metamorphoses is complicated by two key issues. The first complication is that while they are essentially the same character in the mythic narrative of ancient Greece, Homer's representation is - as best we know - the original version of the character. Ovid's Ulysses is a Roman recreation of the original, shaped by the language and culture of classical Rome, many centuries after Homer. The second key complication is the fact that Odysseus is the protagonist of a immense poetic epic by Homer, whereas the Ulysses of Ovid is merely a minor character in the Metamorphoses."
Abstract This paper analyzes the hero Odysseus in Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey" and looks at how the theme of the poem is about one man's search for identity and meaning in his life. The paper relates that throughout Odysseus' wanderings, his main purpose is to establish his name and reputation. What he discovers is that his identity is one that is rooted in suffering and pain.
From the Paper "For Odysseus to ensure his victory over the suitors, he must first reveal himself to Telemakhos and enlist his help; however, his son does not recognize him or believe in his identity right away. Because of the suffering Odysseus has endured, and the stories Agamemnon has told him of family disloyalty, he must first test the loyalty of his loved ones before he can reveal himself to them. Therefore, to reveal his true identity to Telemakhos, he must first disguise himself using a stranger's story. After Odysseus hears Telemakhos speaking of his loyalty to his father, Athena instructs him to reveal himself. Seeming younger and stronger because of Athena's magic, Odysseus confides his secret to his son. Telemakhos does not recognize him or believe his claim, telling him "You cannot / be my father Odysseus" (205-206). He calls him a "stranger" (193) and mistakes him for a god, begging his forgiveness and mercy on the kingdom. Odysseus soon convinces him that he is really his father and tells him about his wanderings and sufferings. "
Abstract This paper takes a look at the legendary story of the hero Aeneas who survives the fall of Troy and follows the will of the gods and fate to build a nation that will eventually become Rome. The paper includes an analysis of "The Aeneid", written in Homeric style and gives a comparison of Aeneas's character with Greek heroes, Odysseus and Achilles.
From the Paper "The son of Anchises and Venus, a prince of Troy and leader of the expedition to Italy, Aeneas is the main character in the book "The Aeneid". The most admired and valued characteristics in Augustan Rome are marked on his personality. He is true to his word devout, a courageous and skillful soldier and a pious. The heroism of Aeneas is his ability, to place his belief in Rome in all times and the Roman ideal before his own selfish interests, which was unlike Achilles and Odysseus."
Abstract This paper examines Greek poetry and how we can learn about Greek society. It analyzes and details the Odysseus, the Iliad, and more. It discusses the morals of Greek society, their ideals, their lifestyles, their literary style and more. This paper examines is an in-depth analysis of Hellenic society using some of their most famous works to detail it.
From the Paper "While today we primarily read the works of Homer for the eloquence and literary skill of this great Greek poet, we may also examine his texts for the clues that they provide to a deeper understanding of Greek society. For we must recognize that every text is both a product of the time and place in which it was created as well as a portal to that place, a means of transport to a world marked by its particular set of values and visions. Both the Iliad and the Odyssey were recognized by the Greeks themselves not only as great epics, marked by a superb literary style, but also as something far more than merely engaging tales. The stories were for the ancient Greeks themselves a venerable source of lessons about morality, about the nature of heroism and about the proper ways in which a society should be structured. Given the value that the Greeks placed on these stories as exemplars of the values of Hellenic society, we can do the same by looking to the texts to help us understand how the Greeks understood their world."
