Abstract This paper discusses calypso music, the form of music indigenous to Trinidad, as oral poetry. The paper analyzes the type of poetry, repetition, rhyming schemes and piling that are found within calypso music. It specifically focuses on five songs and examines the ways they were written. The paper examines the three most important tradition in calypso - French, English and African.
From the Paper "Calypso is a form of music indigenous to Trinidad. According to Keith Q. Warner in "The Language of the Calypso", "The modern calypsonian is the sum of many traditions, any of which may surface from time to time" (Warner 29). What this means is that there is no calypso that represents the entire genera perfectly. Three of the most important traditions in calypso are French, English and African. "
Abstract In this article, the writer examines the roots and origins of calypso music. The writer maintains that calypso, as a musical form, arose as a response to various societal injustices faced by a people who fought to be heard. The writer identifies how this form of music served as a ride to freedom, and as a mechanism for unifying class and race, paying particular attention to Trinidad, the birthplace of calypso, and later soca. The writer concludes that calypso music and soca have proven to be invaluable mechanisms that not only lifted a broken people out of dark times, but also served as a tool to ease tension and brutality between races and social class.
From the Paper "Several European ideologies and traditions remained on the islands, and as black people were finally able to freely express themselves, they set to work on creating some of the richest culture the world has to offer. On the island of Trinidad, a cultural and musical revolution was on the horizon.
"European musical traditions have developed as a classical means to critique and interpret music. Calypso finds its roots in West African musical traditions, traditions that man scholars argue fall on the other end of the classical European musical spectrum. Therefore to appreciate and understand calypso and soca music is to interpret the musical form with framework of knowledge that falls outside of European conventions. With the creation of calypso music comes a colorful story of spirit, resistance and finally emancipation, told through thunderous drumming and a penetrative rhythm. The birthplace of calypso is undoubtedly Trinidad, dating as far back as the year 1838; the year slavery was abolished among the African population of the island."
Abstract There are many similarities between Gilgamesh, the legendary Babylonian king, and Odysseus, the Greek warrior famous for his cunning and fortitude. The paper shows that both characters' stories are told in poetic epics ("The Epic of Gilgamesh" by an anonymous author and ancient Greek writer, Homer's "The Odyssey"). The paper shows how both characters are engaged in quests - Gilgamesh, who is partially divine, does not wish to die and searches for a way to achieve immortality, whilst Odysseus is fully human and even rejects an offer of immortality in order to continue his struggle to return home after the end of the Trojan war. Both epics also feature the interference of the gods who encourage, assist, or thwart the two heroes and debate among themselves about the courses they should take in regard to the relatively insignificant human beings. The paper shows that the endings of the two epics are different--as might be expected from the differences in the two characters' goals. However, the basic themes of the endings have much more in common than might be expected. Gilgamesh is eventually convinced that immortality is something reserved for the gods. His partially mortal parentage means that he must die and that he should, therefore, take pleasure and pride in what is best about life rather than worrying about living forever. The paper shows that Odysseus is also intent on restoring order by returning home and in doing so, he makes the best of life, accepting fate and eventual death.
From the Paper "The episodes involving the offers of the goddesses also provide similarities and differences. In the case of Gilgamesh Ishtar "looked with longing" on his beauty and begged him to be her "bridegroom" (6.6-7). But Gilgamesh boldly rejected her, despite the list of beautiful things that she promised him, because he was aware of the sad histories of all the men and animals that she had taken for her lovers in the past. In the case of Calypso and Odysseus, however, the goddess is not accused of falseness and her offers of everything wonderful are quite serious. She does indeed want Odysseus to remain with her forever and makes the offer of immortality. He would be ageless and would "preside in our house with me / and be immortal"."
Abstract This paper introduces and analyzes the book, "For Love of the Game", by Michael Shaara. Specifically, it discusses the book in relation to other works: "The Old Man and the Sea" by Earnest Hemingway and "The Odyssey" by Homer. Perseverance is one reason baseball pitcher Billy Chapel has maintained his career, and perseverance is a key ingredient in the sports world, but also for survival in many other areas as well.
From the Paper "Perseverance and endurance usually lead to growth and knowledge in the end, and these stories all show that perseverance can lead to personal growth and transformation, just at it can lead to survival and competitive toughness. Throughout the book, Billy is continually reminded that he needs to grow up; in fact, he even thinks it to himself. "Billy Boy, Billy Boy, you'll have to grow up someday" (Shaara 11). His personal journey includes allowing himself to care about someone else more than he cares about the game he plays every day. When he finally allows himself to love Carol, he has completed his journey, and his enduring love of the game encompasses his enduring love of the woman who has supported him all these years."
Abstract Homer's "The Odyssey" is set in ancient Greece and follows the adventure of Odysseus, the engineer of the fall of Troy and the King of Ithaca, as he attempts to return to his homeland. This paper presents an analysis of the work and shows how this epic has ingrained itself in Western literature and culture, especially in themes relating to family ties and the treatment of women.
From the Paper "The strength of the family is shown first in the fact that Penelope waits 12 long years for her husband to return, even though she is being pressured to choose a new suitor. When everyone else believes that Odysseus is never to return, his son Telemachus still believes that he is alive, and he seeks out information about his father. When Odysseus is reunited with his son, it is symbolic of how a family's legacy is handed down from generation to generation."
Abstract This paper examines how, although most of the action of Homer's "Odyssey" focuses on Odysseus as a hero who undergoes many trials and tribulations, both before and after his homecoming, the poem would not be complete without a number of strong female characters, many of whom show themselves to be testaments to the power of women in ancient Greece. It looks at how several of the female characters, especially Penelope and Circe, show that both dutiful and strong women play a role in the work. It compares the role of Penelope, who waits faithfully for many years for Odysseus to return, with that of Circe, who is represented as a dangerous female who tries to tempt Odysseus away from his wife and family through magic.
From the Paper "Penelope is not the only strong female character in the Odyssey: many of the deities and creatures Odysseus encounters on his journey are female, but these charactersare not portrayed as good and positive like Penelope is. Calypso and the Sirens are examples of the relatively one-dimensional female characters who act as a threat to Odysseus and his men, but Circe is another character who becomes three-dimensional in
her ability to change as the work progresses. At first, Circe, a deity who is portrayed as being surpassingly beautiful, is a danger to the wanderers, and she turns half of them into swine. This mixture of beauty and danger is present in many of the Odyssey's female
characters, especially in those faced by the hero."
Abstract "The Odyssey" is a struggle between the temptations of the primitive forces of absorption and the quest for personal and emotional wholeness, which, for Odysseus, can only be obtained by returning to his home in Ithaca. This paper shows how Odysseus turns down a variety of alternative lifestyles, not because they lack appeal, but because they seem to threaten the integrity of his spiritual and intellectual existence; by persistently seeking home, Odysseus refuses to compromise his consciousness and individuality for the enjoyment of worldly gain and physical gratification.
Paper Outline:
A Few Assumptions
Land of the Lotus Eaters
Aeaea and the Magical Nymph Circe
The House of the Dead
Ogygia and the goddess Calypso Phaeacia and Nausicaa
From the Paper "Many scholars assert that the Odyssey is "a logical progression in the moral and social education of the hero" (Taylor 87). From this perspective, Odysseus must overcome hardship and learn from his adventures in order to be fit to return to Ithaca and the challenges that lie therein. Such arguments are often engaging when examined in the context of individual events, but Odysseus nevertheless remains "a fixed personality" (Whitman 296): he is equipped from the beginning to overcome adversity; he is steadfast in his determination to return home; and, unlike Achilles, he "experiences no division of the will" (Taylor 87). Homer provides a series of spectacular adventures-not to depict the progressive development of his central character, but to reveal the nature of a protagonist that is already developed."
Abstract This paper takes a look at Homer's 'The Odyssey' focusing specifically on the question of what it means to be human. The paper discusses the idea of how one must experience pain and suffering in order to grow and develop into a well-rounded human being.
From the Paper "Without a doubt, when Polyphemus urges his father Poseidon to make Odysseus' voyage home to Ithaca as difficult as possible, it creates immense hardship and misery for all involved, particularly for Odysseus when he finally does arrive home and finds his wife Penelope overwhelmed by suitors who wish to marry her, not to mention his household which is in chaos. Thus, the value of hardship in this example is linked to Odysseus' inner spirit which is in turmoil
and becomes even more so when his own son Telemachus fails to recognize him upon reaching while dressed as a beggar. In Book 16 of The Odyssey, Odysseus states, "No, I am not a god. . . but I am your father, for whose sake you are always grieving as you look for violence. . . and endure hardships." When Telemachus refuses to believe that the beggar before him is indeed his father, Odysseus replies, "But here I am, and I am as you see me, and after hardships and suffering much, I have come. . . back to my own country" (Fitzgerald, 1998, p. ?). For both of these men, the cruelties linked to hardship have been great, yet in the end, both discover a form of ease via Telemachus finding his beloved father and the murder of Penelope's suitors by Odysseus."
Tags: hardship, Calypso, Odysseus, greek, mind, spirit, being
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."
