ODYSSEUS

Odysseus: mythic solitary figure or communal war hero?

Odysseus: mythic solitary figure or communal war hero?

Introduction

Odysseus is the legendary King of Ithaca, a city-state in Greece. Odysseus is a strong warrior and is the champion of Homers epic verse, the Odyssey. He is the son of Laertes and Anticlea and is most famous for his long delayed come back dwelling to Ithaca and the 10 years it took to make the journey. Odysseus travels to many distinct kingdoms and realms on his come back voyage. We understand of Odysseus adventures after the Trojan War because they are chronicled in Homers Odyssey. Odysseus is among the main leaders of the Trojan War. He was the man responsible for evolving the Trojan horse.(Tole, 2005) This was the apparatus that allowed the Greeks to win the Trojan War.

Odysseus' story of his come back voyage from Troy, notified in the Odyssey, took 10 years and was beset by perils and misfortune. He visits many islands in the Meditteranean encompassing Cicones, the island of the Lotus-Eaters, and the islands of Cyclops, Aeolia, Telepylos, Aeaea, Hades, the Sirens, Scylla, Thrinacia, Ogygia, and Scheria all before he reaches Ithaca. He first travels to the town of Ismara, a town on the island of Cicones on the southern coast of Thrace. He raids and burns this town but is beaten back. Odysseus then travels to the island of the Lotus Eaters, which is close to North Africa. It was inhabited by the Lotophagi, a race of persons who ate only the narcotic lotus flower.(Haft,2008) The bloom induced a sleepiness and lack of caring about coming back dwelling in Odysseus men. Odysseus had to drag the men away back to his ship and restrain them from swimming back to the island in alignment to leave.

Odysseus next sails to the island of the Cyclops, a place inhabited by one-eyed giants. The men disembark from the ship and investigate the island. They stumble upon a large cave inhabited by a giant named Polyphemus. He is not in the cave, but Odysseus and his men find sustenance in the goats milk and whey left in the cave by Polyphemus. Polyphemus returns to his cave and finds the men. He rolls an enormous boulder into the entrance of the cave in alignment to trap the men. Polyphemus then begins snatching and eating Odysseus men entire before anyone can stop him. When he tires of this, he talked with Odysseus and trades with him. Polyphemus trades the promise to eat Odysseus last for an animal skin full of unwatered liquor, which was a gift from the gods. Polyphemus becomes intoxicated and passes out. Odysseus and his men take a large olive branch and sharpen it to pattern a weapon similar to a combination of a traditional battering ram and a lance.(Tole, 2005) They sharpen it and harden it in Polyp emus fire. The spear is heated in the blaze until it glows red hot. Odysseus and his men then choose up the spear and propel it ...