Allusions In The Iliad

1) One example of an allusion in Walden is to the ancient Greek poet Homer. This poet wrote The Odyssey and The Iliad which are also alluded to in the novel. The Odyssey was an epic Greek poem that described the journey of Odysseus after the fall of Troy. The Iliad was a Greek poem that also described the siege of Troy. The quote that alludes to these great pieces of literature is “It was Homer’s requiem; itself an Iliad and Odyssey in the air, singing its own wrath and wanderings” (Thoreau 58). He uses these allusions to enhance his description of the Walden Pond and show how the pond showed this “everlasting vigor and fertility of the world” (Thoreau 58).

2) Throughout the novel, Walden seems to believe that in our modern world our lives

He claims that such progress has a negative impact upon people’s lives and upon the environment, the purity of which it pollutes and destroys. He displays this belief when he shows a locomotive pass the pond, whistling and rumbling, contrasting with the natural sounds of the birds. I however believe that without industrial progress, society is not evolving and would be staying at the same level. I also do not believe that society would sit down and reflect more on the simplicity of life if industrial progress went away. We would only continue to strive for

I agree with his point that loneliness can occur even amid companions if one’s heart is not open to them. It is good to sometimes escape the gossips of the town and just meditate on the deep pleasure of solitude and nature. We should praise the benefits of nature and of his deep communion with it. When Thoreau is referring to solitude he is not talking about loneliness or isolation but rather self-communion and introspection. He wants us to achieve solitude mentally he is not saying we have to physically escape from society. It is good to look at worldly affairs and see how their importance fades when you achieve