ipl-logo

Examples Of Figurative Language In The Odyssey

268 Words2 Pages
The Odyssey is a composition of what used to be oral stories. In order to emphasize the dynamics of each scene, specific language was used in order to convey those feelings. As a whole, without these additions in the story some parts that are considered theatrical, fear inducing, and emotional would not have the same effect. In all, Homer uses figurative language throughout the Odyssey to bring attention to the important changes in tone that reflect the different situations the characters are in.
The Odyssey has multiple occurences of tone that are created in dangerous situations. Many times during Odysseus’s journey his life is threatened by the vengeful god, Poseidon. After years on Calypso’s island and previous prolonged travels, Odysseus
Show More
Related
521 Words | 3 Pages

The Odyssey by Homer is an epic tale about the Greek hero Odysseus and his adventures back home to Ithaca. With the assumption that he had died, Odysseus’ wife Penelope and son Telemachus face off a group of suitors looking to court Penelope. A major theme found in The Odyssey is the notion of revenge. Additionally, a recurrent literary device—the epic simile—appears throughout the story, wherein comparisons are made in the form of similes, except on a grander scale. Homer utilizes a couple of epic similes in Book XXII to fully substantiate the formidability of Odysseus’ thirst for revenge against the suitors and his traitorous servants through the use of violent imagery.

Read More
852 Words | 4 Pages

The Odyssey Commentary The Odyssey follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, on his long journey home after fighting in the Trojan war. As Odysseus is trying to return home he encounters many obstacles that present to be extremely difficult and challenging. However, these challenges help Odysseus grow as a character and teach him many valuable lessons. A particular trial he and his men faced was getting trapped in the Cyclops, Polyphemus' cave.

Read More
406 Words | 2 Pages

In this passage from The Odyssey, Homer uses an epic simile comparing Odysseus’ crew to calves and Odysseus to a cow and a second simile comparing Odysseus to Ithaca in order to portray the sense of reliance and loyalty the men have for their leader. In the book, Odysseus has just returned from Circe’s palace where some of the crew had disappeared. Since the men chosen to venture into Circe’s home did not return, the rest of the crew thought Odysseus would also not make it back to the ship. When Homer writes that the men are, “bucking out of their pens, lowing nonstop, jostling, rushing round their mothers (455-456),” he conveys the men’s desparation to get to Odysseus. The phrase, “bucking out of their pens (455),” refers to the fact that Odysseus’ crew is trapped and helpless without him.

Read More
861 Words | 4 Pages

Homer's epic similes or also called Homeric similes are used to give a deeper understanding of the characters and situations throughout The Odyssey. Homeric similes are used for comparing known things to the unknown parts of the story to give a deeper understanding of the significance of a passage. An Epic simile or Homeric Simile is described by the Poetry Foundation as a “detailed, often complex poetic comparison that unfolds over the course of several lines.” These epic similes are found throughout The Odyssey.

Read More
576 Words | 3 Pages

Have you ever been so afraid to face your fears, that you would simply avoid it, push it aside or ignore it? Throughout the epic poem “The Odyssey”, you learn how people run away from their fears. After twenty years of the great Greek hero Odysseus absence on the island of Ithaka, he fights to make his travel home and defeat whatever lies in his path. In the epic poem “The Odyssey”, the greatest prices are paid when a character doesn’t face their struggles and fears. This is shown by Odysseus’s crew with the bag of winds, his experience with the Cyclops, and with Penelope who never acts on her feelings of Odysseus absence.

Read More
620 Words | 3 Pages

The Odyssey, Homer, takes the reader on a man's journey back home after being faced with many struggles for 15 years. Throughout the epic poem, The Odyssey, several examples of epic concepts are shown, such as; epithets, epic similes, and archetypes. Epithets are most commonly seen throughout this epic poem. This is evident because there are many examples of epithets in each book of The Odyssey. For example when the gods and goddesses were discussing Odysseus' fate they used a epithet.

Read More
500 Words | 2 Pages

In the epic story the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is returning from the Trojan war, and on his way home he finds many obstacles ahead of him. Odysseus is the ruler of Ithaca and he is trying to return home to his land. Many creatures try and stop him from achieving his goal of returning home, but he and his crew have to push through and get home. Odysseus portrays bravery and courage leading his crew through these tough challenges. Odysseus heroically leads his crew and himself through dangerous obstacles, but also foolishly endangers them during the journey home.

Read More
688 Words | 3 Pages

The Odyssey by Homer revolves around the character, Odysseus, and his ten-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. As the epic’s idol, he displays the combination of a clever, handsome, and courageous man popular among the mortals as well as the gods. Essentially, he embodies the ideals of the ancient Greek culture, being adorned with many favored characteristics of the era. However, an intriguing aspect of Odysseus lies in his personality. As the protagonist, he does not manifest the entirety of a stereotypical hero because Odysseus has a fatal flaw—his arrogance.

Read More
469 Words | 2 Pages

In the story The Odyssey by Homer the book has three important threats that come up while Odysseus is on his journey. The three most important threats are when he gets “stuck” on a terrible island, how he’s going to figure out if his family is still loyal to him back at home, and lastly all the guys he kills on his land so that he doesn’t get killed. The first threat he has to overachieve is the island. Odysseus gets trapped on an island with a beautiful woman and beautiful landscape. The woman doesn’t want him to go back to his wife so she persuades him to stay.

Read More
557 Words | 3 Pages

The Odyssey is an age old classic read around the world. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the story of the wayward Odysseus. The story follows the protagonist as he makes his way back home, dealing with man-eating Cyclopes, a vengeful god, and a possessive nymph. During the story, the reader sees many sides of Odysseus as he dealt with his tribulations, such the cunning and witful side, but also the pompous and indulgent side. To begin with, Odysseus is trapped on an island with the nymph, Calypso.

Read More
1426 Words | 6 Pages

Religion is a large part of modern life. It influences our belief system and values, as well as shapes who we are as human beings. However, most individuals decide upon and follow a belief system on a voluntary basis. Imagine not only being forced to follow a belief system, but having this system dominate your every action. This is the case for classic epic heroes, such as Oedipus, Odysseus, and Aeneas.

Read More
591 Words | 3 Pages

Just as Achilles is confronted in the Iliad with the problem of balancing his honor with his pride, Odysseus repeatedly faces situations in which self-restraint and humility must check bravado and glory-seeking. In his early adventures, he fails these tests, as when he taunts Polyphemus, inflaming Poseidon. As the epic progresses, Odysseus becomes increasingly capable of judging when it is wise to reveal himself and when it is appropriate to rejoice in his

Read More
755 Words | 4 Pages

But, after angering Poseidon by blinding his one eyed cyclops son, Odysseus must go through brutal situations to get home thanks to the fuming god. The theme, the search for justice, is very prevalent in this text because of the fight between Odysseus and the suitors, the reunion of Odysseus and his wife Penelope and when Odysseus visits his father Laertes and Athena must restore peace because of the fight that breaks out there. To begin, the theme searching for justice is shown clearly when Odysseus returns home and kills the suitors. The text states, “Odysseus took aim and hit him with an arrow in the throat.

Read More
1124 Words | 5 Pages

The Odyssey would be less memorable without Homer’s masterful use of figurative language. This poem can only stand the test of time when the figurative language is used to help readers relate to the text no matter what time period they come from. Figurative language in the text has made the story as a whole more interesting and has made countless readers engaged by this tale of, in Homer’s own words, “that man skilled in all ways of contending.” (p. 813,

Read More
472 Words | 2 Pages

Diction and imagery are very important components to a story. It is the way that the author displays their feelings through the character. Homer uses very vivid shifts in tone, sometimes creating room for the reader to learn a lesson. In one of Homer’s famous books, “The Odyssey,” he uses diction, imagery, and tone to show that everything does not always go as planned. Wishing to escape the cyclops’ bondage, Odysseus tries to get out of trouble and assumes that he and his men are safe by lying to the Cyclops.

Read More

More about Examples Of Figurative Language In The Odyssey

Related Topics

Open Document