Examples Of Stoicism In The Odyssey

Theodore Iskandre

Ms. Weksler

English 1A

April 17, 2023

In ancient Greece, there were many philosophical schools of thought that were important to Greek societies. Each had been developed by a man who wanted to think about the world in a different way. Many of these popular schools of thought came from the pupils of Socrates. These schools of thought covered topics from ethics and morality to astronomy and geometry and therefore contributed to the developments of the Greeks technologically and intellectually. Stoicism and cynicism are demonstrated in the qualities of the characters in Homer’s epic poem, "The Odyssey."

To begin, Penelope's actions towards the beggar show her stoic values. After hearing about the treatment of the beggar by the

An example of this indifference is the choice that Oddysseus made between Scylla and Charybdis. Although he was saddened by the event at first, he accepted it and made a decision (Homer). This point is made more clear as Oddysseus "could find consolation in adversity: Happiness dwelt within, unaffected by external misfortune or external success" (Sacks). Odysseus shows this value of near indifference because, although many things get in his way, he is ultimately able to block them out and worry about moving forward. Another thing worth pointing out is that the Stoics did this "with a serene mind," which Odysseus also possessed (Sacks). With all that said, Odysseus clearly shows a connection with the philosophical school of Stoicism and its

Philosophy continues to influence modern society, from classrooms to courtrooms. Our modern society is based on the principles laid out thousands of years ago; this shows how advanced the Greeks were and how our current society can learn a few more things from