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Figurative Language In Homer's Odyssey

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The Greek epic poet, Homer tells the story of the Odyssey which details Odysseus’s journey home after the trojan war. Odysseus and his men face life threatening challenges including his encounters with the Cyclops, Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis.While facing danger, the gods also tested Odysseus. Despite struggling for 20 years, he eventually prevails and returns to his wife Penelope. Not only does figurative language entertain and help the audience visualize the moments, but it also emphasizes the struggles and pain of the characters. The language depicts society’s values and helps readers understand the significance of social structure and one’s relationship with the gods. The vivid figurative language suggests that one must live life honorably or die in vain.
Living honorably results in being thought highly of and leaves you with no regrets. Living a life without devious activity has remuneration. Odysseus who is disguised as a begger speaks with Penelope and says, “Your name has gone out under heaven like the sweet honor of some god-fearing king” (IV.95-97). Penelope is being compared to an honorable “God-fearing king”. This paints the picture that Penelope is a very well respected and admirable person. The audience should learn that loyalty is a very important aspect of life. This evidence shows that since Penelope stayed loyal to …show more content…

Living a life of lies and betrayal has a not so good outcome. The Odyssey wouldn’t be nearly as recognized as it is today without figurative language. I feel it is much more understandable with the figurative language. It helps us have an idea of what going on in the story and we can visualize what the characters are going through. This story has withstood the test of time because it still includes many valuable lessons that we can apply to our daily lives. Hubris, Living honorably, and Dying in Vain all apply to our lives in some

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Finally, he develops the character our hero of this epic, Odysseus. Homer illustrates using character, symbolism and irony to reiterate that legerdemain or trickery isn’t always used for bad. The Odyssey illustrates the necessity to use deception to get out of life threatening situations. Polyphemus, is eating Odysseus’s companions. Odysseus quickly devises a trick, to escape Polyphemus.

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Corrections 40 I chose E. I, II, and III because I believed that the dead do not ever have to obey the living. Although that fact may be true, the question asked if that fact could be inferred from the story, and no points in the story back up that fact. The correct answer is C. I and II only because both I. must be appeased by the living (lines 53-56: “burn me with whatever armor I have, build a barrow for me on the seashore...and plant over my grave the oar I used to row”) and II. can cause harm to come to the living (lines 52-53: “or I may bring heaven’s anger upon you”) were shown throughout the text.

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The Odyssey by Homer is an exemplary story that teaches life lessons to those going on a journey for themselves. It illustrates how the challenges and obstacles one may face can help someone become a better leader. The Odyssey highlights one man, Odysseus, a man filled with excessive pride, experiencing the wrath of the god Poseidon. He expects to arrive at his home, Ithaca, safely to reunite with his wife, Penelope, but unfortunately faces many temptations and setbacks. Due to the challenges he faces, it prevents him from arriving home as early as he thought he would.

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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.

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In The Odyssey Homer makes Odysseus’ journey to his beloved Ithaca excruciating. Odysseus encounters many friends and foes throughout his journey and has to be a leader throughout his experiences. As an example, he encounters Polyphemus and Poseidon, both of whom make his journey mentally and physically painful. Odysseus faces countless scenarios in which he has to save multiple people in those situations. He also encounters the suitors, who are a group of men that try to marry Penelope, when he returns to reclaim his home.

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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,

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