Homer's Odyssey: Themes From The Past

The Odyssey: Themes from the Past
Since ancient times, The Odyssey has been a source of inspiration for all. It tells of Odysseus, a Greek king, who goes on a great journey to make it home after the Trojan War. Homer, who wrote The Odyssey, copied it down after years of verbal communication to keep the great story alive. The epic poem blends heroic characters with moral themes and grievous death. Three themes seen throughout the epic The Odyssey are traitorous disloyalty, heroic bravery, and dire consequences for one’s actions.
One theme shown in The Odyssey is faithless disloyalty, demonstrated in one instance when Odysseus is unfaithful to his wife Penelope. Though Penelope has been faithful to him, Odysseus sleeps with Calypso, who held Odysseus captive for seven years, showing that Odysseus is disloyal to

Bravery is evident in when Odysseus is in the Underworld and evident in Telemachus, Odysseus’ son. Despite the fact that Odysseus was terrified of the souls in the Land of the Dead, he still bravely fights them. This is proven in the text when it says, “From every side the [souls] came and sought the pit/ with rustling cries; and I grew sick with fear/... I crouched with my drawn sword to keep/ the surging phantoms from the bloody pit...” (lines 62-23 and 68-69). Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, also shows bravery because he goes on dangerous journeys looking for his father. Upon returning home after one of his journeys, Eumaeus, his old faithful servant, cries out, “Light of my days, Telemachus,/ you made it back! When you took ship for Pylos/ I never thought to see you here again” (lines 30-32). The quote shows how Telemachus is brave for continuously looking for Odysseus because he faces danger every time he leaves. Bravery is shown in many ways, most evident in the way Odysseus fights the souls in the Land of the Dead and when Telemachus goes on numerous trips to find his