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The Destruction Of Odysseus Free Will In Homer's Odyssey

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The cave is dark and musty. The beast is gruesome: nasty, brutish and gross. He gobbles down men and sheep for breakfast, lunch and dinner. With only one eye, decaying, rotted teeth, and the stench of his rancid breath filling the confined cave, the journey Odysseus had embarked on, did not look like it had a bright future. But, this was part of the journey that he had agreed to. On a journey, the final destination is everybody's goal, but what about the journey itself? The journey matters more than the destination when you pick up knowledge from all of the experiences and challenges you encounter. When on a journey, one can pick up knowledge about themselves. On a journey, the “hero” may not realize how much knowledge they are gaining about themselves. When Cheryl Strayed was on her journey across the Pacific Crest Trail, she gained an immense amount of knowledge about …show more content…

Homer shows how Odysseus feels the pain of the journey strongly when his men are being devoured by the deadly man eating whirlpool, Charybdis.“She ate them as they shrieked there, in her den, in the dire grapple, reaching still for me- and deathly pity ran through me at that sight- far the worst I have ever suffered…”(Lines 821-825). As his men were being consumed by Charybdis, Odysseus realized that the journey would be more painful than expected. Odysseus also felt the grieving emotional pain of the journey when he watched his men face their inevitable deaths. “ No sooner had I caught the sight of our black hull, than the savory of burnt fat eddied around me; grief took hold of me and I cried aloud…”(895-898). After Odysseus’s men's stupidity, greed, and foolishness gets them killed, he learns that others actions and decisions may cause some terrible, long lasting grief. Odysseus faced a terrible amount of pain, but it only pushed him farther to finish what he had started and make it to his final destination,

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Odysseus Is very proud and talk about this adventure in great depth, because he defeated these creepy and freighting creatures, one of the very important other reasons why Odysseus likes to talk about this story is because Odysseus makes it through but, his crew does

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“Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.” -Erich Fromm ‘The Odyssey’ by Homer, follows the story of Odysseus, a great Greek hero. It tells of his venture to Troy, to lead his army in the Trojan War, and his separation from loved ones and his kingdom for twenty years. However, the novel mainly focuses on the story of his homecoming and all he, and many others, had to endure while he was returning from abroad.

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Odysseus, the great and powerful, was a leader among many, and the fearless king of Ithaca. Even with all of his amazing qualities, he did not control his own fate. After winning the war in Troy, Odysseus begins his journey back to Ithaca, but not without complications. On his journey, he battled monsters and the god Poseidon, who made his journey long and treacherous. Although Odysseus was a strong leader, he needed the help of the gods to get home.

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In myhtology such as Homer’s “The Odyssey” Odysseus’s actions prove him to be a heel throughout his journey, with his actions to frequently causing problems . During the encounter with the POlyphemus, Odysseus’s choice to meet the cylops caused the rest of the voyage to be cursed and for six of his men to be killed just because of his curiosity. When Odysseus decided to stay with the enchantress Circe he delayed returning home for a year because he enjoyed being pampered.

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Depending on Others, Can Teach Self-dependence From a young age people are often told, contradictory things. People are told that they should try to do things on their own, but are also told that, if they need help they should ask for it. These conflicting messages are exceptionally difficult for soldiers trying to assimilate back into society after the war. As soldiers return home, they often try to live self-dependently, but sometimes they need help and have to depend on others. This effects Odysseus because when he needs help, he has to rely on the gods to lead him the right way.

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I agree with you, without his determination he wouldn't have kept his will to return home. Odysseus goes to show us how when we have determination even when the odds are against us we can still reach our goal, if we want it bad enough. I thought his determination was exceptional when he stays loyal to his wife which in turn, turns Calypso to his side. His determination and loyalty to his wife strong enough to defy Zeus’ plan of deception. I also think his cunningness aided in his determination because he relies on it for his strength.

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Odysseus goes to the land of the dead and during the time he is there he will encounter many new fates and things he must do as well. First, when Odysseus is in the Land of the Dead he is to sacrifice a lamb” I swore to sacrifice a black lamb, handsomest of all our flock”(11.1071-72). In this Odysseus is saying how he had made a promise to Teiresias and now he was to slaughter this lamb that he said he would do. Next, Odysseus encounters the spirit of his deceased mother “I see my mother’s ghost among the dead sitting in silence near blood. Not once has she glanced this way toward her son, nor spoken” (11.1145-47).

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Odysseus sufficiently exercises his authority as captain by warning his men in every possible way of the consequences they might face. Odysseus and his men have been sailing for a multitude of days, tired and weary from their travels. During the journey, Odysseus had been warned both by Teiresias and Kirke that if the boat were to land on Helios’ island, there would be fatal doom waiting for them. Specifically, Odysseus was warned that if they killed any of Helios’ heifers or sheep, his crew would surely perish. As the crew is sailing, they spot an island, which Odysseus knows to be Helios’.

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In the book called The Odyssey by Homer, it mainly follows the story of a king of a village called Ithaca, hundreds of years ago-This man, is named Odysseus. Odysseus goes through many adventures after the victory of the Trojan War. However, this is where Odysseus, is not being as strong as a great war hero and a king as he should be. Although Odysseus was seen as a very strong person, physically and mentally, he lacks the appreciation and the care of his crew throughout the trials and didn’t think through many of his actions thoroughly and how they would affect not only his crew but people around him.

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From the onset of the book, death is a recurring event, persistent throughout the entire poem. In many ways, the Odyssey is the story of the death of all of Odysseus’ friends and fellow fighters during their return home from conquering Troy. These deaths are particularly heartbreaking to Odysseus because, normally, one would expect that all dying would conclude with the end of the war against Troy. In this case, however, the anticipation of his return to his family at home became a series of tragedies. This sequence of events changes his view and molds Odysseus’ character in regard to his surviving friends and family.

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Naturally, he has much to be proud of: his sexy and loyal wife, his bravery, and his victorious battles from the Trojan War and beyond. However, his arrogance creates a weakness in his character that negatively impacts himself and the people around him. The evolution in Odysseus’s personality turns him from an arrogant flaunter to a humble man, and demonstrates that the strifes he encounters during his journey home is not simply new experiences, but also his beginning of a profound revelation. Starting from the middle of the mountain, Odysseus’s new transformation will allow him to soar to the top with eagle

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When reading the odyssey I noticed that Odysseus went through a lot of difficult tasks and journeys and has had more than one near death experience. If you read through the book you will notice that most of Odysseus’ hardships go with a life lesson that teach you what to do or not do in the future in that type of situation. One of the life lessons is when a has to hang onto the tree branch for a whole day to survive because Charybdis swallowed his ship. The symbol or life lesson in this part is determination because he wants to get home to his wife and son alive and it is a hard task,but he was willing do it because he had so much determination to get home. If odysseus didn’t have determination at that time he could have just let go because it hurt or it was hard ,but he didn’t because the need to go to his wife and son was greater.

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he thundered out, 'now who are you? Where did you sail from, over the running sea-lanes? Out on a trading spree or roving the waves like pirates, sea-wolves raiding at will, who risk their lives to plunder other men?'” Odysseus and his crew become frightened, but despite this, Odysseus shows the heroic trait of bravery by answering back confidently, “The hearts inside us shook, terrified by his rumbling voice and monstrous hulk.

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Symptoms such as depression, impulsive anger, and paranoia continue to affect Odysseus in his life, though he and others might fail to recognize it. While The Odyssey might be a fictional epic, the issues it addresses are still very real even in today’s society. Post traumatic stress disorder is still a significant issue, and though rates of the illness have improved, work still needs to be done. However, the solution to PTSD is not reducing the impact of warfare, but instead, providing a better, more welcoming environment for returning soldiers like Odysseus. This story might still provide comfort to soldiers today, because they witness Odysseus overcome his adversities, giving hope that they too can

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During Odysseus’ journey home from Calypso’s island, he pleas for help from the immortals. “I throw myself on your mercy, on your current now- I have suffered greatly. Pity me, lord, your suppliant cries for help” (Homer 5.494-496). Odysseus has accepted his mortality, and is begging to higher beings for help. Through his suffering, Odysseus is recognizing the power the deathless gods possess and his need for their support, showcasing a newfound humility.

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