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The Hubris Of Gods And Goddesses In Homer's Odyssey

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In The Odyssey, Homer discusses the theme of temptation through the hubris of gods and goddesses, portraying the importance of determination and resilience. It is shown in many places throughout Odysseus’s journey, on the islands of Ogygia, Aeolia, and Anthemoessa. Temptation is shown multiple times throughout the novel. On Calypso’s island, Ogygia, Odysseus is imprisoned and tempted to stay because he has luxury and paradise there. On the island, he has the choice to forget about the responsibility of his family, and his kingdom in Ithica, and to become immortal or leave the island. Calypso says, "The gods cast me up on Ogygia, Calypso’s island, home of the dangerous nymph with glossy braids, and the goddess took me in in all her kindness, welcomed …show more content…

But if you only knew, deep down, what pains are fated to fill your cup before you reach that shore, you’d stay right here. Preside in our house with me and be immortal.” (5.228-231) When Calypso speaks of what pains are fated to fill Odysseus’s cup, she means that his journey home would be hard and there is pain and death fated for him at the end of it. This means that he is tempted to choose the easy way out by staying in paradise but instead, chooses to go through hardships and eventually die. Because he does this, the reader can see Odysseus as strong and determined. Another temptation that Odysseus and his crew face is when they arrive at Aeolus’s home and are presented with a bag of storm winds. This bag of wind was given to Odysseus and his crew to ensure they made it back home safely. Odysseus says, “He gave me a sack, the skin of a full-grown ox, binding inside the winds that howl from every quarter, for Zues that made that king the master of all the winds, with the power to calm them down or rouse them as he pleased.” (10.22-25) Based on Odysseus’s explanation of the work and materials used to put together the bag of wind, he makes it seem like this was a great act of kindness for

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For example, when Odysseus has an affair with the Goddess Lady Circe or when his crew opens Aeolus’s Bag of Winds. One major theme in “The Odyssey” is the consequences of temptation and how that ultimately impacted Odysseus’ and his crews' journey back to Ithaca and the events of the Hero’s Journey. The Hero’s Journey also played a major part in shaping how the characters behaved as well as the result of the narritave. The theme of the consequences of temptation is established throughout the story through the actions of Odysseus' crew, which ultimately resulted in their

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The Odyssey by Homer, is about a twenty year long journey in Greece during the 700’s B.C. The story brings up many big ideas, however some are more prominent than others. The most important idea shown throughout The Odyssey is hubris. The reason why hubris was expressed throughout the story, was to express the idea that you should not show excessive self confidence, for it never leads to anything good.

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While on the island he had many affairs with Calypso, and became unfaithful to Penelope, but he longed for home each night. Showing that he was not strong enough to leave the island, he became as useless as a ragdoll, and relied on the gods to set him free. Athena was on his side so she used her power, and persuaded Zeus to order Calypso to let him go. With out the help from the gods and doing what Athena wanted, which was for him to leave Calypso's island, and return to Ithaca, we would have stayed on the island with Calypso for eternity. This event is a clear example of How Odysseus was a puppet of the gods, and could not control his

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The role of “Calypso, the bewitching nymph and lustrous goddess,”(16-17: 78) interrupts the course of the quest to display the hero’s battle with self-restraint. “Calypso holds (Odysseus) back, deep in her arching caverns,”(377-378: 466) although he does not succumb to the common temptations of women “forever trying to spellbind his heart with suave. ”(67: 79) Even when offered a gift “to make him immortal, ageless, (for) all his days,”(379: 466) the hero “Odysseus, that seasoned veteran cursed by fate so long” controls his urges. Instead, Odysseus has “his heart set on his wife and his return,”(16: 78) longing for “the native land he loves, not even if iron shackles bind (him) down.

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