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The odyssey literary analysis
Descriptions of polyphemus in the odyssey
Analysis of the odyssey by homer
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More handpicked essays just for you.
The odyssey literary analysis
Descriptions of polyphemus in the odyssey
Analysis of the odyssey by homer
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Cyclops Essay The author Robert Fitzgerald translates a chapter of The Adventure of Ulysses which was Chapter 4 “The Cyclops Cave.” This chapter was about Ulysses and his men having to be trapped in the cave of Polyphemus. Ulysses tries to devise an escape plan and encounters Polyphemus in his cave. Robert Fitzgerald uses imagery/sensory details and metaphors in “The Cyclops from The Odyssey'' to create unsettling and more realistic feelings in this chapter.
During the Ancient Greek era, their culture had different social codes than other cultures in that era and the ones to come after. The Ancient Greeks of the time created their own moral codes called, “The Eight Greek Evil Thoughts” that were detrimental and took away the aspects of being human. ”The Cyclops” is epic from the story, The Odyssey that was written by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald. In the episode of “The Cyclops” Odysseus and his men have washed ashore onto an island where it is mostly inhabited by cyclops, Odysseus’ curiosity leads him to a cave that it also the home to a cyclops named Polyphemus. Polyphemus returns to his cave and soon notices that he is not alone, he slowly starts to eat members from the group until
Crackle, crackle, stomp. These are the sounds the men heard as they realized they were trapped in the monster’s lair. In the stories of Homer’s The Odyssey and that of the Coen Brothers’ O Brother Where Art Thou, there are different depictions of one of the worlds most well known monsters, the cyclops.
“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.
The Greek epic poem, the Odyssey, was told by Homer but the date of its creation is unknown. Even though the book mainly focuses on Odysseus, the monsters such as Polyphemus, have an important role. Homer portrays Polyphemus the cyclops as uncivilized throughout Book 9. He does this to show us to reinforce the morals of Odysseus and increase conflict and tension.
Odysseus escapes Polyphemus and continues on his way. He tricks Polyphemus into believing his name is nobody, which is ironic because when Odysseus finally arrives back to Ithaka
In the story of The Odyssey by Homer the part of the hero’s journey that is utmost represented are the trials more specifically the trial of the Cyclops and the trial of the Sirens. In Book 9 the Cyclops story the Cyclops Polyphemus, “in one stride he clutched at my companions and caught two in his hands like squirming puppies to beat their brains out, spattering the floor” (192-194). This shows that the group that Odysseus is in net themselves a whale of trouble with Polyphemus. We know it is a trial by considering how the crew needs help and they drive through trouble in order to attempt to receive that help. Which in turn means that the trials are well represented by the Cyclops in The Odyssey.
In The Odyssey, the Cyclops is a monster because of his key differences from mere human beings, specifically his lack of wit and of morals. Depicting these qualities as monstrous support that cleverness and a general regard for human life were heavily valued in Greek culture. Odysseus easily trick the Cyclops bragging, “I poured him another fiery bowl - three bowls I brimmed and three he drank to the last drop, the fool”(9.404-406). To describe the bowls of wine as fiery foreshadows the demise of the Cyclops. Odysseus was able to use his brain, not strength, to make the Cyclops drink himself into a stupor.
The Greeks are proud to come out to enjoy each others company and they encourage the art of storytelling and conversation. These attributes, along with the Greek's artistic ability, can be seen within the story and in the ancient Greek society when looking at the cultural artifact that contains many intricate details. These kind of activities allow the men that assemble to intellectually and artistically connect, which is a practice that is foreign to the Cyclops. The gratitude and appreciation that Odysseus has for the talent that Demodocrus, a poet who performed 3 narrative songs during his stay at Scherie (VII), possesses would be incomprehensible to Polyphemus. The civilization of the Greeks depends upon their ability to be intellectually engaged, rather than just instinctively engaged like the
Odysseus, the great hero, does not make a physical appearance in the odyssey until the fifth book. The author may have done this for multiple reasons. One reason may have been to create such a suspense that keeps the readers interested in reading the book. Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, has been created into a smaller hero story, in the Odyssey, through how he encountered a journey to find his father. Sons of great heroes and gods were expected to take after their fathers, so Telemachus took on this journey as his father would have.
Oceanus "For all at last return to the sea - to Oceanus, the ocean river, like the ever flowing stream of time, the beginning and the end. " When Rachel Carson made this statement, she was referring to the Greek Titan Oceanus. Oceanus is a fairly ill remembered Titan who did not participate much, although he is still important. He is recognized through his genealogy, his symbols, his attitude, and his impact not only on Greek culture, but on the Roman culture.
In the section “In the One-Eyed Giant’s Cave” from Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is portrayed as a hero through his character traits and behaviors. When Odysseus and his men attack the city of Ismarus, the Cicones’ strong hold, Odysseus made sure to fairly distribute the spoils among his men. Odysseus’s behavior shows that he is a great leader, a characteristic of a hero. While Odysseus and his crew are in the Cyclops’ cave, Polyphemus, the cyclops, notices them. Polyphemus asks who they are with a monstrous tone, “‘Strangers!'
Throughout the story, Odysseus demonstrates his courage that ultimately allows him to survive. One of these moments was during his journey back to Ithaca, where he faces a race of man eating giants called the Cyclops. Odysseus originally stops his ship there to relish a feast while on his journey back to Ithaca, but while doing so, out of curiosity explores the island. Soon, he finds a deserted house and decides to wait of the owner. The owner was unknowingly one the Cyclops, named Polyphemus.
Summary: Cyclops In the story, Odysseus is still speaking to the Phaeacians, but is now telling them of his encounter with Polyphemus, the cyclops. Strong winds blew Odysseus and his men to Polyphemus’ island, where they unloaded and entered a cave that Polyphemus happened to live in. When he entered the cave, he closed the entrance with a large boulder that only he could move, trapping himself, his sheep, and Odysseus inside. After he ate some of Odysseus’ men, Odysseus devised a plan to get the cyclops to move the boulder so that the men could escape.
As Odysseus and his men reach the land of the Cyclopes, they explore the land, which leads them inside of Polyphemus’ cave. Odysseus and his twelve men assume Polyphemus will be welcoming and hospitable showing good signs of xenia, but they are most certainly wrong. Upon Polyphemus’ discovery of Odysseus and his men, he immediately exhibits bad signs of xenia, demanding them to explain who they are and where they are from. Odysseus requests his hospitality to not refuse them and to respect the gods, “But we, for our part, come as suppliant to your knees, hoping for hospitality, and the kindness that is due to strangers. Good sir, do not refuse us: respect the gods.