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The Role Of Temptation In Homer's The Odyssey

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Food Temptation in “The Odyssey”
There are millions of people living around the world. Although they live in different places, one of the things all of these people can relate to is the feeling of temptation. Whether it is the temptation to tell a secret or to cheat on an exam, everyone in the world has felt that feeling. This definitely applies to literature as well. In The Odyssey by Homer, the temptation of food leads to punishment, and as discussed by Nicole Smith in her essay “Food Images and Temptation in The Odyssey”, this temptation and its consequences are seen in “Sailing From Troy”, “The Cyclops”, and “The Lotus-Eaters”.
To begin, temptation with food leading to punishment is seen in “Sailing From Troy”. This can be seen when the text of The Odyssey states: …show more content…

Smith describes this, stating “These are people who do nothing all day but sit and indulge their appetites on this strange plant. They have given themselves over entirely to consumption and temptation and they bring out these tendencies in Odysseus’ shipmates. He physically has to haul them away in order to leave the island”. So, the punishment for giving into the temptation of the Lotus is the terrible addiction that develops due to it. For this reason, it is clear to see how temptation and its consequences appear in “The Lotus-Eaters”.
Therefore, as it is clear to see that in The Odyssey, the temptation of food leads to punishment, and as discussed by Nicole Smith in her essay “Food Imagery and Temptation in The Odyssey”, this temptation and its consequences are seen in “Sailing From Troy”, “The Cyclops”, and “The Lotus-Eaters”. After all, temptation affects everyone, and can lead to drastic consequences. Whether one lives in China or Australia or Venezuela, temptation and its consequences will follow them wherever one

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