Greek Gods In The Odyssey

In this paragraph will be information on Greek Gods and Goddesses. There was a governing body for the Grecians. This mythological group was very important. They were usually the reason for war and many believed that they were so superior that they would bring disease and death upon others that they dislike or the people that would try to out shine them. They were called The Olympians. There were twelve Olympians, however before I name them there actually were 13, but Hestia gave up her position for Dionysus. There was Zeus, Poseidon, Hermes, Hephatus, Hera, Demeter, Aphrodite, Athena, Artimes, Dionysus, Aries (Ares or Aris), and Apollo.” (Greek Gods and Goddesses) There was one other God that is also very important to the Olympians. His name was Hades and he was the God of the Dead. He was not considered an Olympian though because he was always to be in the Underworld. Hades had one day decided that he wanted a partner however

The relationship between gods and mortals in mythology has long been a complicated topic. The gods can be generous and supportive, and also devastating and destructive to any group of humans. Mortals must respect the powers above them that cannot be controlled. The gods rule over destiny, nature, and justice, and need to be recognized and worshipped for the powerful beings as they are. Regardless of one's actions, intentions, and thoughts, the gods in Greek myth have ultimate power and the final decision of justice over nature, mortals, and even each other.

When his two nearest companions pulled away his clothes and looked at his neck, they had said him a solemn farewell in expectation of his death. We 'll meet again in a better world, they said. He was classed among the dying and put aside on a cot to do so. But he failed at it. After two days, space being short, they sent him on to a regular hospital in his own state. All through the mess of the field hospital and the long grim train ride south in a boxcar filled with wounded, he had agreed with his friends and the doctors. He thought he would die. About all he could remember of the trip was the heat and the odors of blood and of shit, for many of the wounded had the flux. (Frazier, 4)

The gods play an important part in Odysseus’ journey home, bringing him closer and farther from his homeland. They constantly intervene in the lives of the many characters in The Odyssey. Though Odysseus is a hero, the gods control his life. It is as if he were the main character in a video game and the gods are fighting over who controls his life. Personal responsibility is overshadowed by the gods’ eagerness to grab the controller.

Many authors have employed the religious beliefs of their cultures in literature. The deities contained in Homer’s Odyssey and in the Biblical book of Exodus reflect the nature of the gods in their respective societies. Upon examination of these two works, there are three major areas where the gods of the Greek epic seem to directly contrast the nature of the God of the Israelites: the way problems are solved, the prestige and status that separates the divine from the masses, and the extent of power among the immortal beings.

Without God, Man is nothing! -this is the reality to the world that man is useless without God. Courageous Odysseus confide that he can do everything even though without the help of any goddesses by this credence he forget that God is mightier than an ordinary man. God of the Sea condemn him and he expiate for sixteen years however he substantiate himself that he will return for his dearly kingdom Ithaca no matter what happen. We, as a person trying to be presumptuous and potent as always but failed to be satisfied and value at true worth. Perhaps a man without God consider as a barren of tree definitely worthless.

What roles do the Gods play in mortal’s life? There are many debates among critics about the Gods function in society. The Gods in The Odyssey appear and reappear throughout the poem, portraying themselves in human form or divine form to mortals. But the reasons why they constantly make an appearance in mortal’s life is unclear. When they do appear, they bring good and bad things for mortals.

The lecture on Homeric gods by Professor Carolyn Anderson provided information about the Odyssey, ancient Greek culture, and the gods presiding in the culture. During the time period of the ancient Greeks, much was unexplainable. The numerous gods were a way to explain occurrences and their religion was a way of regulating the world and having structure, and the gods played a large part in the Greek culture. The religion was also heavily influenced by narratives about causality such as the Odyssey and the Iliad.

The Odyssey written originally in Greek by Homer is on the most acclaimed pieces of literature of all time. Being a major piece of poetic history, The Odyssey is still extremely influential based on its unique rhythm pattern and masterful storytelling. Homer’s epic follows the journey home for a heroic soldier named Odysseus following the Trojan War. One of the major factors he encounters on his journey are a plethora of gods that interact with him. Odysseus interacts with several proactive, human-like, and powerful gods on his quest to find his home and family in Ithaca.

    Prehistoric man did not question his existence and reality - he just lived as one with nature. When prehistoric man awakened from this simple existence into the world of intelligence, he began to question his existence and reality. Homer’s The Odyssey demonstrated man’s attempt to cope with their own nature through the illusion of the gods, by using them to carry their burdens of hopelessness, helplessness, and fallibility.

The Iliad takes us way back to when war was part of peoples everyday life and explained what life was like during the Trojan War. This book seems to celebrate war a lot. Another main aspect of everyday life would have been the gods. The gods had a huge influence on everything during the war. These gods would pick theirs sides while helping who they wanted to help. Their voices were always heard and listened to. One section in the Iliad that shows how important the gods roles were was in Book 2 (p. 20). In that section Agamemnon had a dream, from Zeus, that he should attack the Trojans and take their city. Fighting proves ones honor and integrity, but if warfare is avoided then it shows laziness, and ignoble fear.

When you think about God or Gods, you usually picture something that is supposedly majestic, extraordinary, and simply beyond the understanding of humanity. You do not immediately think of beings ruled by emotions and blinded by arrogance such as the Greek Gods depicted in the works of Homer. Homer’s representation of the Olympians paints them in a not so favorable light, as many of the Gods are portrayed as petty, immoral beings that egregiously tamper with mortal affairs.

The citizens of ancient Greece lived a life depending on the pleasing of the gods and believing the gods would help guide them in the right direction towards a successful fate. In The Odyssey by Homer, we find Odysseus who is returning home from a decade long war with the now fallen city of Troy. While traveling along with Odysseus in his travel, we find some of the Greek gods put effort into his travels, some helping Odysseus and one major god plotting against him. While Odysseus is traveling home and in his return home, we see the characteristics of what a Homeric human olds, which involves a warrior type culture and a person trusting in the fate the gods have given them. The story also reveals what truths and values these characters reflect

To a certain extent, the role of the gods in Homer's Iliad can be summed up by the following remark by a character in an entirely different literary work, Gloucester from Shakespeare's King Lear: "As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; / they kill us for their sport."

“What is meant to be will always find a way,” this quote by the author Trisha Yearwood addresses the matter of destiny and fate, which plays an extremely crucial role in Homer’s respected poem, the Iliad. The gods were a big part of the ancient Greeks’ lives, from influencing commoner’s daily lives to the king's’ most important decisions. The gods in ancient Greece, however, are not so much like the God/ gods we believe in today. No matter which religion you think of, the God(s) are always portrayed as all-loving and all-loving, which is not the case with the Greek gods in the Iliad. Every Greek god seen in the Iliad showed emotions of the mortals and were evidently biased, telling us that it was of great importance that the people were in favor of the gods. Throughout the Iliad, we can see the role that the gods’ play in the citizens’ daily lives, individual fate, and the fate of an entire kingdom.