Homer's Influence On Contemporary Western Culture

Imagine being a crewmate on a ship and you are being attacked by a monster and you are trying to get away from that monster. You get away but the leader of the ship keeps heckling the monster and the father of the monster then gets angry and attacks. You and the rest of the crew are either dead or badly wounded. Like this hero, Odysseus shows these traits in the Odyssey. Odysseus is the opposite of a modern hero because he is full of himself, he always gets into bad situations and is not loyal to his men.

Odysseus and Everett share many similarities throughout their journeys and overcome many obstacles and didn’t quit no matter what. They show that it’s definitely hard to overcome problems and determination is also needed but it’s not impossible. The characters demonstrate their leadership potential towards others and help them throughout their

Sappho’s poem, entitled Fragment 16, is of the lyrical style instead of the epic style we are used to in Homer’s Iliad. The lyrical style of poetry got its name because it was usually accompanied by a lyre while it was recited. It also was used to express more emotion rather than telling a story. This form of poetry seems to be more artistic rather than the story telling of epic poetry of the time. In this poem we are able to use the comparison of different imagery to understand a common theme within the poem itself. The reason for the interesting title of the poem is because most of Sappho’s poetry is now only found in fragmented forms. Most of Sappho’s writing is from 600 B.C.E.

Thucydides and Homer, though they lived a relatively short 300 years apart, wrote about very different Greek cultures. While the Greeks who Homer wrote about in The Iliad were, in many respects, dissimilar to the Greeks in Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, this stands in marked contrast to the profound similarities that exist between contemporary cultures and those that Thucydides wrote of. There are, however, similarities between modern cultures and those in Homer’s writing, as well as differences between modern ones and those in Thucydides’ writing. Thucydides’ history is, therefore, a relational bridge between the cultures of ancient Greece and modern ones.

Homer’s The Odyssey is very much an epic tale of a man’s heroic quest. The protagonist, Odysseus, is a cunning, brave, strong, and tenacious character who is given the title of a hero. This “hero”, however, does not always show characteristics of a hero, which leads many to believe that Odysseus, is not a true hero after all. In fact, Odysseus cheats on his wife multiple times, is willing to sacrifice his men in order to get home, and slaughters all his maids even though he did not have to. In The Odyssey, Homer attempts to create a complex portrait of a hero, but fails at his attempt when making Odysseus unforgiving, self absorbed, and a philanderer.

he Odyssey, as written by Homer, intricately and excitingly weaves Colin Renfrew’s Subsystem Theories throughout the entire play. Many of the five subsystem theories can be seen and support understanding of the novel. Of the five systems, trade/communication, social/ political hierarchy and symbolic subsystems will be the focus of analysis in this paper. All of these subsystems come together in The Odyssey to explain the characters and their lives, and also how they fit into the society which they live in. To understand the growth and development of the characters, we must understand the systems theories, “many human actions have a meaning at several different levels, with undertones and overtones… it is the complex interconnectedness of the subsystems which gives human culture its unique potential for growth.” As this paper will demonstrate within The Odyssey, trade and communication, social and political hierarchy and lastly symbolic subsystems create adventure in Odysseus’s harrowing, yet exciting journey back to his kingdom and family. These specific subsystems add depth and excitement because we see how each specific one impacts Odysseus’s journey back home. They help us understand who Odysseus is a man and sympathize with all that he goes through. The communication subsystem helps explain how communication between people (and gods) in different lands aid to the success of his return home. We are able to see from the social subsystem how Odysseus and other men

Nobody injuring one another and anybody being free to regulate their own seeking of industry and improvements is shall been an intelligent and frugal government.

Have you ever wonder what life was like for a middle age, African American woman in the 1920’s with a husband who publicly cheats and abuses her? How would she react to his psychological and physical abuse, would she fight back or stay silent? There are many ways one can fight back, and silence is one of them. By simply saying nothing can kill a person, literally. In the short story, “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston unfolds the story of African American wash woman by the name of Delia Jones, the protagonist in the story, is a hard-working woman who has been supporting her good for nothing husband by doing the laundry of white folks. This is how Delia provides for herself, but only to have her useless husband use this

Homer 's epic, 'The Odyssey ', is a lengthy poem that recounts the Trojan war hero, Odysseus ' arduous and protracted journey home to Ithaca. In it, Homer accentuates the somewhat feudal nature of his world, a societal structure that far more resembles his own than that which actually existed in Mycenaean Greece, less to supplement the story, but rather to serve as the primary focus. Despite the feudal qualities of the world that Homer relates, the poem is almost entirely devoid of class conscious thinking. Instead, the primary source of structure comes from the household. The 'Odyssey ' serves as something of a champion for the oixos (Ancient Greek for the household

The Greek Hero and Its Downfalls The Greek hero, a national symbol at the time, encompasses many of the qualities and principles ancient Greece valued in its culture. Homeric epics such as The Iliad and The Odyssey explore these qualities and the motives behind them. Through literature, Homer is able to depict the glory and drive of the Greek hero while also exploring its shortcomings. Throughout the story of Achilles, the reader is taken along in his quest for fame and glory, but in the end, his downfall becomes what he wants most in life: kleos.

Per Ernest Hemingway, a Code Hero “lives correctly, following the ideals of honor, courage and endurance in a world that is sometimes chaotic, often stressful, and always painful.” Hemingway’s Code Heroes endure the toughest of conditions stoically and courageously. However, not all agree that a hero, such as Hemingway’s Santiago, must approach scenarios in an emotionless manner. An example is shown in that of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby, who displays strong emotion in his struggles yet still shows the life of pain, lack of morality, and relentless pursuit of goals that are common to Code Heroes. Therefore, we can observe that Hemingway and Fitzgerald Code Heroes share characteristics such as pain and immorality although do not share emotionlessness found in Hemingway Code Heroes. However, the question remains: How and why are Hemingway and Fitzgerald Code Heroes similar or dissimilar?

A hero isn’t shaped by his strengths but by the values he possesses. Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, reveals the moral and ethical constitution of the ancient Greeks. Over time, certain cultures have grown to value a number of human characteristics. Those who acquire such values become respected heroes. After the fall of Troy, the protagonist of the epic, Odysseus, set sail for his home, Ithaca, where his faithful wife and son were waiting for him. Over the course of his journey, Odysseus faced some of the most ferocious opponents known to the Greeks. Even through this formidable journey, Odysseus and his family have stayed true to the diverse aspects of the ancient Greeks. The Odyssey exemplifies the human ideals of hospitality, loyalty and

Odysseus is the genius tactician whom Everett is modeled after. In the movie O’ Brother Where Art Thou, Everett is extremely similar to Odysseus. Everett is comparably much smarter than those around him, like Odysseus, and believes in his own power. He is also surrounded by people who want to betray him or hurt him, and uses similar methods of not being caught. Also, they both fully believe they are better than and don't need others. Everett and Odysseus also both only want to get back to their wives while they still hold slight concern for their companions. Everett in the movie O’ Brother Where Art Thou is made to be like Odysseus because they are both intelligent, narcissistic and have the same goal.

Homer's epic tale The Odyssey is a story of the triumphs and downfalls that are in store for one warrior's long pillage home.  Odysseus, the hero from the Trojan wars, has led his people of Ithaca and other Achaean soldiers to victory and now wishes to return home to his wife and family of Ithaca.  Through his twenty year journey Odysseus is often tested not only of his physical strength, but his wits as well.  The many accomplishments he achieved earned him great status and recognition throughout ancient Greece.  The mistakes he made caused the deaths of many men.  Consequently, we as readers are able to see the many personas that Odysseus carries with him.

Thesis: In the novel “The Odyssey” Homer displays the main character Odysseus, the shepherd of men, with god like qualities which clouds his judgement and sense of superiority that he will never transpire to respect the other warriors through his harsh tones.