Odysseus Transformation

He competed in a bow and arrow challenge to win over his own wife, Penelope. Odysseus revealed his identity to his son, Telemachus, and some of his servants to then slaughter Penelope’s wooers that tried to win her over when he was away. He had the aid of Zeus’ daughter, Athene to help guide him.

Odysseus’s journey home to Ithaca is so complex it covers a wide variety of themes. The one that stands out most is the theme of appearance and reality. It encapsulates the whole text, wither by literal transformations or by the actions and opinions of characters. This essay will look at three different scenes and how they show the themes in different ways. First by looking at Athene and Telemachus, then at Athene and Odysseus in Ithaca and finally at Penelope and the suitors. These three scenes will be used to show how broadly and effectively the themes are used, and how they often open the narrative. Odysseus’s tale spans many years as he tries to get home to his family in Ithaca. Working on a dual narrative it also tells the story of

First, Odysseus is physically strong, but he uses his strength violently. According to the story, Odysseus' bow is too tough so that no one except Odysseus could string it. Consequently, wise Penelope hosts a contest for suitors so that who string the bow and shoot an arrow through a dozen holes of axes' handle will marry her. Of course, nobody could not string the bow, but Odysseus in disguise accomplishes it without any endeavor, and successfully shoots the arrow through twelve holes. (Beddall, pg.79-81) This scene reflects Odysseus' classical heroic quality, however on the other hand, there is another scene that shows his violence. In

This is his crossing the threshold. Odysseus begins with the Trojan War. Odysseus has not truly began his journey to change, but he is being introduced to a world that is not his own.

“The benefits of the accomplished journey cannot be weighed in terms of perfect moments, but in terms of how this journey affects and changes our character.” -Ella Maillart. To many, journey’s are life changing experiences. People venture out into the world to learn and discover new things. In the epic, The Odyssey by Homer, is about a hero named Odysseus that goes on a 20 year journey. For ten years he was in the Trojan War and the ten after that we was trying to get back home. He got into lots of obstacles trying to get home. The character Odysseus in The Odyssey changes by having a desire to gain glory but in the end of the story he is more humble. Another story that shows change throughout a story is “The Cruelest Journey” by Kira Salak. This story about a girl going on a 600 mile kayak journey on the Niger River. People told her it was impossible to do the whole 600 miles and especially for a girl to do it, but she proved them wrong. In the beginning of the of the story she was very strong minded about the trip but at the towards the end of the story she starts to notice how everything that’s around her changes everyday.

Upon returning to Ithaca, Odysseus displays his qualities during the test of the bow. He show his great courage and strength as he kills every suitor. A calmer side of Odysseus was revealed when he intelligently tells Penelope the story of how he made the bed and how it cannot be moved by anyone: “An old trunk of olive grew like a pillar on the building plot, and I laid up our bedroom around that tree, lined up the stone walls, built the walls and roof, gave it a doorway and

When Odysseus returns home, he perseveres and stays focused on his goal of gaining back his

When Odysseus finally reaches home, he is disguised as a beggar to keep his identity a secret. Once he is finally able to enter his own household, he gets instantly disrespected. One other beggar names Iros decides to pick a fight with Odysseus. Iros didn't like that Odysseus was all talk and started to get angry. The wooers liked this and started placing bets onto who was going to win. Odysseus took no major threat from them but in one fell swoop, was able to make Iros break his jawbone. The wooers were surprised but still didn't worry too much about Odysseus. For all they knew, he was an old man who just wanted to have some meat and

Odysseus uses deception to obtain heroic victories and save his wife. In “The Return of Odysseus” he shows how trickery can be used to protect others. Odysseus is transformed into a young handsome man with the help of Athena. This confuses and terrifies his son, Telemachus. However, the transformation of Odysseus makes Telemachus believe that the gods are involved, so he decides to assist Odysseus in killing the Suitors, protecting the throne and saving Odysseus’ wife. Odysseus and Telemachus continue to be deceitful in order to succeed. With Athena’s help, Odysseus once again transforms into an old beggar. This allows him to kill the suitors without immediate retaliation. The suitors would instantly kill Odysseus on sight which would allow

In The Suitors Odysseus comes back from his journey to find an abundance of suitors in his home trying to take his wife who has been continuously loyal through the 10 years he was away. Shortly after Odysseus returns, Penelope retrieves his bow out of the storeroom and reports that she will wed the suitor who can string it and afterward shoot an arrow through a line of twelve axes. All of the suitors fail to do and then Odysseus with ease, strings the bow and sends an arrow and completes the task , shooting the arrow through all twelve axes. Odysseus then grabs another arrow and proceeds to shoot a second arrow through the throat of Antinous, and the killing of the suitors commenced. Odysseus actions were justified because all of the suitors got what they deserved trying to take his women and all else that belonged to him, the severity of the punishment was rather high but was what seemed fit to an man seeing others trying to take what is his.

In the book The Odyssey, Odysseus a king and hero returns to his kingdom after 10 years. During those 10 years people come and try to marry Odysseus's wife. When Odysseus gets home he brutally kills all the wooers. After that he takes all the servants who helped the wooers and makes them clean up the mess of bodies and blood. He then has each of the servants hanged.

For twenty years, the wooers pursued Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, dined in his hall, and gave gifts to her to capture her heart. They were aware that what they were doing was wrong but they still continued under the impression that Odysseus was dead. For twenty years, Odysseus tried to get home to his wife and son and his house. When he returned and realized what occurred in his house in his absence he was outraged and had all right to be. The wooers deserved their punishment for their actions were unforgiveable.

During his journey Odysseus used what he has learned from is mistakes to return home and kill the suitors of his wife. On the island of Cicones,and with his encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus learned that bragging can bring great misfortune. On Ithaca Odysseus never brags to the suitors and is able to enter his house with the Antinous and the other suitors knowing his real identity. He takes the punishment of Antinous and the other suitors without saying a word and is able to see those who have invaded his house. Odysseus is able to see who is loyal and who is not and take his revenge with the suitors never knowing who

Telemachus is engulfed with feelings of anxiety and stress after getting a visit from Pallas Athena, who gives Telemachus specific instructions that would hopefully lead to information about his father, Odysseus, and the fate he has met. Suitors have taken over Odysseus’ palace while he is away, and Telemachus and his mother, Penelope, do not have much control over this. Athena feels pity for Odysseus’ family and pays them a visit. After a long day of listening to the bard play music, feasting, and much more, one thing remains in Telemachus’ mind while laying in bed at the end of the night. Telemachus “weighed in his mind the course Athena charted” (1.444). The presence of the suitors and the constant movement within his home really takes a toll on Telemachus. Athena realizes this from Olympia and makes sure she does her best to calm Telemachus and reassure him that good can still come out of this situation. Telemachus is first told to call an assembly the next morning, for the purpose of letting the suitors know that they needed to return home. The next task was to get a crew ready and visit King Nestor in Pylos, followed by King Menelaus in Sparta. The last task was to interpret the news he collects of his father’s return and pay back the suitors for the trial they have brought upon Telemachus and his family. All of these tasks push Telemachus to do things he has never had to do alone, such as leading a crew out at sea, public speaking, and fighting in battle. Maturity is earned, however, through experience, so Telemachus knows that now is the time to let go of his boyhood and become a man.

”I don't know if your father is alive or dead, but I suspect that he's alive. He's a tricky one, Odysseus, and he knows how to land on his feet. He’s very good at looking after his own interests, is your father,” [Mentes said.]