The Black Horn

The Odyssey was full of symbolism. Many people and events have a deeper meanings behind them. Through both parts of the novel we see many things that may mean more that they appear as. There is a lot of symbolism in the Odyssey and we see some in Odysseus’s bow, the cattle of Helios, Argus, Penelope’s Shroud, and Odysseus and Penelope’s bed.

He maintains his focus on Greek myths not only because of the sheer number of myths around the world, making it impossible to interpret and clarify them all, but also because European men, who would have been familiar with the myths from Greece, write most of the classics we analyze. He explains that these myths are not only a part of them but also “so much a part of the fabric of our consciousness, of our unconscious really, that we scarcely notice” (Foster, 51). Which suggests that, we can recognize Greek myths even if we do not realize it. With this simple fact presented to us, we no longer wonder why allusions to Greek myths have been used since they emerged and are still employed today. Myths are often exercised as “overt subject matter for poems and paintings and operas and novels” but more often “writers have…borrowed from and emulated” these myths (Foster, 52, 53). Instead of explaining every detail about every character, place or moment authors rely on other stories, such as myths, to expand and develop their tale. The writer will subtly hint at myths and hope you recognize their allusions to these old legends. Since we established that, we know these myths, whether consciously or not, we can take these allusions and decipher any hidden meanings the author has for us, giving each story a new level.

Because she thinks that she and Laius were able to avoid the prophecy, she gives little credence to what the oracle says (Sophocles 1.1. 784-796). She respects the gods, but not the oracles. She tries to lead Oedipus to adopt this standpoint as well, telling him of the prophecy told to Laius and herself, and how that prophecy did not come to pass. After telling Oedipus that he need not worry about the words of a prophet she tells him, “Whatever the god needs and seeks he’ll bring to light himself, with ease.” (Sophocles line 799-800). Later she goes to Apollo’s temple and asks for his guidance, saying that they are in the grip of fear, beseeching his help for Oedipus and saying, “ I come with prayers and offerings…I beg you, cleanse us, set us free of defilement!” (Sophocles line 1009-1010). She does not yet realize that the defilement cannot be cleansed.

This information makes Oedipus uneasy. He recalls having killed a man answering Laius' description at this very spot when he was fleeing from his home in Corinth to avoid fulfillment of a similar prophecy. An aged messenger arrives from Corinth, at this point, to announce the death of King Polybus, supposed father of Oedipus, and the election of Oedipus as king in his stead. On account of the old prophecy Oedipus refuses to return to Corinth until his mother, too, is dead. To calm his fears the messenger assures him that he is not the blood son of Polybus and Merope, but a foundling from the house of Laius deserted in the mountains. This statement is confirmed by the old shepherd whom Jocasta had charged with the task of exposing her babe. Thus the ancient prophecy has been fulfilled in each

Cassandra walks fearfully into the palace, then the chorus hears Agamemnon’s cry for help. After some deliberation of what to do, they go into the palace only to see Clytemnestra over the dead bodies of Agamemnon and Cassandra. Clytemnestra tells that the reason for this seemingly wrong act was to do justice for Agamemnon sacrificing their daughter. Clytemnestra’s lover and partner in crime, Aegisthus, enters the palace with an armed bodyguard and justifies his part in the crime. He tells of Atreus’, Agamemnon’s father, sinful act against Thyestes, Aegisthus’ father.

When developing the different points to analyze I found that the way I was setting this paper up was truly showcasing my abilities to analyze a passage from a well know author. While going through the text, I found a vast amount of imagery,” When considering the imagery in the folktale one of the first

Half woman half bird, the sirens perch themselves along mountain tops in the sea, singing an enchanting song to innocent voyagers that pass by, captivating them to jump of their boats and descend to their death. These sirens however are portrayed in many different ways. In Fagles’ The Odyssey, Fagles portrays the sirens as merciless killing machines. However in Margaret Atwood’s poem “Siren Song,” the sirens are portrayed as the victims and that they are the ones that need help from their never ending torture.

Written in the 8th Century BC, Homer‘s epic poem The Odyssey addresses the role of Greek gods and goddesses in the everyday life in ancient Greece. On the other hand, Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s historical document “The Declaration of Sentiments” written in 1848, provides insight into the societal inequality that was overwhelmingly prominent in the lives of men and women in 19th Century American culture. Homer’s The Odyssey and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s “Declaration of Sentiments” both focus on the existence of double standards for men and women.

Sophocles uses foreshadowing to offer hints about Oedipus’s destiny in the play that allow audience to make reasonable predictions about what would eventually happen in the story. When Oedipus insults Tiresias because he hears that he is the curse and problem in Thebes, and he refuses to the prophecy and gets angry at the prophet, calling him a liar. However, Oedipus never realizes that Tiresias is the very one who foreshadows Oedipus’ tragic fate when he says “in thine eyes now light, but then Darkness” (line 417). The quote foreshadows that Oedipus will end up being blind although his eyes are full of light now, he will lose the light in the end. Tiresias’ words are eventually proved to be true when in the end Oedipus stabs out his eyes, being aware of his identity and his tragic destiny. It is very ironic that Tiresias, who tells the truth, is a blind man. Sophocles also uses words from Jocasta, Oedipus’ mother and wife, to foreshadow Oedipus’ upcoming tragedy. She says “and casts him to die. Through both his feet a blade of iron they drove” (Lines 720-21). The idea in this quote is that Jocasta is providing hints to the audience that Oedipus has hit part of the prophecy because he still hobbles and cannot walk like a healthy man due to his injury. Oedipus should have notice the similarities between his feet and the prophet, or maybe his hubris blinds him from seeing the truth. Throughout the play, Sophocles foreshadows in many events and gives the audience hints about

This gift is typically reserved for women, although there are some rare men who exhibit this trait. There are many instances of prophecy in The Saga of the Volsungs; they most often predict death and destruction, and they unfailingly come to pass. The reactions to these prophecies fall into one of three categories: the prophecy is ignored, contested, or accepted. These differing reactions to prophecies made by men and women in Saga of the Volsungs clearly portray the cultural constructs of gender expectations in this society.

In this passage Hesiod turned the meaning of Pandora’s name around to symbolize the evils she brought into the world when she opened the jar. The primary function of the Pandora myth is to explain why men in the Iron Age ca. 700 B.C.E had to work. As the myth is elaborated, so is the figure of Pandora. There is an interesting contrast between the two Pandora’s in the Theogony she poses a threat only in so much as she creates women; in Works and Days Pandora poses the threat herself. Though Pandora is widely known for this aspect there are no known Hesiodic Pandora depictions aside from scenes depicting her creation. This White-Group Cup by the Tarquinia painter (Fig. 1) depicts a portion from Works and Days in which she is being given gifts

As prophets are the messengers of the gods, contesting with Tiresias is tantamount to defying the gods themselves. As king, he feels that he has the power to determine truth, and that he has supreme power over the city. He accuses Creon of conspiring with Tiresias, and threatens to exile or even kill him. Before Oedipus was the accused, his status as king gave him confidence and leadership, which are attributes that were productive in solving the mystery. After he was accused of murdering the former king, this status became a negative and caused him to be too overwhelmed with his power to identify the truth. This is also the point at which he stops trusting the divine ability of prophets. His mother Jocasta seems to stop trusting prophets at this point as well. She began to tell Oedipus not to listen to Tiresias, even though she proved at various points earlier in the story that she believed in prophecies. She pretentiously conveys a disbelief in prophecies as she speaks to her son and husband: "Fear? What should a man fear? It's all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark." She realizes that she failed in preventing the predetermined fate, but attempts to maintain the stability and reputation of the royal family by hiding the truth. The family would inevitably be destroyed, however, as was the will of the god Apollo. The inferiority of the family's political power compared with the divine power of

7. The god Apollo has cursed Cassandra so that she can prophesy but will not be believed. And yet, the Chorus tells her that they believe her prophecy. Does this contradict the idea of Apollo's curse, or does it fit in with it somehow? If it does fit in, how?

 Red is the color of blood, such as is offered in ritual slaughter to appease the gods.  Gold is highly valued, suggestive of great riches.  The only riches these women possess are their children, and these they send away.

Oracles, seers, and prophets are used in Greek tragedy to provide foreshadowing for the audience and characters. The seers' wisdom is conveyed through the pronouncement of oracles or prophecies. They confer forecasts to principal characters that affect the characters' future. Although not always believed, and often endeavored to be foiled, seers, oracles, and prophets in Greek tragedies foretell events that greatly affect the lives of prominent characters. Cassandra in Aeschylus' Agamemnon, the Oracle at Delphi in Sophocles' Oedipus, and Teiresias in Sophocles' Antigone pronounce damning prophecies that, despite ignorance, evasion,