Odyssey Themes Essay Example For Students

Odyssey Themes Essay When Homer wove the characters of The Odyssey into a story, he undoubtedly leftroom for interpretation of their actions. The characters, most of whom aredynamic, colorful, and three dimensional, are used by Homer to give a fun buttruthful commentary on the Ancient Greeks and their way of life. The actions ofone figure, the man-eating monster named Skylla, are particularly interestingwhen viewed in the context of the rest of the story. Though her contribution tothe plot is minor, Skyllas actions are important in that they arecharacteristic of several themes found throughout the poem. These themes includethe role of the female in Odysseuss struggle, the hunger (figuratively andliterally) of the characters in The Odyssey, and the commentary Homer makes onthe individuals who live lawlessly. In The Odyssey, Homer introduces many femalecharacters; some play significant roles, some are in the background. Regardlessof their importance, distinctions can be made as to their roles in the story: that is, some put forth effort to help Odysseus and the other menArete,Athena, Nausikaa, and Eurykleia are examplesand others (whom he encounters onhis voyages home) lead to the delay or destruction of them. Skylla plays therole of the latter, as do Kalypso, Kirke, and the Seirenes. Although none ofthese women actually harm Odysseus, each poses a deadly threat to him on hisvoyage. Odysseuss experience with Skylla is by far the most deadly anddisturbing. Whereas the other women succeed only in enticing and delaying thecrew, the encounter with Skylla has lethal consequences. Even though he decidesto take the sea route that passes near her lair, it seeming to be the leastdangerous of the three options, he wants nothing to do with the monster. Yet,instead of passing unscathed, six of his men are taken (XII, 294-7) as the boatsails through the channel. Homer uses an epic simile to help the readervisualize the macabre scene. He compares Skylla to a fisherman who willhook a fish and rip it from the surface / to dangle wriggling through theair (XII, 303-4). The crewmen are the fish, of course, and seem helplessas Skylla whisks them from the ship. Describing the attack, Odysseus says,and deathly pity ran me through / at that sightfar the worst I eversuffered, / questing the passes of the strange sea (308-10). It seems thathe realizes that the losses were his responsibility and that he too could easilyhave been a victim of Skyllas wrath. Earlier in the story (Book V) we see thatCalypso poses a similar, though not as deadly, threat to Odysseuss homecoming. Instead of literally grabbing for him as Skylla does, Kalypso tries to retainOdysseus by enticing him with the prospect of immortality and a life with abeautiful goddess. We are also told she has cast spells (198) on himto keep him docile and under her power. Kalypso says to Zeus, I fed him,loved him, sang that he should not die / nor grow old, ever, in all the days tocome (142-4). Despite her efforts and hospitality, Odysseus still longsfor home as he sits each day by the rocky shore with eyes wet scanning thebare horizon of the sea (165-6). He is quite happy when the day comes thathe is set free by Zeuss will. Without Zeuss intervention, Odysseus would havebeen kept indefinitely. Book X, which contains the introduction of Kirke,provides another example of near fatal attraction. This time it is not amonstrous woman or an overly hospitable nymph that brings them near theirdownfall, but an immortal who entrances her visitors so that they forget theirmotives. Whether or not Kirke inten ded to eat Odysseuss men, as Skylla does,after she turned them to swine we do not know, though it is certainly apossibility. What is known is their flawthey are men who fall prey to thedesires of women. This fact is admitted twice by Odysseus in lines 440 and 503and is the reason they end up feasting long / on roasts and wine, until ayear grew fat (504-5). Only after Odysseus is reminded of his homelanddoes he go to Kirke and plead for their release, to which she agrees. A point tomake is that in both cases, with Kalypso and Kirke, Odysseus plays the role ofthe mortal lover who has little resistance; and in all three cases, the femalescause only pain or delay. As already mentioned, six of Odysseuss men were takenby Skylla as their ship passed through the channel. The incident seemsparticularly gruesome as Odysseus recalls it for King Alkinoos: Then Skylla madeher strike, whisking six of my best men from the ship. I happened to glance aftat ship and oarsmen and caught sight of their arms and legs, dangling highoverhead. .She ate them as they shrieked there, in her den, in the diregrapple, reaching still for me- (XII, 294-307) In another description, Kirkesays that she is a horrible monster who hunts for dolphins, dogfish, orwhat bigger game and that Amphitrite feeds in thousands (XII,103-4). What a murderous appetite! Without a doubt Skylla would have whisked sixmore men away had she the opportunity. Though the action with Skylla isseemingly short, it is significant in that it reflects a quality found in malecharacters throughout the poema gluttonous appetite. Whether it is formaterial items or food, this is an attribute that many of the men in The Odysseypossess. Three examples of men who have great hunger for wealth and materialitems are King Alkinoos, King Menelaos, and Odysseus. All three have impressivepalaces filled with beautiful decor. Odysseus describes the palace at Phaiakiain Book VII, lines 85-140 as being breathtaking. The palace has highrooms whic h are airy and luminous, and the posts andlintel / were silver upon silver; golden handles curved on thedoors. Telemachus describes Menelaos home in a similar fashion in BookIV. He says how luminous it is / with bronze, gold, amber, silver, andivory! / This is the way the court of Zeus must be (74-7). Odysseussdesire for material wealth is reflected in his enormous estate, which is largeenough to support a large number (100+) of suitors helping themselves for years. wordsworth EssayBibliographyHomer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. 1961. Ed. Maynard Mack. NewYork: W.W. Norton Company, 1995. 219-503