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[[Image:Chagall-odyssey.jpg|thumb|The Odyssey, by Chagall]] [[Homer]]’s <i>[[The Odyssey|Odyssey]]</i> is a ''nostos'', or an [[Epic Poetry | epic]] of return, and asks can one come home again, especially after years of bloody war? In fact, an odyssey is now meant generally as a long journey home, much like Odysseus’ after the fall of Troy. The <i>[[The Odyssey|Odyssey]]</i> attempts to remake order after the chaos of war. [[Odysseus]], a young man when [[Agamemnon]] and [[Menelaos]] recruited him for the campaign against Ilium, is now a middle-aged survivor and veteran of that war who must be smarter than the champion Achilles and the leader [[Agamemnon]] in order to return home and set his lands in order. War almost seems easy in the light of [[Odysseus]]’ journey — at least in war, he knew his enemies. Enemies during peacetime wear many masks; [[Odysseus]] must do the same if he is to survive.
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''The Odyssey''}}
[[Image:Chagall-odyssey.jpg|thumb|The Odyssey, by Chagall]] [[Homer]]’s <i>Odyssey</i> is a ''nostos'', or an [[Epic Poetry | epic]] of return, and asks if one can come home again, especially after years of bloody war. In fact, an odyssey is now meant generally as a long journey home, much like [[Odysseus]]’ after the fall of Troy. The <i>Odyssey</i> attempts to remake order after the chaos of war. Odysseus, a young man when [[Agamemnon]] and [[Menelaos]] recruited him for the campaign against Ilium, is now a middle-aged survivor and veteran of that war who must be smarter than the champion [[Achilles]] and the leader Agamemnon in order to return home and set his lands in order. War almost seems easy in the light of Odysseus’ journey — at least in war, he knew his enemies. Enemies during peacetime wear many masks; Odyssey must do the same if he is to survive. Odyssey has emenies that can't be be humanly fought; the gods, but Athena helps him to get home safely.


== Summary ==
== Summary ==
The ''Odyssey''’s action is spread over twenty-four books, generally half before Odysseus returns home, and half after. Throughout his journey odyesseus grows to be a better person.For a synopsis of each book, see [[The Odyssey Summary]].
The ''Odyssey''’s action is spread over twenty-four books, set in medias res that generally occur half before Odysseus returns home, and half after. Throughout his journey, Odysseus faces numerous challenges that center around the deceits of the gods, the indulgences of men, and the cross-cultural desire to return home. Short summaries and resources for all of the books of Homer’s [[Epic Poetry | epic poem]] the ''Odyssey'' are below. Students new to the ''Odyssey'' might want to begin with {{harvtxt|Skidmore|1997}}.
 
{{div col|colwidth=10em}}
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 1|Book 1]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 2|Book 2]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 3|Book 3]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 4|Book 4]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 5|Book 5]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 6|Book 6]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 7|Book 7]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 8|Book 8]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 9|Book 9]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 10|Book 10]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 11|Book 11]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 12|Book 12]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 13|Book 13]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 14|Book 14]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 15|Book 15]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 16|Book 16]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 17|Book 17]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 18|Book 18]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 19|Book 19]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 20|Book 20]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 21|Book 21]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 22|Book 22]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 23|Book 23]]
* [[The Odyssey Summary:Book 24|Book 24]]
{{div col end}}
 
== Themes ==
* ''[[/Xenia/]]'' — An ancient tradition lies behind the traveler’s welcome in Greece — and it is a tradition that was fundamentally religious before it became a part of social custom.{{sfn|Lucas|2013}}
 
== Comparisons ==
* [[Telemakhos to Paris]]
* [[Kirke to Helen]]
 
== Gods and Mortals ==
* [[Athena and Telemakhos]]
* [[Muses]]
* [[Hermes]]


== List of Characters ==
== List of Characters ==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
===The Various Races===
*[[The Achaeans]]
*[[The Gods]]
*[[The Cicones]]
*[[The Phaecians]]
*[[The Lotus-eaters]]
*[[The Laestrygonians]]
*[[The Cyclopes]]
===Human Beings===
===Human Beings===
* [[Telemakhos]]
* [[Telemakhos]]
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* [[Nestor]]
* [[Nestor]]
* [[Helen]]
* [[Helen]]
* [[Lotus-eaters]]
===Suitors===
 
*[[Antinous]]
=== The Women of the ''Odyssey''===
*[[Eurymechus]]
*[[Amphinomus]]
===The Women===
* [[Circe]]
* [[Circe]]
* [[Clytemnestra]]
* [[Clytemnestra]]
Line 19: Line 71:
* [[Helen]]
* [[Helen]]
* [[Penelope]]
* [[Penelope]]
 
===The Supernatural Beings===
=== The Supernatural Beings of the ''Odyssey'' ===
* [[Athena]]
* [[Athena]]
* [[Circe]]
* [[Circe]]
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* [[Poseiden]]
* [[Poseiden]]
* [[Zeus]]
* [[Zeus]]
* [[Hermes]]
{{div col end}}
==  ''The Odyssey'' in History ==
== Afterlife ==
* [[Greek mythology]]
* [[Hades]]
* [[Greek Afterlife vs. Christian Afterlife]]


== The ''Odyssey'' in History ==
== Additional Resources ==
* [[/Questions for Consideration/]]


== Internal Links ==
==Citations==
* [[Homer]]
{{reflist}}
* The [[Odyssey: Questions for Consideration]]


== Commentaries ==
* [http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Odysseus.html Odysseus] — A background on the ''Odyssey'' and Odysseus
* [http://www.davidclaudon.com/odyssey/questions.html A Study Guide by David Claudon]
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000167.shtml Myth and the <i>Odyssey</i>]
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000314.shtml The <i>Odyssey</i>: General Notes]
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000313.shtml The Telemachiad] (books 1-4 of the <i>Odyssey</i>)
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000038.shtml Odysseus and the Poet]: Notes on Book VIII
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000316.shtml The <I>Odyssey</i>: Notes on Book IX]
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000317.shtml The <i>Odyssey</i>: Notes on Book X]
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000215.shtml Poor Confusing Elpenor]
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000318.shtml The <i>Odyssey</i>: Notes on Book XI]
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000318.shtml The <i>Odyssey</i>: The Lessons of Hell] (more on Books XI and XII)
* [http://litmuse.maconstate.edu/~glucas/archives/000319.shtml The <I>Odyssey</i>: Odysseus’ Return]
== Suggested Reading ==
== Works Cited ==
== Works Cited ==
Also see the [[/Bibliography|bibliography]]. For secondary works on specific books, also see the individual book pages above.
{{refbegin|indent=yes}}
* {{cite web |url=https://grlucas.net/grl/Xenia:_A_Religious_Duty |title=''Xenia'': A Religious Duty |last=Lucas |first=Gerald R. |date={{date|2013-12-29|MDY}} |website=G. R. Lucas |publisher= |access-date={{date|2021-08-01}} }}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.mythweb.com/odyssey/index.html |title=Odysseus |last=Skidmore |first=Joel |date={{date|1997}} |website=MythWeb |publisher= |access-date={{date|2021-08-01}} }}
{{refend}}


* Grimal, Pierre. ''Larousse World Mythology''. New Jersey: Chartwheel Books Inc. 1973.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Odyssey, The}}
 
[[Category:Epic]]
 
[[Category:BCE]]
[[Category:World Literature|Odyssey]]
[[Category:Classical]]
[[Category:Literary]]

Latest revision as of 19:21, 3 August 2021

The Odyssey, by Chagall

Homer’s Odyssey is a nostos, or an epic of return, and asks if one can come home again, especially after years of bloody war. In fact, an odyssey is now meant generally as a long journey home, much like Odysseus’ after the fall of Troy. The Odyssey attempts to remake order after the chaos of war. Odysseus, a young man when Agamemnon and Menelaos recruited him for the campaign against Ilium, is now a middle-aged survivor and veteran of that war who must be smarter than the champion Achilles and the leader Agamemnon in order to return home and set his lands in order. War almost seems easy in the light of Odysseus’ journey — at least in war, he knew his enemies. Enemies during peacetime wear many masks; Odyssey must do the same if he is to survive. Odyssey has emenies that can't be be humanly fought; the gods, but Athena helps him to get home safely.

Summary

The Odyssey’s action is spread over twenty-four books, set in medias res that generally occur half before Odysseus returns home, and half after. Throughout his journey, Odysseus faces numerous challenges that center around the deceits of the gods, the indulgences of men, and the cross-cultural desire to return home. Short summaries and resources for all of the books of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey are below. Students new to the Odyssey might want to begin with Skidmore (1997).

Themes

  • Xenia — An ancient tradition lies behind the traveler’s welcome in Greece — and it is a tradition that was fundamentally religious before it became a part of social custom.[1]

Comparisons

Gods and Mortals

List of Characters

The Various Races

Human Beings

Suitors

The Women

The Supernatural Beings

The Odyssey in History

Afterlife

Additional Resources

Citations

  1. ↑ Lucas 2013.

Works Cited

Also see the bibliography. For secondary works on specific books, also see the individual book pages above.

  • Lucas, Gerald R. (December 29, 2013). "Xenia: A Religious Duty". G. R. Lucas. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  • Skidmore, Joel (1997). "Odysseus". MythWeb. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
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