Comparison of the odessey and iliad
In our day and age, people strive for independence and a sense of authority. However, at many times this is more easily said than done. Whether it be God, or in the eyes of the Achaeans and Trojans, the immortals, lives and actions are commonly defined by a higher being. Which leads to Homer's epic poems the Odyssey and the Iliad which deal with constant conflict in a world where the mortals are not even masters of their own destiny. The main character Odysseus, and the two armies, the Achaeans and the Trojans have little control over their own fate. Their destinies are defined by the gods. The gods demonstrate their control through prophecy, omens, and the intervention amongst the humans below them. Because of the control exercised by the gods, the characters are forced to become dependent on them, and fear their all mighty hand. The story of The Iliad, deals with two armies, the Achaeans and the Trojans. In the war, the Achaians are trying to sack the city of Troy. The Trojans, the defenders of the city, are led by the powerful warriors Hector and Paris, while the Achaeans are led by Agamemnon, Achilles, Odysseus and several other powerful men. The story concludes with the Achaeans on th
Odysseus was glad to hear the words of omen and the clap of thunder. Now he felt sure he should punish the guilty men. Lattimore, Richard The Iliad of Homer, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1963. Omens from the gods influenced many critical decisions. When a character was in need, he commonly asked for an answer from the gods. Odysseus, unsure if he should attack the suitors, asked for an omen from Zeus (O, p.228). In answer, Zeus sent a large thunderbolt down as a sign, and Odysseus became confident in his victory (O, p.228). In both stories, the characters respect the god's prophecy, and assume it to be true. Odysseus, who devised the plan of the Wooden Horse knew, "it was their fate to perish when the city should admit the great Wooden Horse" , and realized it was the only way to succeed in sacking the city of Troy. Similarly, never did Achilles question Zeus's prophecy that "Hector was to have a short life and already the day of his death was being driven upon him by Pallas Athene through the strength of Achilles." Because of this prophecy, Achilles had immense confidence in his victory over Hector. The characters are controlled by prophecy, concerning their own death. Achilles never doubted Hector's predictions about his death, because he was aware of his own destiny (I, p. 444): Achilles asks how he should handle his personal war with Agamemnon. However, as much as the characters are dependent on the immortals, they still spent much of their life in fear. During the Trojan war, Apollo carried Zeus aegis (Zeus' shield) in front of the Trojan army, in order to strike fear into the Achaeans (I,p.316). When Odysseus is staying on the island with Helios's cattle, he constantly reminds his men (O,p.144): Odysseus found himself in a paradox; it was his fate to blind Polyphemos, and yet he ma
Some common words found in the essay are:
Phoibos Apollo, Achaeans Trojans, Op154 Achilles, Polyphemos Poseidon, Ip316 Odysseus, Cyclops Poseidon's, Op228 Odysseus, Pallas Athene, Odyssey Iliad, Hector Achilles, achaeans trojans, armies achaeans trojans, characters forced, wife penelope, city troy, odysseus unsure, blinded cyclops, trojan war, odyssey iliad, wooden horse, own destiny,
Approximate Word count = 1237
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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