Thus, Homer shows that Odysseus is a different kind of hero through the central character's longing for his home, as well as his home's longing for him. hile Odysseus still has many features of the traditional Greek hero, such as might and reverence to the gods, his longing for home over adventure makes him a different sort of hero.
hile Homer shows that Odysseus is a different kind of hero through the depth with which he longs for his home, the hero also longs for his family. Despite the fact that he has what could be considered a fantasy life while living with Calypso, he longs for his own wife, Penelope. This can be seen though both husband and wife's reaction the suitors and each other upon Odysseus's return. hile Penelope is not animated in finding anyone to replace her "dear husband," as Euryclea calls him, Odysseus is so angered…...

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Works Cited

Homer. The Odyssey. 1898. Planet E-Book. Planet E-Book. 25 March 2009.  http://www.planetebook.com/about.asp

Odysseus & Polyphemus
Odysseus and Polyphemus are a study in contrast. In fact, these two characters of Homer's The Odyssey are polar opposites. Odysseus is a bona fide hero and exemplifies some of the best qualities of mankind. Polyphemus is a deformed, one-eyed brute who plays the role of an arch-villain. He effectively exemplifies some of the worst virtues in physical creatures. Odysseus personifies the virtue of knowledge, wit, cunning, and intelligence. Polyphemus personifies the negative attributes of credulousness, ignorance, and overconfidence. The way their encounter ends informs one's understanding of the self vs. The other.

Although Odysseus is a brave warrior and a man of strength, his strength is nothing compared to that of Polyphemus. Odysseus' stature as a man cannot compare to the stature of Polyphemus, who is a giant. Polyphemus' huge girth is the source of his physical strength, which is readily evinced when he rapidly kills Odysseus'…...

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Works Cited

Homer. The Odyssey. www.gutenberg.org. 2008. Web.  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24269/24269-h/24269-h.htm#BOOK_XXII

Even when he believes himself to be finally at home in Ithaca based on the word of a young woman -- actually the goddess Athena in disguise, unbeknownst to him -- he lies about who he is not because he feels that he needs to but out of "the instinctive wiliness of his heart" (Book 13). Even this scene ends up making Odysseus appear likable, however, given his sheer irascibility and unflappable attitude. When the goddess reveals herself and calls attention to Odysseus' lies, he manages to turn the accusation around on her, claiming that he cannot necessarily trust her intentions or her information based on certain of the past events that he has endured and even questioning whether or not she told the truth in telling him he had arrived at home. The pure audacity of his willingness to lie here and the straight-faced and utterly shameless way…...

Here Aeneas sees a bit of the future when he acknowledges the battles that he must "still wage . . . And how he is to flee or face each trial" (VI. 1189-90). Aeneas would not h ave become the man he did had he not ventured into the uderworld. He would not have understood his place in the scheme of things and he certainly would have garnered the same amount fo courage had it not bee for the underworld.
Odysseus, already a hero when we begin learning about him becomes an even greater hero because of what he learns on his experiences. His adventures present him with numerous opportunities to evolve and grow as a person. Odysseus' character develops as the epic progresses. At the beginning of the story, we see that he is a man that is prone to act before thinking as demonstrated in his encounter with…...

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Works Cited

Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. New York W.W. Norton and Company. 1997. pp. 100-336.

Virgil. The Aeneid. New York: Bantam Books. 1981.

Folktale: Hansel and Gretel Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm is a narrative tale and one can easily read it aloud to children. It is about two siblings whose father is a poor woodcutter and can no longer afford to feed the family. The cruel and selfish mother convinces the woodcutter to abandon the children in the forest, which he sorrowfully does. The children make their way back home the first time because Hansel is clever enough to drop stones as their father takes them into the forest. The stones reflect the moonlight at night and Hansel and his sister follow them home. The mother is furious, however, and so they do it all over again—but this time Hansel uses breadcrumbs, which the animals of the forest eat. So they are left to wander. Eventually they arrive at a witch’s house. She pretends to be friendly but then locks Hansel…...

In fact, among the strongest arguments in favor of Odysseus being high on the list of heroes in Greece is that when he encountered Hercules in the Underworld, Hercules told him that the two of them are "very similar" (www1.union.edu). If one of the most revered and respected Greek heroes says to Odysseus that they have similarities, that speaks volumes as to Odysseus' position as a hero.
hy would Odysseus's attributes and actions be considered so admirable?

One action that surely gave the Greeks good reason to admire Odysseus is that he invented the construction of the ooden Horse, which was "…the stratagem that made it possible to take Troy" (www.maicar.com). Odysseus was also known to be clever, and to use cunning intelligence in his exploits and adventures. hen Odysseus had been forced by Palamedes to admit that his "madness was pretended" -- and hence, Odysseus joined the army as a…...

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Works Cited

Gill, N.S. (2013). Readers Respond: Which Greek Hero Is the Greatest (and Why). About.com.

Retrieved July 31, 2013, from  http://ancienthistory.about.com .

Mendeley. (

Union College. (2005). Is Odysseus the Ideal Greek Hero? Retrieved July 31, 2013, from  http://www1.union.edu .

In the traditions of Greek epics, he has not only been a hero in his lifetime, but strengthens his legacy by passing the ability to his son.
In addition to accomplishing works of great military valor, Odysseus's character also lends to his heroism. Neither he nor Telemachus exercise their physical abilities for their own sake, or to get praise, but both do it for a very valuable reason. During the Trojan ar, Odysseus fights for his people. His desire to return home is inspired by the love of his wife and his family. His anger towards the suitors is not just because one of them might have taken his worldly riches, but more importantly because they have been threatening his wife's devotion to him. That Odysseus is a family man of great character can be best witnessed through his interactions with Calypso, who fell in love with him and forced…...

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Works Cited

Homer. The Odyssey. 800 B.C.E. The Internet Classics Archive. 7 September 2009.

How irrational it is of Odysseus to say to the Cyclops after several men have been eaten, " You ought to be ashamed of yourself; how can you expect people to come see you any more if you treat them in this way?' (Book IX) the Cyclops obviously does not want people to visit him!
Another fault that makes Odysseus an anti-hero and therefore a bad king is how stubbornly prideful he is. An example of this behavior is when he is escaping the island of the Cyclops and decides to jeer at him from the sea and boast by telling him his true name. Odysseus tells that even his men "begged and prayed of me to hold my tongue." (Book IX) Had Odysseus not further taunted the Cyclops, the monster would not have learned Odysseus's real name (and his father's name, and his birthplace!) and therefore called down the…...

His very defiance of the immortals at almost every turn in the story is evidence of the extreme degree of certainty and even of righteousness that Odysseus carried with him throughout his journey, and this certainty is a strong sign of his heroism.
One of Odysseus' most obvious character traits, and one of the primary indicators of the Western ideal of heroism, is his militancy and physical prowess. This is commented on be several figures in the epic, including Odysseus himself. One of his sailors says at one point, "You are very strong yourself and never get worn out; you seem to be made of iron" (Book XII, par. 22). His single-handed destruction of Penelope's many suitors is also compelling evidence for this facet of his personality. His sheer battle prowess, which is how he came to be on this journey in the first place and is shown in many…...

For this reason, I think Aeneas is different than the other heroes. His sad story has made him think more about fate and the future.
Out of all the stories of heroes, Marvel Comics and otherwise, I have to say that Spiderman is the ultimate American heroes. Spiderman incorporates the American dream. Peter Parker was a sad, artistic guy who didn't quite have the girl and was a little bit of a nerd, but then he became Spiderman, a beloved celebrity. This shows other Americans that they can do anything. Also, the Spiderman story shows that those who we think are our friends can be our enemies, that integrity is key, and that we must always fight for good, not for evil or for revenge. Spiderman faces real struggles like every American faces. In the end, though, he's always able to pull through. That's why I think he is our…...

Even though Odysseus's family holds high opinions of his character as a family man, his actions with Calypso are the true measures of his character. In book five of the epic poem, Minerva, who goes to rescue Calypso, finds the father and husband "sitting upon the beach with his eyes ever filled with tears of sheer home sickness" (Book V). The poem goes on to explain that while Odysseus is forced to sleep in Calypso's cave each night, he does not do this of his own volition, and would much rather be home. Thus, while Calypso, a goddess, attempts to seduce Odysseus, he does not betray his home and his family, but rather remains homesick for them, while being tired of the goddess. Though Calypso is a goddess of extreme beauty, Odysseus is more enticed with his own wife and son. In fact, Odysseus loves his family enough to cry…...

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Works Cited

Homer. The Odyssey. 10th ed. trans. Samuel Butler. Gutenberg, 1999. 24 October 2008. http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext99/dyssy10.txt.

eowulf's story is being told by Christian tribes. He finds nature on his side because God is on his side - and he works within Gods will. He does not fight gods or nature, but rather only fights irrevocably evil demons. He is associated with a pious culture which is not humanistic, and in which science and other such forms of hubris are not encouraged. eowulf is a truly medieval hero, just as Odysseus was Grecian.
This difference in culture, between the material and the heavenly, is seen in every aspect of the two characters and their lives. It exists also in their ends. Odysseus spends his entire story seeking a way home to the home of his body - to his wife, his child, his fields and bed. eowulf is seeking only the ultimate good, and he turns down physical reward and even resists kingship until it is forced…...

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Bibliography used different translations of these two books, so as to make them searchable and because I could not access the specific textbook

Beowulf. Trans. Dr. David Breedan. Archived at  http://www.lnstar.com/literature/beowulf/index.html 

The Odyssey by Homer. Trans. Samuel Butler. Archived at  http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~joelja/odyssey.html

However, when the Greeks reach their boats, Odysseus cannot help but once again proving his devotion to achieve glory wherever he goes, informing Polyphemus in regard to his true identity and thus infuriating the gods. This is Odysseus' biggest mistake, since it is because of this act that Poseidon is reluctant to let the Greek hero live, with the god of sea constantly stressing Odysseus and making his journey even longer.
3. Poseidon is obviously Odysseus's biggest enemy, given that he is in control of the waters and that Odysseus has no choice but to travel by water in order to reach his homeland. As Polyphemus' father, Poseidon is determined to punish Odysseus and struggles to prevent the Greek hero from achieving his goal. Poseidon's wrath could have been avoided if Odysseus had not insisted in revealing his identity to the Cyclops, who was thus enabled to inform his father…...

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Bibliography:

Homer, "The Odyssey of Homer," Ingram, Cooke, 1853.

(Homer)
Clearly, both Odysseus and Penelope are representing a conflict that most people will go through during the course of their lives. As, there will be times that: they will be away from one another and how they must not lose faith in themselves along with their partner. What the novel is illustrating is that, despite these issues there is a possibility that this kind of faith can be able to overcome the various challenges in every person's life.

As, both characters faced their own amounts of: uncertainty and adversity in understanding what was happening to the other. Where, their beliefs in these ideas are what helped them to overcome the issues they were dealing with. While at the same time, the two characters are illustrating how you should not succumb to the pitfalls of temptation. This is because those who do, will often pay a heavy price that will have…...

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Bibliography

Homer. The Essential Odyssey. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 2007. Print.

MLA Format.  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

e. The Law of Hospitality, which stressed over the utilization of the expertise and support services towards an individual or community, which has experienced critical and crucial time, similarly, the services and obligations between the master and servant towards each other has been the focused of his teachings and practices (Steven, 2006).
The Odyssey attempted several times to return to his kingdom in Ithaca, whereas the exiled ama never planned any political or military outrage against the ruling authority to ensure his return. The major difference in both the epics has been the deep involvement and influence of the ama's family in his life. Sita, the wife of ama, contributed deeply towards the spiritual objectives of her spouse, their children were equally involved in the quest marked by their parents. The Sita was forcibly victimized by the associates of the ama, and she was alleged for malpractices which eventually resulted in…...

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References

Catherine Clement. Theo's Odyssey. 1999. pp. 32-34. Arcade Publishing.

Arthur Charles Clarke, Gentry Lee. Rama Revealed. 1994. pp. 154-167. Bantam Books.

Steven J. Rosen. Essential Hinduism. 2006. pp. 54-67. Greenwood Press.

George William Cox. The Mythology of the Aryan Nations. 2004. pp. 213-222. Adamant Media Corporation.

Chaucer and Boccaccio: Exploring Echoes of Greek Mythology

The works of Geoffrey Chaucer and Giovanni Boccaccio, two literary luminaries of the medieval era, are replete with allusions to Greek mythology, a testament to its enduring influence on Western literature. This essay will delve into the significant ways in which Chaucer and Boccaccio incorporated Greek myths into their writings, examining its impact on characterization, narrative structure, and thematic development.

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales: A Tapestry of Mythological Intertexts

Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" is a masterpiece that deftly weaves together a diverse cast of characters on a pilgrimage. Embedded within these tales are numerous references to Greek....

Internal Conflict: A Psychological and Literary Exploration

Thesis Statement:

Internal conflict arises as a fundamental struggle within the psyche, shaping the trajectory of individuals and contributing to the complexities of literary narratives. By examining the psychological dynamics and literary representations of internal conflict, we gain insight into the human condition, the interplay between external and internal forces, and the transformative potential of confronting our inner turmoil.

Introduction (200 words):

Internal conflict, an intrinsic aspect of human experience, manifests as a psychological struggle between opposing desires, beliefs, or values. It can arise from various sources, including unmet needs, societal expectations, or moral dilemmas. This paper....

Reimagining Greek Mythology in Modern Storytelling

Throughout history, Greek mythology has captivated imaginations and instilled profound cultural influences. In modern times, it continues to inspire and permeate various storytelling mediums, offering a rich tapestry for contemporary narratives to explore.

Film and Television

Greek mythology has found a vibrant home in film and television, with adaptations ranging from classic tales to contemporary reimaginings. The 1959 epic "Ben-Hur" depicts the trials of a Jewish prince during the Roman occupation of Judea, weaving in elements of Greek tragedy. More recently, the "Percy Jackson" franchise follows a modern-day demigod navigating the dangers of the underworld. Television shows....

The Enduring Legacy of Greek Mythology in Pop Culture and Literature

Greek mythology, a tapestry of epic tales, legendary heroes, and divine interventions, has left an enduring imprint on modern pop culture and literature. Its archetypal characters, timeless themes, and evocative imagery continue to inspire and shape artistic expressions across various mediums.

Characters as Archetypes:

Greek mythological figures have become archetypal representations of human traits and experiences. Achilles symbolizes the warrior's pride and vulnerability; Odysseus embodies the cunning strategist; and Aphrodite stands for the power and allure of love. These archetypes resonate with audiences of all ages, providing relatable and universally recognizable symbols.

Literary....