Turning Point In The Odyssey

Improved Essays
Circe sends Odysseus on to his next destination, Hades. Homer has sent Odysseus here as to show him what will eventually become of Odysseus. He is the only one who is allowed to enter the land, as he is the one who needs to learn the lesson. Hades shows Odysseus many different people, “brides, unmarried youths, old men who have suffered greatly, once-happy girls with grief still fresh in their hearts, and a great throng of warriors killed in battle,” (Homer 141) Therefore, Homer shows Odysseus that death becomes the equalizer in all life. This event is a large turning point for Odysseus as he becomes fully aware of the person he has become, in addition, this is where Odysseus learns the value of humility. This is caused by seeing the different

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In Chapter 1 of American Odysseys, Timothy Shannon and David Gellman describe the civilizations and dispel some of the myths about America and Africa before the Europeans made contact with either of those places. I found several ideas in this chapter interesting, the modern social problems that have very ancient roots. The first is race relations and the origins of slavery. Chapter One opens with the story of an educated, runaway slave named Ayuba, who eventually earns his freedom through the kindness and generosity of Europeans who when hearing of his plight, raised money to buy his freedom and send him home to Africa. His picture was printed in London newspapers, donors sent gifts, and he visited the royal family.…

    • 668 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When Odysseus returned to Ithaca, he showed that his journey had made many positive changes to him. First, Odysseus was able to show more self-restraint, as shown when he stayed silent even when he saw that his maids were sleeping with the suitors. Even though he saw that the maids were betraying Penelope, he did not say anything because he did not want to make a scene. Next, he was more humble and was never overconfident. This is shown when he does not go to sleep, because he had his mind occupied on his plan to murder the suitors.…

    • 862 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    All of the encounters that I have describe in my essay are some of the event that made Odysseus change. After, the encounter with the Kyklops, Odysseus went from island to island for many years encountering many dangerous situations, which eventually cast all of his man lives. All those year allowed Odysseus to change the way he is, to become more patient, cautious, and a person who planned before doing something. This extreme change was shown, when Odysseus was finally able to get home to Ithika. Instead of immediately going home to his palace and wife, he disguise as a beggar.…

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The book starts with Odysseus coming home in the chapter named A Sad Revelation. As he is going home he thinks of all the different ways the situation could turn…

    • 912 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The journey that Odysseus goes on improves his character by all of his experiences that shaped him into the person he is now. Book 9, the cyclops changed him because of the aptitude that he had to use to escape safely. Book 5, the nymph and the shipwreck taught him to be more careful about his surroundings. Book 11 the underworld made him judicious and unpretentious because of the talk he had with the dead. These journeys and experiences that he went through helped him shape into a person who is humble, cautious and brave.…

    • 650 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In this part of the story, Odysseus is challenges stage of the Hero 's Journey. Here he is being tested, tested of how bad he really wants to go home and stay committed to this journey, all the way to the end. Odysseus had just lost all of his crew members and his boat. You’d think he’s finally done and ready to give up. Instead, Odysseus gets back…

    • 1307 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This event just adds more to Odysseus's impressive resume. He already won the Trojan war, defeated a massive cyclops, and survived for years going from island to island. What else did this great hero have to offer? Well, it didn’t end there; Odysseus's hubris just kept making the epic hero look even more epic. Ready to finally go home, “the Ithacans set off.…

    • 420 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson, is an epic poem that describes the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, and his men's journey back home after the Trojan War. Along the way, Odysseus faces many challenges, both mentally and physically. Odysseus’s experience illustrates that when one causes pain on others, the guilt is worse than pain being inflicted on oneself. The guilt that Odysseus experiences from causing pain on others tears away his mental health. One instance of Odysseus feeling guilty for his men in the epic poem was when Odysseus lead his men into death, which everyone besides Odysseus was unaware of.…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    For the Greeks, it was worse for a mortal to lose the favor of the gods than it was to die. Because of how sorrowful they made Odysseus' journey home, the gods began to pity Odysseus, and each in turn forgave him (except Poseidon). With the favor of the gods on his side, nothing could stop Odysseus from returning home; he could finally return to the life he had left and flourish in his own home instead of wandering aimlessly, cursed and forsaken. Athena specifically guided him and began his official journey home by advocating for him in front of all the gods (again, except for Poseidon): "surely he goes down to a death earned in full!/... my heart breaks for Odysseus..."…

    • 850 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This tension is making Odysseus show his true character that one would not think he would show. He is showing the side that no one knows and he is not as noble as one might think he would be. At present time, Odysseus is an incredibly arrogant person. Contemporary readers of the Odyssey expect Odysseus…

    • 1948 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Homer’s “The Odyssey”, Odysseus goes through a twenty year struggle to return back home to Ithaca. Poseidon delayed Odysseus’ homeward return from the Trojan War. Through his long journey to return to his home, his people, and Penelope and Telemachus. Odysseus reveals many virtues and vices, that he struggles with. His men also struggle with vices, which at the end costs them their lives.…

    • 788 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Obstacles In The Odyssey

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Running Towards Ithaca All people are heroes that have a quest, but only true heroes know what that quest may be and strive to fulfill it. Odysseus, son of Laertes, set for sail twenty years ago for the Trojan War. The war lasted ten years, and after a clever plan of his to invent the Trojan Horse, the Greeks sailed for home in triumph. Little did Odysseus know that it would be another ten years home. In this quest, he faced many obstacles in his path, but managed to make it through.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Fame In The Odyssey

    • 1376 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Because of his foolishness, Odysseus faces trial upon trial, sees the death of every crewmate on his ship before his eyes, and is even stuck on an island for seven years. However, when he travels to Hades, Odysseus masters his self control, allowing him to successfully run his plan to recapture his kingdom. Odysseus continues to be immortalized as a great hero for enduring this long and brutal ten year exhibition home while also learning to overcome his pride along the way. The Odyssey truly reveals that glory is not gained from a desire, rather it is earned from hard work and overcoming…

    • 1376 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Odysseus loves the attention he receives from Circe so he stays there for a year. He does this for himself, and is narcissistic and senseless once again. With the help of Circe, he resumes his voyage home. After some more difficulties on his journey home, Odysseus alone survives and washes ashore on Calypso’s island, and soon arrives on the land of the Phaeacians. All of these obstacles are Odysseus’s biggest tests.…

    • 1566 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When Odysseus walks upon the cave of Circe, he is tempted to stay there instead of travel home, and find his true love. If he had not overcome this strife, he would have had less hardships, but he also would have had less adventure and love in his story. When Circe turned all the men into animals, Odysseus found a way to save everyone and get off the island. Hermes gave him moly, which would protect him against her spells. In the end Odysseus killed Circe and they had a great celebration afterward.…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays