Glory And Honor

Honor And Glory In The Odyssey 

““The blade itself incites to deeds of violence.”
― Homer, The Odyssey 

     Glory and honor are two major qualities in the people of Greece. In books one through six of The Odyssey, by Homer translated by Robert Fagles the people of Greece believe that glory and honor are two major qualities found in man. The people of Greece believe that people like Odysseus have glory and honor flowing throughout them. He has honor for what he does and the people he serves. The people of Greece take pride in these types of people and what they do. In Greek culture the act of laying down ones life in a battle for Greece is honorable and glorious. In the book Odysseus fantasies about the glory and honor he would have received to had he fallen in Troy for Greece. At the will of Poseidon’s terrific onslaught of waves Odysseus wishes he had a heroic death on the battle with the Trojans then he would have received a honorable and glorious death on the battle field fighting for Greece. Then he would be remembered for the glorious feats of strength and cunning he would embody.

“Three, four times blessed, my friends-in-arms who died on the plains of Troy those years ago, serving the sons of Atreus to the end. Would to god I’d died there too and met my fate that day the Trojans, swarms of them, hurled at me with bronze spears, fighting over the corpse of proud Achilles! A hero’s funeral then, my glory spread by comrades — now what a wretched death I’m doomed to die!” [The Odyssey Book Five Lines 338-345]

The reason Athena and Telemachus are trying to locate Odysseus and save him is because he posses honor and glory. In those times people would kill someone if they were jealous of them. Telemachus could easily leave his father and move on but his father is glorified within the people in Greece which means he is important. Without the traits of honor and glory possessed within Odysseus, no one would try and save him from the island. To the people of Greece honor and glory are what makes a man.

The Power Of Gods

Gods And The Powers They Hold

“No guts, no glory.”

     The power of gods is unmatched. In the book, The Odyssey, by Homer translated by Robert Fagles the Gods and Goddesses posses great power and influence over the Greek population. Gods and Goddesses like Poseidon, Athena, and Ino have made it evident they are the powers of the book. The Gods and Goddesses are the main conflicts and solutions of the overall plot evolution so far in The Odyssey. Hermes came to the island that Odysseus was trapped on by Calypso the Nymph and helped him leave in his raft. Poseidon, the God of the sea, made it hard for Odysseus  to get to his destination, Scheria. Poseidon almost made Odysseus drown because he caused him to fall out of his raft, but Ino, goddess of the sea gave Odysseus a scarf that made him immortal so that he could comeplete his journey to the island Scheria.

“She pitied Odysseus, tossed, tormented so — she broke from the waves like a shearwater on the wing, lit on the wreck and asked him kindly, “Ah poor man, “why is the god of earthquakes so dead set against you? Strewing your way with such a crop of troubles!”   [The Odyssey, Book Five Line 370-374]

Gods are the authors of The Odyssey. They are what make up this book. Odysseus is being tormented and challenged by a God, Poseidon, which is making it hard for him to get to the island. The Goddess Ino is the one who helps him get to the island and peruse through Poseidon’s obstacles. The Gods and goddesses are the ones running this story, they are the conflict and the solution of the problem. Gods are ultimately the creators; they have the ability to do more than humans and it is evident in The Odyssey. Without gods and the power they contain the world wouldn’t be the same.

The Themes Of The Odyssey

         Glory and honor are two major qualities in the people of Greece. In books one through six of The Odyssey, by Homer translated by Robert Fagles the people of Greece believe that glory and honor are two major qualities found in man. The people of Greece believe that people like Odysseus have glory and honor flowing throughout them. He has honor for what he does and the people he serves. The people of Greece take pride in these types of people and what they do. In Greek culture the act of laying down ones life in a battle for Greece is honorable and glorious. In the book Odysseus fantasies about the glory and honor he would have received to had he fallen in Troy for Greece. At the will of Poseidon’s terrific onslaught of waves Odysseus wishes he had  a heroic death on the battle with the Trojans then he would have received a honorable and glorious death on the battle field fighting for Greece. Then he would be remembered for the glorious feats of strength and cunning he would embody.

“Three, four times blessed, my friends-in-arms who died on the plains of Troy those years ago, serving the sons of Atreus to the end. Would to god I’d died there too and met my fate that day the Trojans, swarms of them, hurled at me with bronze spears, fighting over the corpse of proud Achilles! A hero’s funeral then, my glory spread by comrades — now what a wretched death I’m doomed to die!” [The Odyssey Book Five Lines 338-345]

The reason Athena and Telemachus are trying to locate Odysseus and save him is because he posses honor and glory. In those times people would kill someone if they were jealous of them. Telemachus could easily leave his father and move on but his father is glorified within the people in Greece which means he is important. Without the traits of honor and glory possessed within Odysseus, no one would try and save him from the island. To the people of Greece honor and glory are what makes a man.

The Power Of Gods

The Scribes Who Craft The Odyssey 

“A small rock holds back a great wave.” - Homer

     The power of gods is unmatched. In the book, The Odyssey, by Homer translated by Robert Fagles the Gods and Goddesses posses great power and influence over the Greek population. Gods and Goddesses like Poseidon, Athena, and Ino have made it evident they are the powers of the book. The Gods and Goddesses are the main conflicts and solutions of the overall plot evolution so far in The Odyssey. Hermes came to the island that Odysseus was trapped on by Calypso the Nymph and helped him leave in his raft. Poseidon, the God of the sea, made it hard for Odysseus  to get to his destination, Scheria. Poseidon almost made Odysseus drown because he caused him to fall out of his raft, but Ino, goddess of the sea gave Odysseus a scarf that made him immortal so that he could comeplete his journey to the island Scheria.

“She pitied Odysseus, tossed, tormented so — she broke from the waves like a shearwater on the wing, lit on the wreck and asked him kindly, “Ah poor man, “why is the god of earthquakes so dead set against you? Strewing your way with such a crop of troubles!”   [The Odyssey, Book Five Line 370-374]

Gods are the authors of The Odyssey. They are what make up this book. Odysseus is being tormented and challenged by a God, Poseidon, which is making it hard for him to get to the island. The Goddess Ino is the one who helps him get to the island and peruse through Poseidon’s obstacles. The Gods and goddesses are the ones running this story, they are the conflict and the solution of the problem. Gods are ultimately the creators; they have the ability to do more than humans and it is evident in The Odyssey. Without gods and the power they contain the world wouldn’t be the same.

The Lessons Found In Life

The Life lessons Adam Aronovitz Taught Us All

“Every fiction has its base in fact.”
― Gayle Forman,

     There are always lessons to be found, and when Adam Aronovitz came to Fenn, he reminded us all of this. In the short time we were with him, the exercises he ran taught us valuable lessons that can be related to many aspects of life and were even applicable to understanding books like the Odyssey.  He reminded us of the importance of being a leader, of being patient with others and ourselves, of recognizing the viewpoints of others, and of being productive in different life scenarios. 

The Ninth Grade Journey 

How To Create The Best Environment For Growth

“Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.” - Artistotle 

      Ninth grade feels like a new path on my journey through Fenn. Becoming seniors has been a very different experience and I am still adjusting to it, but overall life has been running smoothly. There is still room to grow and create a better ninth grade experience, and I am confident that together we can work toward a better experience.

The Power In Hard Times

Challenging Times Create Opportunities for Growth

“It’s Gonna Get Worse Before It Gets Better” - Noah Trainer 

     Hard times can pose powerful challenges and hidden opportunities. This summer, while tackling the notorious Gamble portage on my canoe trip in Ontario, the challenge of facing hard times was never more present in my life. The physical challenge on Gamble — walking 4 kilometers uphill through the untamed Canadian bush in a violent thunder storm, with canoes and wanigans weighing us down — was matched only by the mental challenge of trying to get through it all. On this demanding portage, I confronted one of my most strenuous experiences ever, as exhaustion spread into my limbs and pain made itself known with every additional step.