A Child’s Christmas In Wales
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The Odyssey: books I-XII

The three themes

76312DBA-7B8D-4BCE-AF04-6CF84D2FCD91”A mighty book requires mighty themes.”
-Herman Melville

 

     The first twelve books of The Odyssey give us a look into the ancient Greeks; it teaches us a lesson about everything they live by at the time. We are introduced to powerful themes like the power of the gods, glory and honor and disguise. These three themes are what defines The Odyssey, they are part of the reason the book is so well known around the world.

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 complete 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 V, lines 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.

 

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 V, 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.

 

Disguise is the key to success. In books one through twelve of The Odyssey, Odysseus uses the power of disguise to help get him hide from the many monsters and get through otherwise dangerous situations. Because Odysseus is trusted by the gods they help him along the way. They are the ones who disguise him along the way and help him survive. Because of this Odysseus is able to survive these situations and continue on his journey. An example of this is in book seven when Athena disguised Odysseus into a cloud of mist and then turned herself into a little girl. Athena and Odysseus walk through the town and then arrive at Alcinous’s palace, unseen by any citizens. At the palace Odysseus was removed of his disguise and appears out of nowhere right in front of Alcinous. 

 

But the famed Phaeacian sailors never saw him, right in their midst, striding down their streets. Athena the one with lovely braids would not permit it, the awesome goddess poured an enchanted mist around him, harboring kindness for Odysseus in her heart.

[The Odyssey, Book VII, lines 36-41]


Odysseus has used the power of disguise to hide himself a few times already in the book and was in import at situations that helped him along on his journey. This theme is a really important one because it is part of the reason Odysseus is successful on his many journeys. Even one of the most well known scenes from The Odyssey is when Odysseus disguises himself as an old man after returning from his voyage and kills the suitors that were bothering his wife. The theme of disguise also relates back to a lot of the other themes in the book. This all comes to prove that disguise is one of the most import and powerful things, and it will continue to be as Odysseus moves along in his voyage.

 

Life is a journey and each step is a lesson. In books one through twelve of The Odyssey, each chapter is like a new lesson and there’s a new one each time. Some chapters teach something you can use in your everyday life while others teach you a more outdated lesson. Whether the lesson is about the power of gods, glory and honor or disguise, each chapter your still being taken on a journey no matter what type of lesson your being taught. I went into The Odyssey planning to actually read the book and not just read it because I had to. Meaning I had to go into each chapter with a good attitude knowing that if I didn’t I wouldn’t have a good time reading. How I’ve actually read the book so far, well that’s another story. I wanted to actually read each chapter and at times I did that, but most of the time I just ended up reading them because I had to. At times I found myself trying to read right in front of the TV. The Odyssey is a hard enough book to read and understand in the first place, but if you try and read it without paying full attention it becomes that much harder. In the first twelve books of The Odyssey I’ve learned that the three themes the power of the gods, glory and honor and disguise are three of the most important in the book. I also learned that all of the themes in the book relate back to each other in one way or another. I learned that it takes time and patience for things that you want to be done to be done. And finally I’ve learned that sometimes it takes a lot more effort and will to finish something then you think it will. Although these first twelve books have really been a journey I’ve really enjoyed my experience so far reading. 


If there is anything at all that should be taken away from the first twelve books of The Odyssey it is that the three themes the power of the gods, glory and honor and disguise are what defines the book.

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