Odysseus' Journey Home

Odysseus' Journey Home

By: Alex Rivera

Book 22: Slaughter in the Hall (Ithaca)

In this book, Odysseus and his son Telemachus slaughter the suitors that have plagued Penelope. After this, Odysseus forces the unfaithful servants to clean the hall of the suitor's remains. As soon as they finish, Telemachus gives the order to hang the maids.

#BowDownToDeath

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/odysseus-suitors.jp g

Job Report

In this book, Odysseus is extremely ruthless, especially when he kills the maids that he ordered to clean the hall of the suitor's remains. He gave a clear message that no one should ever double-cross him or his family. In that way, he seemed like a good leader, but he was more bad than good in the fact that he did not try to reason with the men at all.

Quote

"Poor fools, blind to the fact that all their necks were in a noose, their doom sealed."

(22, 34-35)

This quote explains how murderous Odysseus is feeling at the moment, certain that every suitor will die in Odysseus' hall. A deadly calm rage is emanated through this simple sentence.

Literary Devices

"The attackers struck like eagles, crook-clawed, hook-beaked, swooping down from the mountain ridge to harry smaller birds that skim across the flatland, cringing under the clouds but the eagles plunge in fury, rip their lives out..."

(22, 316-319)

This epic simile describes Athena's view of the battle and how Odysseus, Telemachus, and two of their trusted friends are slaughtering the suitors mercilessly.

"...splattered with bloody filth like a lion that's devoured some ox of the field and lopes home, covered with blood, his chest streaked, doth jaws glistening, dripping red - a sight to strike terror."

(22, 427-430)

This epic simile includes massive amounts of imagery that creates a vivid picture in the mind of the reader of how Odysseus looked like a king of the jungle after reestablishing his throne in Ithaca.

Book 5: Odysseus-Nymph and The Shipwreck (Calypso's Island)

Zeus sends Hermes to order Calypso to release Odysseus from her island. Reluctantly, Calypsos agrees and helps Odysseus build a raft and gather supplies. While leaving her island, Poseidon once again sweeps him off course to the land of the Phaeacians.

Book 12: The Cattle of the Sun

(The Sacred Cattle)

#IfYouLoveMeLetMeGo

Job Report

I thought Odysseus was positive with the fact that he set sail five days after he started building his raft and he never looked back.

Odysseus and his men end up on the island of the Sun God. Odysseus was told not to touch any of the sacred cattle or he and his ship will be destroyed. Odysseus warns his men, but they eat the sacred cattle anyways. Since Odysseus was the only man who did not eat the cattle, he survives, but is a broken man without a way home.

Quote

"...and now the master mariner steered his craft, sleep never closing his eyes, forever scanning the stars,..."

(5, 297-299)

This quote shows how Odysseus was not really sad about leaving Calypso's island, but rather anxious to get home.

http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/greekmythology/images/9/93/Calypso011greek.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20151010063017

Literary Devices

"Broad in the beam and and bottom flat as a merchantman..."

(5, 274)

This simile helps to describe how Odysseus' boat looks.

"But battle-weary Odysseus..."

(5, 391)

This epithet helps to show how tired Odysseus is with his long journey home and his battle against Poseidon.

#BeefWithHelios

Job Report

Odysseus was a good leader in this instance because he repeatedly told his men not to eat the cattle. Even though they did, he went to great lengths to stop them.

Book 9: In the One-eyed Giant’s Cave

Quote

“Friends, we’ve food and drink plenty aboard the ship-keep your hands off all these herds or we will pay the price!” (12, 345-346)

This quote shows how Odysseus warned his men not to kill the sacred cattle, but rather eat their on board rations.

Literary Devices

“Like a bat I clung to its trunk for dear life…”

(12,467)

This describes how the Gods spared him from death.

“...and down from his deck the man flipped like a diver…”

(12, 445)

This describes how Odysseus’ men wanted to escape their fate for killing the sacred cattle.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Pellegrino_Tibaldi_001.jp g

Odysseus and his men set sail from the land of the Lotus-eaters and end up at the land of the Cyclops. There Odysseus gets trapped in Polyphemus’ cave with his scouting party. In order to escape Odysseus develops a plan to blind the Cyclops. First the men get Polyphemus drunk so that he passes out and then they use a large, heated stake to blind the Cyclops’ one eye. They then hide in the cave overnight and in the morning the men ride under the sheep and escape the cave. As they leave the island, Odysseus tells Polyphemus that it is he who blinded him and thus ensues the rage of Poseidon.

Book 12: The Cattle of the Sun (Sirens)

#EyeSeeNobody

Circe tells Odysseus to plug his mens’ ears with beeswax so that they can’t hear the beautiful, but deadly music. She also tells him to have his men tie him to the mast if he wanted to listen to the song. Odysseus ends up doing this and his men continually reinforce his bonds.

Job Report

#SingingwithSirens

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/The_Sirens_imploring_Ulysses_to_stay_%281886%29.jpg/509px-The_Sirens_imploring_Ulysses_to_stay_%281886%29.jp g

Odysseus has shown positive leadership skills when he devised the plan to blind the Cyclops and free him and his men. However, as they were leaving the island, Odysseus gloated that he was the one who blinded Polyphemus and dooms him and his crew.

Job Report

Quote

He was a bit negative in the fact that he wanted to boast that he was the only person able to sail through the Siren’s song and hear it without dying. However, he did get his men through as well.

“Cyclops-if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so-say Odysseus, raider of cities, he gouged out your eye, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca!” (9, 558-562)

He is boasting about himself and this is the moment that he angers Poseidon and dooms himself to a long and heartsick voyage home.

Literary Devices

“...its crackling roots blazed and hissed-as a blacksmith plunges a glowing axe or adze in an ice cold bath and the metal screeches steam…”

(9, 437-439)

Its very graphic and establishes a strong picture in the reader’s mind.

"I drove my weight on it from above and bored it home as a shipwright bores his beam with a shipwright's drill..."

(9, 429-430)

It is very strong imagery and places the reader in the story.

Quote

http://www.tellmeomuse.com/images/art/cyclops_poster.jp g

“So they sent their ravishing voices out across the air and the heart inside me throbbed to listen longer.”

(12, 208-209)

It explains how addicting the Sirens’ song is and how it lures the men towards their rocky shores.

Literary Devices

“Odysseus-Achaea’s pride and glory…”

(12, 200)

This epithet shows how Sirens flirted with the men to try to lure them to their death.

“...to bind me faster with rope on chafing rope.”

(12, 213)

This adds to the description of how alluring the Sirens’ song was to the point that Odysseus had to have his bonds constantly reinforced.