In this week’s review, I am looking at Homer’s Odyssey. When first starting to read classical literature, I started where many others probably had, with the Illiad. Admittedly it did take me some time to get into the book, simply because I wasn’t used to reading such a style of writing, a style of writing which happened to last 600 pages! However, looking back on it, I am incredibly grateful that I stuck with it, as it opened me up to this whole world of literature that I am incredibly fond of. That being said, this will be my last piece of Greek literature I review for a while, due to the fact that I have read almost no Roman literature despite me being a Latin student, not a Greek student. And so, what better way to commemorate the journey so far, but by reviewing the Odyssey - the ultimate story of journey and discovery.
Ten years have passed since the fall of Troy, and the Greek hero Odysseus still has not returned to his kingdom in Ithaca. A large and rowdy mob of suitors who have overrun Odysseus’s palace and pillaged his land continue to court his wife, Penelope. She has remained faithful to Odysseus. Prince Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, wants desperately to throw them out but does not have the confidence or experience to fight them. One of the suitors, Antinous, plans to assassinate the young prince, eliminating the only opposition to their dominion over the palace.
Athena prepares Telemachus for a great journey to Pylos and Sparta, where the kings Nestor and Menelaus, Odysseus’s companions during the war, inform him that Odysseus is alive and trapped on Calypso’s island. Telemachus makes plans to return home, while, back in Ithaca, Antinous and the other suitors prepare an ambush to kill him when he reaches port.
Zeus sends Hermes to persuade Calypso to let Odysseus build a ship and leave. The homesick hero sets sail, but when Poseidon, finds him sailing home, he sends a storm to wreck Odysseus’s ship. Poseidon has harboured a grudge against Odysseus since the hero blinded his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. Athena intervenes to save Odysseus from Poseidon’s wrath, and he lands on the island of the Phaeacians. Nausicaa, the Phaeacian princess, shows him to the royal palace, and Odysseus receives a warm welcome from the king and queen, he identifies himself eventually as Odysseus and tells them his stories.
Odysseus spends the night recounting his trip to the Land of the Lotus Eaters, his battle with Polyphemus the Cyclops, his love affair with the witch-goddess Circe, his temptation by the deadly Sirens, his journey into Hades and his fight with the sea monster Scylla. When he finishes his story, the Phaeacians return Odysseus to Ithaca, where he seeks out the hut of his faithful swineherd, Eumaeus. He soon encounters Telemachus, who has returned from Pylos and Sparta despite the suitors’ ambush and reveals to him his true identity. Odysseus and Telemachus devise a plan to massacre the suitors and regain control of Ithaca.
The next day, Penelope organizes an archery contest and promises to marry any man who can string Odysseus’s great bow and fire an arrow through a row of twelve axes. At the contest, each suitor tries to string the bow and fails. Odysseus steps up to the bow and, with little effort, fires an arrow through all twelve axes. He then turns the bow on the suitors. He and Telemachus, assisted by a few faithful servants, kill every last suitor.
Odysseus reveals himself to the entire palace and reunites with Penelope. He travels to the outskirts of Ithaca to see his old, frail, father, Laertes. They come under attack from the vengeful family members of the dead suitors, but Laertes, reinvigorated by his son’s return, successfully kills Antinous’s father and puts a stop to the attack. Zeus dispatches Athena to restore peace. With his power secure and his family reunited, Odysseus’s long ordeal comes to an end.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the poem is the sophisticated structure. I expected that it would be episodic, and it is, but I wasn’t expecting a non-linear narrative which was a nice twist that still manages to portray the gravity of the extremes that Odysseus and his crew have been through even though it took place in the past.
Another thing, that I find interesting is the moral ambiguity of the story, was Odysseus in the right when he brutally murdered the suitors, or would it be easier to simply reveal that he was alive and send them on their way, when Laertes killed Antinous’ father, especially since Athena was going to save them anyway (I guess he didn’t know she was going to save them) or when Odysseus and his crew raided the city of the Cicones, looting and pillaging treasure and women, when he cheated on his faithful wife with both Circe and Calypso and when his arrogance made him reveal his name to the cyclops endangering both him and his crew.
Reflecting on these points have forced me to realise that Odysseus really isn’t much of a hero, more than he is a survivor. The distinction being that instead of being focused on protecting other people, he is more focused on protecting himself and surviving. This being one of the major themes of the story, displayed by the fact that he is still alive despite all he has been through - and that is after the trojan war nevermind the 10 years he fought there.
The key to him having survived so long is, in my opinion, Athena. For me, I have mixed feelings about her involvement in the story. On one side she helps with the pace of the story sending Telemachus of to Pylos and Sparta, convincing the other gods Odysseus has suffered enough and protects Odysseus and Telemachus on several occasions. What I don’t like, however, is the way she is used as a “deus ex machina” in the final scene when she creates peace between the two sides. Understandable there is little Odysseus, Laertes and Telemachus can do when the whole of Ithaca is coming for them, however I would’ve preferred to see a different conclusion, maybe there would have been a council meeting and Odysseus would have used his cunning to get out of the situation, perhaps compensated them in treasure he was gifted from the Phaecian’s, i’m not quite sure. However I feel as if that would be a better ending than Athena saving the day.
One final moment I think is overlooked is the encounter between Odysseus and his mother. The fact that she died of grief longing for him whilst he was at war and Odysseus’ reaction where he bursts into tears upon meeting this scene one of my favourite in the book despite it not being discussed that much.
In conclusion, I think that the Odyssey, with it’s combination of excellent characters, adventures and heartwarming moments make it a fantastic peace of literature, an excellent sequel to the Iliiad and a brilliant end to the journey for me that has been classical Greek literature.
In conclusion, I think that the Odyssey, with its combination of excellent characters, adventures and heartwarming moments make it a fantastic piece of literature, an excellent sequel to the Iliad and a brilliant end to the journey for me that has been classical Greek literature. protects Odysseus and Telemachus on several occasions. What I don’t like, however, is the way she is used as a “deus ex machina” in the final scene when she creates peace between the two sides. Understandable there is little Odysseus, Laertes and Telemachus can do when the whole of Ithaca is coming for them, however, I would’ve preferred to see a different conclusion, maybe there would have been a council meeting and Odysseus would have used his cunning to get out of the situation, perhaps compensated them in treasure he was gifted from the Phaecian’s, I’m not quite sure. However, I feel as if that would be a better ending than Athena saving the day.
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