Foils for Odysseus - 1448 Words

Breanna Manlick 4-26-2014 CLAS 342 Paper Assignment #2 Character Foils for Odysseus The Odyssey is the epic that has been read time and time again, by varying ages, digging its way into our hearts, becoming an instant classic. Odysseus and the adventures of his homecoming create a much different tale than Homer’s other work, the Iliad, provided. The epic is not about bloodthirsty men trying to get their hands on kleos anymore; it is about the homecoming of a man who uses his wits, not his weapon. In the Odyssey, the characters balance – Homer provides contrasting characters to show the readers the traits that Odysseus holds and how it builds his character development and even those who are foils to him. Odysseus’ own son, Trojan War†¦show more content†¦Agamemnon was stabbed to death by the vengeful tag-team. Agamemnon’s son, Orestes, unleashed vengeance upon his mother and her lover. Agamemnon’s family is a foil for Odysseus’ family life. Odysseus’ family loves him very dearly and has done no wrong as he was away. Penelope, unlike Clytemnestra, stays loyal to Odysseus and even creates an ingenious plan to keep the suitors off her back. Telemachos on the other hand has to deal with the suitors who are trying to marry his mother and have been dishonoring his father, Odysseus, eating their fill since they sat their butts on the stools they deem as weapons. Telemachos can’t even stand up to the suitors as Agamemnon’s son took revenge on the people who killed his father. This shows how Telemachos should be as a son and will soon be as he grows up to be more like his father. Menelaos had a long homecoming due to the gods, just as Odysseus had. Menelaos angered the Egyptian gods, due to the lack of knowledge of Egyptian customs. He was able to get home with all of his crew, unlike Odysseus, who was a lone survivor. Although Menelaos had an easier homecoming than Odysseus, he did not have a faithful wife, just like Agamemnon. Helen was the reason for the Trojan War; for Menelaos it was not easy to forgive an unfaithful wife to that degree. He cannot rejoin the present as easily due to all that was lost in Troy, destined to be full of grief forShow MoreRelatedCharacter Foils For Odysseus By Homer1331 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Foils for Odysseus Throughout the epic Homeric poem, The Odyssey of Homer, Odysseus is a hero known for his cunningness, vigilance, and overall attainment of homecoming. Odysseus’ journey home is one of many mental and physical tests that which involve numerous encounters with others whose characters are in opposition with his. It is important to understand that through his encounters with certain opposing characters, Odysseus’ qualities of possessing heroism and cleverness are vividlyRead MoreAgamemnon And Achilles In The Book 11 Of The Odyssey842 Words   |  4 PagesBook 11 of The Odyssey serves as representing a foil to Achilles through Agamemnon and Achilles’ stories and showing us a different perspective about heroic death with fame and glory(kleos). Homer uses Agamemnon, Achilles, and Heracles as characters for a comparison between their ended lives in Hades and Odysseus’ undead life. The story of Achilles’ failure to return to home and Agamemnon’s trag ic death from her faithless wife acts as a foil to Odysseus and her faithful wife in the Book 11. Also, theRead MoreThe Similarities Of Foils In Homers Odyssey950 Words   |  4 PagesFoils in The Odyssey Foils exist to create secondary character’s actions and thoughts. These actions and thoughts are the ideals of the representation of that person. That person exists in contrasts with other people. Other people exist in comparison with that person. These ideals exist in all of literature with the introduction and the plays of old. The Odyssey along with olden works of literature, conduct their secondary characters to interact with the primary. Homer utilizes the ideals of contrastRead MoreThe Elements Of Foils In Homers Odyssey942 Words   |  4 PagesFoiling in The Odyssey Foils exist to create secondary characters actions and thoughts. These actions and thoughts are the ideals of the representation of that person. That person exists in contrasts with other people. Other people exist in comparison with that person. These ideals exist in all of literature with the introduction and the plays of old. The Odyssey along with olden works of literature conduct their secondary characters to interact with the primary. Homer utilizes the ideals of contrastsRead MoreThe Double Standard: Women Cast into the Shadows of Men 1356 Words   |  6 Pagesaround, it seems unlikely that the bar of equality between men and women will ever be perfectly just. The Odyssey shows how the double standard was no stranger even over 30 centuries ago. The epic poem focuses on alpha male, Odysseus’ journey home. Throughout the novel Odysseus continues to be described as strong, intelligent, and courageous despite his character flaws. He is portrayed as the man everyone wants to be. The Wife of Bath Tale in The Canterbury Tales is another story that clearly illustratesRead MoreOdessy Essay: Whos to Blame950 Words   |  4 PagesTo Blame? In Homer’s Epic, The Odyssey Odysseus the leader of Ithaca goes through very long troublesome and painful journey after fighting in the Trojan War. Throughout the whole epic, learning and experiencing his long expedition, the reader can decide who is to blame. Many Greek people would believe that Gods are almost always the source of human misfortune, however the distress maybe caused by their selves rather than the all-powerful gods. Odysseus has been away from his kingdom a total ofRead MoreOdysseus As The Epic Hero In Homers Odyssey1019 Words   |  5 PagesOdysseus as the Epic Hero in Homer’s The Odyssey A style of work often explored in Greek literature is that of the epic. An expansive poem of a wide scope centered on and regarding the wondrous deeds of the main, heroic figure, on whose actions depend the fate of a nation. The definition of an epic can be used to describe The Odyssey by Homer. In The Odyssey we are introduced to our main character, Odysseus, the former king of Ithaca and a Trojan war hero who has been trapped on an Island by theRead MoreThe Role of The Gods in The Lives of Men Essay1098 Words   |  5 Pagesboth Odysseus and his son, Telemachus. Athena has an extraordinarily close relationship with Odysseus. She is Odysseus’s guardian. Athena directs Odysseus and Telemachus both physically and mentally throughout their many life changing adventures. In the beginning of the Odyssey, Odysseus is being held by Kalypso on her island. Athena begs her father, Zeus, to send Hermes to make Kalypso release Odysseus so that he may return home to Ithaka. Athena says , â€Å"†¦my own heart is broken for Odysseus, theRead More Women in The Odyssey Essay example1487 Words   |  6 Pagesplay an influential role in The Odyssey. Women appear throughout the story, as goddesses, wives, princesses, or servants. The nymph Calypso enslaves Odysseus for many years. Odysseus desires to reach home and his wife Penelope. It is the goddess Athena who sets the action of The Odyssey rolling; she also guides and orchestrates everything to Odysseus’ good. Women in The Odyssey are divided into two classes: seductresses and helpmeets. By doing so, Homer demonstrates that women have the power to eitherRead MoreExamples Of Archetypes In The Odyssey1291 Words   |  6 Pagesfilms, music, literature and several other forms of entertainment. In fact, The Odyssey, a prominent piece of writing, contains many archetypes. The Odyssey is a 3,000 year-old epic written by Homer in Ancient Greece. It describes the adventures of Odysseus. As well as being found i n The Odyssey, archetypes are evident throughout Greek culture. These archetypes depict the ideals and beliefs of the Ancient Greeks. Through Homer’s use of archetypes in The Odyssey, the reader gains insights about Ancient