In the Odyssey, fate and free will are not mutually exclusive concepts. Men may be destined to specific ends, but their personal choices alter the road they take to get there. The same freedom appl...
Piety in the Odyssey is shown by deference to the gods, submission to their will, and through gestures such as sacrifices, festivals, banquets, and prayers. It also entails respect for the dead ...
Justice is ruthless in the Odyssey. Death is served easily for many transgressions, from inhospitality to poor manners to disrespecting the gods. Actually, because the gods were supposed to uphold...
If Odysseus has one flaw, it is his pride. The hero can’t take an insult lying down and insists on flaunting his victories even once challenges or battles have passed. The danger of pride in...
Disguise is often a tool of the gods in the Odyssey, used to manipulate human events and test the character of mortals. But more importantly, Odysseus himself is famous for his cunning. From the Tr...
In an accurate reflection of ancient Greek culture, rules of hospitality are among the most revered social and religious laws in the Odyssey. Men are measured by the way they play host or guest, an...
In Greek mythology, being human entails suffering. There is no escape from pain; it is the curse of mortality. Again and again in the Odyssey, our hero is reminded of this fact. To endure, then, is...
In the Odyssey, respect and reputation are won in several ways. Key among them is the display of courage in battle. It is also important to honor one’s hosts, guests, and the dead. At times,...
Loyalty is tricky in the Odyssey. While our hero is delayed sailing home from war, his wife’s faithfulness is a beacon of steadfast devotion. On the other hand, Odysseus himself engages in mu...
Only through its hero’s nearly super-human determination is the Odyssey able to reach its glorious conclusion. Odysseus displays over and over his ability to grit his teeth and persevere R...
The Greek concept of the family reflected in the Odyssey includes not only immediate family but ancestors as well. It is oriented toward the past, as men are introduced with their lineage and judge...
