(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Themes in The Odyssey


            "The Odyssey" is a literary classic, comprised of various events that teach the people of our generation many lessons and characteristics that the Greeks admired in the past. Homer emphasizes his ideas several times within the story using figures in a symbolic manner. These figures then appear before Odysseus as an obstacle while he continues his journey to Ithaca. Although these obstacles he encounters impede the continuation of his journey, he displays the lessons and characteristics Homer is trying to present to his audience. Therefore, The Odyssey illustrates many themes in Odysseus's journey to Ithaca.
             The first illustrated theme is the idea that temptations are unavoidable. In some way or another, everyone has gained or received something they cannot let go of and tempts them to want more, which, at times, is hard to fight off. In Odysseus's case, Circe informed his men that "if you shout out and command them to let you loose, they must tie you tighter with a few more ropes" (Homer 150). Even after the warning, this did occur when the men reached the Sirens and tied Odysseus with more ropes, "So they sang in lovely tones. From the bottom of my heart I longed to listen, and I ordered my men to set me free, nodding my head but they simply went on pulling with a good swing" (153). The act of tying him down more shows us the restraints we must put upon ourselves to contain this temptation. Even if the temptation may help us, we must make restrictions in order to allow something better to come in the future. Without the restrictions, the temptation could take over our mind, causing us to fall off track and add complication in our lives. Therefore, Homer stresses the idea of the resistance of temptation as a theme we must learn from Odysseus's journey and apply it to our own lives. .
             Another theme is that you can always hide from your true self, but disguises could never make you another person.


Essays Related to Themes in The Odyssey


Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question