... appears much as the writings of William Shakespeare. Homer, (if he is the true and only author) like William Shakespeare enjoyed a tale which was of epic purportion, involved rich characterizations, and indeed the line between reality and myth was blurred. I could not imagine that William Shakespeare was not influenced by tales ... were so many other stories of the Greek mythology of the time, including Cyclops. Cyclops is the only complete satyr play to have survived, yet the characteristics of the satyr play are based upon Odysseus" encounter with the Cyclops, Pollyphenus, in the ninth ...

• Word Count: 2705
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... has been spun into many great literary works over the centuries. The eccentricity of the supernatural world is what makes it such a popular genre for audiences to enjoy. In many epic stories and poems, authors have been successful in conveying basic human concepts through intricately crafted supernatural characters. For example, some supernatural beings can represent simple themes of temptation or vice ... sea storms. Another was Hades, the Greek god of death, who resided in the underworld and commanded legions of the undead. The most important one of all was Zeus, the king of the gods ...

• Word Count: 2649
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... waist, and swam to a beach where he immediately fell asleep. The next morning he was awoken by maidens playing ball after doing the wash. There he saw Nausikaa, daughter of king Alkinoos. Odysseus gently supplicated to the princess. She first took him to the inhabitants of the island, the Phaiakians, and then Alkinoos, the ... king. There he listened to Odysseus's stories, and presented him with lavish gifts and a furnished ship back to Ithaca. Resenting this fact, Poseidon turned the new crew into stone for their ... escapades to Pylos and Sparta. In The Odyssey, Homer created a para...

• Word Count: 2524
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School