... the true and the good or the instinct to satisfy one's immediate desires, act violently and enforce one's will. Philoctetes, "the wild man", cut off from civilisation on Lemnos proves, paradoxically, to be, arguably, the most civilised: he is the recipient of the theophany, who alone sees the god and to whom the god's words are addressed. He is also the character who has the greatest appreciation of the gods that are the basis of civilised life. The conflict ... between civilisation and savagery is portrayed throughout the play by its setting, language and imagery. In the opening lines...

• Word Count: 2877
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... concern was not with the adventures of Odysseus but with his relationship with his wife and son. This later poet undoubtedly had to deal with the character of Odysseus as it was then current in folk lore - - that of a shrewd and unscrupulous man who lives by his wits. At the same time, Homer softened this character and made him more humane by stressing the theme *PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH 1998 ALL ... of "The Odyssey," Odysseus is described as "the man of many ways." Lying is clearing one of these many ways, and in the course of "The Odyssey," Odysseus takes on many identities. According to ...

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

... the world of the unknown. Fear has always been man's most primal instinct since the dawn of time. Their irrational fear has led them to extreme paranoia and a strong feeling of hatred for anything that is unfathomable. But first, what exactly is the "unknown?" and why is it so frightening? Well, all throughout history, the ... the Olympians. The Olympians possessed great power and wielded it with such a tremendous intensity. Some of them included Poseidon, the god of the seas, whose fury can cause shattering earthquakes and the most devastating of sea storms. Another was Hades, the Gree...

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