blog




  • Essay / The theme of death in Homer's Odyssey

    Death is commonly reflected in Greek mythology. Many epics, myths, and short stories include death in their plot or theme. For example, the story of Pyramus and Thisbe conveys the idea that when one dies, it does not mean that the other should die too. However, the most notable Greek literary work dealing with death is Homer's Odyssey. In Book XI of the epic, Odysseus travels to the Land of the Dead to gain important advice that would protect him and his men on their journey home. But on the way, Odysseus encounters many souls of the deceased. As he converses with the souls of his loved ones, Odysseus is slowly overcome by grief and misery. Therefore, the internal conflict Odysseus faces in the Land of the Dead resolves with the deaths of his friends and family. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay To begin with, Odysseus had to come to terms with the death of Elpenor, his former soldier. Before Odysseus left the island of Kirke with the rest of his crew, they did not recognize that Elpenor was missing. As a result, when Odysseus noticed the soldier's soul approaching him in the Land of the Dead, he was shocked and heartbroken. The text states: "A shadow came first: Eplenor, of our company, who lay unburied on the broad earth, as we had left him - dead in the hall of Kirke, untouched, unmourned, when others concerns forced us to do so. Now when I saw him there, I cried with pity and called to him." In this quote, the author describes how other tasks caused Odysseus and his men to turn a blind eye to Elpenor's absence Instead of making sure everyone was present, Odysseus and his crew were too busy preparing to sail to the Land of the Dead. Therefore, the former soldier was left there. dying, with no one to help him, mourn him or give him a proper burial for him, despite the tragic loss, Odysseus managed to accept his death in a short period of time; and buried. However, Odysseus did not accept the deaths of two others so quickly. Second, Odysseus must accept the death of his mother, Antikleia. When Odysseus went to the Land of the Dead, he did not expect to see there. his soul; the last time Odysseus saw his mother, she was healthy and living in Ithaca But after talking with her, Odysseus learns that she died because of her loneliness for him, "... only my solitude for you, Ulysses, for your good heart and your advice, sweet Ulysses, took my life.” Odysseus was filled with sorrow and agony. The text quotes: “I bit my lip, getting up perplexed, with a desire to kiss her, and I tried three times, putting my arms around her, but she passed through my hands, impalpable like shadows, and flickering like a dream. Now it made all the pain I was bearing worse and I cried in the darkness.” Here, the quote demonstrates how difficult it was for Odysseus to accept his mother's death; he was the reason for his death. Therefore, the huge soldier wanted to kiss her, but no matter how hard he tried, Antikleia's shadow floated between his hands. Suffering, Ulysses burst into tears; he couldn't take all the pain. Overall, Odysseus has to come to terms with his mother's death, but there is another one he struggles with as well. Finally, Odysseus must accept Agamemnon's death. Similar to Antikleia and Elpenor, he was unaware that his former comrade had died. The first time Odysseus saw Agamemnon's soul, tears began to flow down his grieving face. Not surprisingly, after discussing this.