The Odyssey

The Odyssey

The story of the Odyssey tells of the journey taken by the main character Odysseus while returning from the Trojan War. The journeys are presented by use of flashbacks. Large and mobs of suitors who have overrun Odysseus's palace court his wife, Penelope. Prince Telemachus, Odysseus's son, wants to throw them out but does not have the confidence to fight them. Throughout the story Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus learn many lessons.

Odysseus has the traits of a leader: strength, courage, nobility, and confidence. When Odysseus set sail, to the island of the Cyclops, he met many one-eyed giants. Odysseus entered the island with his crew. They wandered around entering a cave. Later, a Cyclops named Polyphemos, son of Poseidon, entered. He immediately ate two sailors, and promised to eat the others. The morning came, and Polyphemos had eaten more men. Odysseus with the help of his companions he took a sharp pole and rammed it into his large eye, blinding him. As the crew sailed away into the sea, Odysseus shouted his name to the Cyclops while making fun of him. Odysseus suffered consequences for these bad actions. The Cyclops threw two huge stones at his ship, almost sinking it. And, Odysseus angered Poseidon, the Cyclops's father, causing the trip home to become even longer and more dangerous. Poseidon would have never punished Odysseus if he kept himself quiet. This was a lesson learned by Odysseus to stay humble at all times.

Just a child when his father left for Troy, Telemachus is still maturing when the Odyssey begins. He is devoted to his mother and to maintaining his father's estate, but he does not know how to protect them from the suitors. Books 3 and 4 show the beginnings of Telemachus' education into the role of a hero. Nestor describes the return of heroes and the death of Agamemnon. Telemachus shows he is still depressed when Nestor mentions the hope of Odysseus' return, Telemachus says not even the gods could bring it about -with Athena there listening. She, disguised as Mentor, points out that the gods can do anything, and then gives some details of Agamemnon's fate that make Telemachus allow Nestor to tell the rest of the story This is a lesson to Telemachus.

Penelope is one of the strongest characters in this story. Even though she does not face a Cyclops, she waits at home for years for the return of her husband. She has to be