Week 3 Reading A notes - The Odyssey

A photo of Odysseus i got from wikipedia

For my week 3 reading I chose to read Homer’s “The Odyssey” instead of “Cupid and Psyche.” I did this because I prefer action/adventure stories and I had read The Odyssey in middle school so I was familiar with it too. The Odyssey is a very interesting story and for these notes I want to write down how the plot plays out in their adventure and also incorporate some notes on Odysseus’ character. In the online reading their journey begins with their arrival at Polyphemus’ island. It was an accidental discovery and had they leave immediately they wouldn’t have lost any men. However, Odysseus, which to me seems to be a very vainful character, wants to meet the cyclops. They journey to the Cyclopes cave where they get trapped, six men get eaten, then they trick the Cyclopes and the survivors escape. While they’re escape can be attributed to Odysseus’ wit, they wouldn’t have gotten in that situation in the first place if Odysseus would have just left the island immediately. Then there was Circe’s island. Odysseus knew just how dangerous she was yet he still sent his men over to investigate her hut. There they were trapped and off Odysseus went to save them. Had Hermès not shown up and instructed him with what to do he would have been imprisoned there like the rest of his men. They were set free and I have yet to read the part B of the story. I’ve already mentioned that Odysseus is vainful, and I believe that had it not been for him most of his crew would have made it back to Ithaca alive. I also think its weird how he always introduces him self with that long title “that man of many resources whom the Slayer of Argus, with the Golden Wand.” The story is written in first person and even when others talk to him they say things like “favorite of Zeus” which I think is a little too much. The entire journey is a great story of adventure where Odysseus’ wit and luck save him from certain doom, however he got himself in those problems to begin with and it cost him all his men and ships. So while his adventures are great they also could have been avoided. 

Bibliography: “Homer: The Odyssey.”

Link: https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Odhome.php

Author: Homer

Translated by A. S. Kline