Odyssey is an epic poem written by the ancient Greek poet Homer.
The poem, probably created between the 9th and 7th centuries BC, narrates the hero's adventuresOdysseus , for 10 years after the Trojan War, and his return to Ithaca.
The name “Odyssey” comes from “Odysseus ”, Greek hero, king of Ithaca, whom the Latins call Odysseus.
Due to unforeseen obstacles and the long duration of Odysseus' journey, the word odyssey has become synonymous with a narrative that recounts a series of extraordinary events leading to the achievement of a goal.
Structure of the work
The Odyssey is made up of 24 songs or rhapsodies, divided into three parts, although there is no explicit separation.
Part one:Telemachy
The first part is called “Telemachy”, because it refers to "Telemachus ", son of Odysseus and Penelope.
It comprises cantos I and IV, where Odysseus is only mentioned because of his absence, as he had left Ithaca for Troy to go to war. But, having ended after ten years, Ulysses did not return.
Telemachus wants to go get him. To do so, he must first fight the claimants to his mother's hand and the throne. He manages to escape with the help of the goddess Athena.
Second part:Apologists
In the second part , which covers tales V through XIII, recounts the adventures of Odysseus . He enumerates them himself, speaking to Alcinous, king of the Faecians:leaving Troy, he wandered aimlessly across the sea, without the routes of return to Ithaca. Fantastic events derailed his trajectory.
He delayed his return for another seven years, when Calypso, goddess in love, kept him on the island Ogygia. Freed from this sweet prison, by the intervention of Athena, he sails close to the island of the Phaeaceans, when he was shipwrecked and was forced to swim to the island of Skeria.
Third part:Mnesterophony
The third part Its theme is the revenge of Ulysses about the mnesters ("suitors" of his wife, Penelope). Back in Ithaca after twenty years, he disguises himself as a beggar and blends in with the people.
Gradually, he learns of the betrayals committed in his absence. He gradually lets himself be identified, first by his son and then by Penelope.
Alongside Telemachus he fights the usurpers, he exterminates them and reassumes the kingdom of Ithaca.
Some characters from the Odyssey
1. Ulysses
Ulysses, the central figure of the poem, is faced with superhuman adventures. Circe, the sorceress goddess who turns Odysseus' companions into pigs, the Cyclops Polyphemus the sea monster and Charybdis the precipice.
Despite using human means, he overcomes all obstacles, although the gods contributed to his physical integrity. She is a man who utilizes men's gifts such as intelligence and courage.
2. Telemachus
Telemachus is still a child when Odysseus leaves for Troy, and he grows up as the action unfolds.
His mother's example, Athena's advice, travel experiences, the figure of famous heroes, all contribute to his maturation. At the age of 16 he sets out in search of his father, whose absence lengthens and threatens the kingdom.
3. Penelope
Penelope, the faithful wife of Odysseus, waited twenty long years, resisting the onslaughts of those who wanted to conquer her.
A choice was demanded of her and, to postpone it, Penelope declared that she would choose one of the suitors when she finished weaving the shroud of Laertes, Odysseus' father. By day she weaved, by night she untied, endlessly.
4. Athena
Athena, goddess of wisdom, reason and war, assists Odysseus and Telemachus in all the adventures they both undertake.
The help given, however, is that of the spirit. Combining the heroes' physical strength and personal worth produces the effects. In the course of the work, the goddess assumes the most diverse forms, from that of a man to that of a bird.
Who was Homer?
Homer, to whom the epic is attributed, little is known about his life and the environment in which he lived, around the 9th and 8th centuries BC, the so-called Homeric period.
Numerous legends narrate Homer's life. According to one of them, he was on the island of Ithaca, where he gathered data to write the life of Odysseus, the adventurous king of the island. The lack of data has led to doubt as to Homer's very existence.
The works, “Odyssey” and “Iliad”, have been preserved thanks to oral tradition. In the 7th century BC, rhapsodes from all over Greece recited excerpts from the “Odyssey” and “The Iliad”, which became known as “homerids”, as they told the stories created by Homer.
See also:Trojan War