Keisi Hasani’s Blog Post
In the Odyssey, we keep encountering the theme of strength portrayed throughout the story and embraced by our main character, Odysseus. He is viewed as a hero and a very strong man who fought for his country, and his men, and finally made it back home. While reading the assigned books for today, we learned the entire story behind Odysseus’ trip and the struggles he had to overcome. What really intrigues me is the fact that, out of all the men he was traveling with, he was the only one to make it back. Is this due to incredible strength not possessed by the other men, or simply fate and his own destiny? As we read, many of the men were tempted to try and do the forbidden, while Odysseus remained strong willed and didn’t fall for any of it. But how strong can one man be? Sooner or later, circumstances cause anyone to break. We haven’t seen any of this happen with Odysseus but we were introduced to the idea of weakness within him today, as we analyzed the painting “Moby Dick”. We discussed how the painting reflected his journey and the rough waters (literally as well) he went through. One interesting point that was brought up is how this might have affected Odysseus psychologically. He witnesses his men dying and even being eaten, then was left on this path all alone. How might these events have affected him emotionally as well as (even more importantly to my debate) psychologically? How strong (or weak for that matter) is he after all? We all agreed today that we were reading to follow the story and missed this fact related to his mental well being. We all know he cant possibly be the same man he was before, but how exactly might this trip have influenced him as well as changed him?
Odysseus displays the mental and physical strength that far surpasses that of his fellow comrades on his journey. It is true that Odysseus has faced many challenges, some of which have no doubt altered his mental state, however I believe our hero is as strong and willed as ever. He possess a certain charisma and mental fortitude that has even the mighty Greek Gods falling in love with him and helping him throughout his voyage back home. Odysseus maintains all the characteristics that storied heroes in Greek mythology hold, and therefor cannot be compared to any mortal. Although not considered God nor demigod (Odysseus is actually the grandson of Zeus himself; technically not enough to be labeled a demigod), Odysseus posses God-like command over his men as well as demanding respect among his fellow peers.
Hey, Keisi! I was interested reading your blog!
Emotionally- Odysseus struggles pain. The purpose of the Odysseus journey was to get home, but in order to get there Zeus and other gods and goddesses gave him lessons, where he struggled through different obstacles.
Psychologically it is hard to face any hardship that we face on daily basis. But we should except facts, be in grief a little. Life goes on!
The specific lines to point his emotional and psychological pain is in Book 5, 295-314 “Odysseus felt his knees and heart weaken.
Hunched over, he spoke to his own great soul:
“Now I’m in for it.
I’m afraid that Calypso was right on target
When she said I would have my fill of sorrow
On the open sea before I ever got home.
It’s all coming true. Look at these clouds
Zeus is piling like flowers around the sky’s rim,
And he’s roughened the sea, and every wind
In the world is howling around me.
Three times, four times luckier than I
Were the Greeks who died on Troy’s wide plain!
If only I had gone down on that day
When the air was whistling with Trojan spears
In the desperate fight for Achilles’ dead body.
I would have had burial then, honored by the army.
As it is I am doomed to a wretched death at sea.”
In Book 4 lines 493-498 “A solitary man
Who lives at the edge of the wilderness
And has no neighbors will hide a charred log
Deep in the black embers so keep alive
The fires seed and not have to rekindle it
From who knows where”.
It is interesting that Odysseus is compared to log where it shores by the coast , where Odysseus faces the struggle of unknown.