The Two Olive Trees

Page 396: Book V, Lines 480 to 502

Homer uses diction to create imagery that casts a sense of serenity to the reader. This passage stands in contrast to the rest of the book in the sense that it depicts a space of comfort and safety. Thus far, the tale has been made up of predominantly suspenseful, stressful, and treacherous imagery; Penelope’s and Telemachus’ home situation, snippets of the Trojan war, and many of Odysseus’ dangerous and/or saddening encounters. Here, Homer creates a literary landscape of a dense cover in a vast woods, lush greenery, and comfort in the form of nature. Although the temporary refuge would seem less than ideal for a normal individual, this words used in the passage assign a feeling of thankfulness to Odysseus. “The sight of these leaves was a joy to Odysseus…” simply shows the role that the impromptu nest plays in his state of mind, well-being, and the excerpt’s identity – peaceful.

Throughout, Homer also conveys a sense of comfort, and reassurance of Odysseus’ safety, to the reader by describing the spot and the environment around it with powerful adjectives. The trees; “intertwined”, the wind; “wild, wet”, the cover itself; “Impervious.” When accompanying such a bold, picturesque setting, the word choice and mood-setting descriptions infuse the passage with feeling and intensity.

As far as the passage’s role in the story’s plot, symbolism allows the reader a glimpse into Odysseus and the circumstances surrounding him. The two olive trees that created a natural roof for the “godlike survivor” represent, on a simple level, the idea of ending conflict. Odysseus has finally been set free by Calypso, and will ideally go home to his loving wife and son, no longer having to fight, or cater to the nymph’s desires as he has done for almost a decade. He will finally be able to live on his land with his family, and also, hopefully, a clean slate with the gods. They’re a symbol of peace, also, which is very fitting considering their aid to Odysseus – “[He] lay down in their midst and covered himself up.”

On a deeper level, the two olive trees, “one wild, one planted,” could be referring to the dynamic between humans and gods – gods being “wild”, and humans being “planted.” Whereas the gods have capabilities beyond those of humans, and humans have capabilities of much lesser power than those of gods, they’re able to coexist, mesh, and overall have a symbiotic relationship. Without one or the other, such a world of magic and peace, much like Odysseus’ refuge, would not exist.