Due to its enduring popularity, generations of ancient Greeks listened to parts of The Odyssey many times over the course of their lives. One common reason to retell stories cross-generationally is didactic (teaching or providing moral instruction). Now that you have finished reading the entire work, to what extent do you think The Odyssey is didactic? What practical lessons or insights does The Odyssey provide into how to lead, follow, build, sail, cook, farm, raise livestock, worship, hunt, etc.? Alternately, what can one learn about cultural expectations and ideals regarding gender, leader/follower relationships, parent/child or wife/husband relationships, religion, sailing, hosting, being a guest, courting a spouse, or any other interpersonal relationship?
Choose one small textual moment that you think may serve a didactic purpose. What do you think it is teaching ancient and contemporary audiences?
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One such part I believe that is very didactic is towards the end when Odysseus is wandering around his own city dressed as the old man. As he is dressed as the old man he tests many people ranging from the suitors to even his wife and son. From testing his family he learns that they will stay loyal to him and love him and hope that he is still alive. But as for the suitors he learns that they are all wicked and cruel men. But the point I am trying to make comes when Odysseus's wife tells all the suitors that she will marry the man who strings Odysseus's bow and no one can do it but the old begger (Odysseus). This shows not to judge a book by its cover and to be nice to all people.
ReplyDeleteBoth the part where Odysseus is held captive by Calypso and the entire subplot of Penelope waiting for Odysseus to return teach about martial loyalty. In fact, loyalty to one's spouse seems to be a theme throughout the story. When Aphrodite cheats on her husband with Ares, they are humiliated. The wife of Atrides murders her husband and it is made clear many times over that this is unacceptable. Arete is highly praised for performing the duties of a good wife and mother. In each case the husbands stand, or at least try to, with their wives and are not easily seduced.
ReplyDeleteOne section of the book that I think has didactic qualities is when Eurylochus returns to tell the crew about how all the men have been turned into pigs by Circe. Odysseus immediately says they must go and save them and says, "Lead me back by the same way you came." Eurylochus, however, doesn't want to go back at all and is weeping and very scared. Odysseus isn't swayed by Eurylochus' emotions though, and shows that as a leader he must do what is right for his crew and look out for them. I think that this would have the same meaning in ancient and current times, to be a leader and look out for the people around you. This book also shows a lot about being a guest to a host relationship. Everytime somebody lands at a new place the host does many extravegant things like provide feasts, shelter, gifts, and sometimes even transporation. Everywhere that Odysseus goes he leaves with tons of gold and fine things. In fact one quote pretty much defines the guest/host relationship entirely by saying, "But since we've chanced on you, we're at your knees in hopes of a warm welcome, even a guest-gift, the sort that hosts give strangers. That's the custom." When Odysseus meets the Cyclops he just assumes that he will get a guest-gift because he has wandered upon him and that's the custom. In the end though Cyclops just eats his men instead, so clearly not everybody follows the xenia law.
ReplyDeleteOne part of the Odyssey that I believe is didactic is in book four when Telemachus visits Nestor. Nester is very upset when Eteoneus questions how to treat the traveler. He says, "Now i see you're babbling like a child? Just think of the hospitality we enjoyed at the hands of other men before we made it home" (page 125 lines 37-39). This passage can be interpereted by anciet and contemporary audience as useful. It teaches about how to treat strangers. In anciet times, this taught everyone to be hospitable to strangers, welcoming them into your home. In contemporary times, it is not likely for someone to invite a stranger into their home, however this passage can still teacher them to be hospitable and kind to strangers they meet. In my opinion, the lesson behind this passage is very similar to that of the Golden Rule. You are to treat others just as you would want to be treated. There are many didactic parts in The Odyssey, however I believe this is one of the most important ones.
ReplyDeleteA part I believe that serves a didatic purpose is the relationship of Penelope and her son, Telemachus. Specifcally when in book 21, lines 382 to 394 when it is Telemachus who has to be the stronger person and inform his mother of what must be done . This shows how a relationship between mother and son is not always as it should be; meaning that it is not always a relationship where the mother tutors the son. In their relationship we see a role reversal where it seems that the son is wiser than the mother, caring for and instructing her.
ReplyDeleteThere are numerous different parts of The Odyssey which are didactic, but a recurring theme I noticed was the idea of hubris. In ancient Greece, hubris was associated with becoming too prideful or self important and in Greek works of literature, it very often led to the downfall of a character because they valued themselves too greatly. This definitely happens in The Odyssey. One such example is at the end book nine after Odysseus escapes from the cyclops. At first, when Odysseus told Polyphemus that his name was nobody, he had the opportunity to escape with impunity. However, as the ship is sailing away, Odysseus tells Polyphemus his real name which results in Poseidon punishing the Achaeans.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of hubris stems from Penelope's suitors throughout the book. They believe that Odysseus is dead so no one remains to punish them for their gluttony in Odysseus' hall while they're waiting on Penelope to decide a new husband. In the end, believing that, as princes, they are all that is important to Penelope now is their downfall. Odysseus returns and dispatches of them with an end fitting the Greek tradition of hubris causing characters' downfalls.
One final example of hubris is the original cause of the entire story. After the fall of Troy, the Greek warriors did not perform sacrifices to thank Poseidon for his help. Failing to perform the sacrifices made Poseidon believe that the Greek warriors were too proud for what had happened and did not truly appreciate what he did for them, resulting in his fury and keeping them from getting home as soon as they otherwise would have.
Although Penelope has proven loyal to Odysseus in the end, fidelity or faithfulness are far from being morals in The Odyssey.
ReplyDeleteIf there is one message I got from The Odyssey, it's that being faithful to your spouse was unimportant in Greek culture,especially among the Gods. This is kind of ironic in a way because they represent religion and "higher beings," when they are the worst of them all. Throughout the entire book we hear about the Gods and Goddesses hooking up with eachother and stirring trouble by hooking up with mortals. Zeus had so many lovers, I couldn't even keep track of them or his thousands of children.
Calypso knew King Odysseus was married, yet she still wanted him for her husband and forced him to sleep with her.
We learned about another famous Greek tale of infidelity when the lovely bard sings the story of Ares and Aphrodite. Aphrodite was already married to Hephaestus, yet didn't think twice about hooking up with Ares. And yet, the most famous example could be Helen of Troy, whom caused an entire war because of her unfaithfulness. So, it's the least to say monogomy was not the trend during these times.
I think being able to exert one's independence while still giving proper praise where it's due is important in this story. Odysseus gets himself into trouble by constantly asking the gods for help in his times of trouble and then he turns around and insults the gods in some way shape or form. This is especially important because there are many gods and each is very fickle in who they love from one moment to the next. This all starts out because Odysseus insults Poseidon by failing to give a sacrifice to him before heading home. He thinks he is invincible, above the gods. They quickly show him how wrong he is. The whole story continues from one failure to another from killing Poseidon's son to failing to listen to proper directions from the gods. Odysseus may be able to control some things but he is playing a game which the gods control. Although he is very favored with the gods, especially Athena, it is still important to not bite the hand that feeds.
ReplyDeleteI think that one lesson a person could learn from reading the Odyssey is to obey those who are in higher rank or power than you are. I was having trouble coming up with exactly what lesson to take from the book, so I decided to just open it and see where the book fell. Two attempts brought be nothing, but on the third I opened to Chapter 12 The Cattle of the Sun. I see this as being a good chapter to prove that you should obey those in command. When Odysseus says not to kill the cattle, the crew obeys at first. However, the minute Odysseus leaves them alone, Eurylochus urges everyone to disobey Odysseus and kill the cattle for food. As soon as he does this, the gods hear that they had killed the herds and Zeus says, " As for the guilty ones, why, soon enough on the wine-dark sea I'll hit their racing ship with a white-hot bolt, I'll tear it into splinters" (pg 283 ln 415). This of course is bad news for the crew. They all die as soon as the gods settle the sea long enough for them to set sail. At the same time that the crew is killed, it shows that if you obey, you will be okay. Odysseus obeyed what he was told about not slaughtering the cattle, he didn't eat any, and he was spared his life during the awful storm that took his crew.
ReplyDeleteThis is only one of many examples of where obedience is the key to survival and getting where you want safe and happy. Every time Odysseus doesn't follow orders, he ends up further from home, but when he follows orders, like with the cattle or not showing himself for who he is right away when he lands on Ithaca, things go the way he wants them to.
When thinking of a didatic purpose in the Odyssey, the first thing that came to my mind were a few of Telemachus' experiences throughout the story. One of them was in the beginning when Athena is talking to Telemachus starting at pg.86 of Book 1. She is telling him how to deal with the suitors in his house while Odysseus is gone. She gives him specific things to do in order to return his house back to normal. "But you, I urge you, think how to drive these suitors from your halls. Come now, listen closely." She goes on to tell him how to start his journey to find Odysseus, first by finding a ship and twenty oars. While this may seem like a not so important lesson, once things build off of this, it ends up being the journey of his life. Athena is vital to Telemachus in the Odyssey because she is the first one to point him in the right direction. Before Athena comes, Telemachus is basically just going through the motions, living everyday just to get to the next. After all, the son of Odysseus deserves to live a much more fulfilling life than that.
ReplyDeleteOdyssey has a lot to teach its readers, be it in the ancient times or in the contemporary world. One lesson that is very evident from the text is the Father-Son relationship between Odysseus and Telemachus. Telemachus sets out on a journey to find any information about his lost father. His love and care for his father encouraged him to undertake his journey. He also wanted to find out about his father so that he could protect his mother and his palace from the suitors.
ReplyDeleteWe also see that the kings treated their guests very well. They would first serve their guests with lots of food and wine and then they would inquire about their purpose of visit. This shows that in the olden times guests were treated with a lot of respect and were given the status of Gods.
Above are just two lessons from odyssey, there are many more lessons to be learnt from this epic book.
A didatic purpose that came to my mind was the relationship between Penelope and Odysseus. It proved a lesson about a relationship between a man and a wife. Even though Odysseus was away for such a long time he proved that he loved his wife by returning to her. He didn't have to come home, but he did because of how much he loves her. Penelope never gave up on her husband, she waited for him. She never went and got a new husband, because she knew in her heart he would come back to her. Which in the end he did, the love they have for eachother got them through the rough patch they had to endure when Odysseus was away. This can teach anyone that true love will stand the test of time, and if you really do love someone never let them go.
ReplyDeleteOne aspect of the story that I felt served a didactic purpose is the relationship between the gods and the mortals. Every time a character disobeyed the gods’ wishes or dishonored or pissed them off, there was some kind of repercussion. The whole reason Odysseus was in his particular situation is because he angered Poseidon when he blinded his son the Cyclops. I think the didactic purpose of showing this relationship is to show the audience what happens when they disobey (or do things to anger) the gods. This can apply to ancient and contemporary cultures in about the same way. In ancient culture, mortals did everything they could to please the gods and this story showed what the consequences could be. Today’s audience could see this as a lesson to live your life to please God and try to be the best person you can be.
ReplyDeleteA good example of this lesson is in Book 12 when Odysseus is telling the Phaeacians about his journey. Odysseus explains that he was warned by both Tiresias and Circe to make sure none of Helios’s cattle are harmed and he warned his crew of this. However, Eurylochus, being the troublemaker he was, plotted with the crew to pick off some of the herd. After Helios goes to Zeus asking to avenge them, Zeus himself punishes the crew by wrecking their ship. Odysseus was spared by the gods because he did not participate in the harming of the cattle, but he still spent all those years on Ogygia under Calypso’s control.
Although there are many lessons to be learned from reading the Odyssey, the importance of hospitality is a prominent theme in the book, and the book teaches the reader about being a good host and about being a good guest. Christie gives a good example with the Cyclopes. Even though he is described as a monster, Odysseus still expected him to lavish him with gifts and be treated well. Another example of hospitality is when Telemachus reaches the palace of Menelaus. Menelaus tells two of his men, “Just think of all the hospitality we enjoyed at the hands of other men before we made it home, and god save us from such hard treks in years to come. Quick, unhitch their team. Bring them in, strangers, guests, to share our flowing feast” (page 125, line38). Hospitality was really important in Homer’s era. There were not any hotels, so travelers depended on others for a place to stay and a place to eat. People allowed strangers into their homes because they expected to be welcomed in the homes of others.
ReplyDeleteThe book also teachers the readers of how to be a good guest. The suitors are an example of what not to do. A guest should not overstay their welcome, and being a bad guests seems almost as bad as being a bad host. Telemachus tells the suitors, “You should be ashamed of yourselves, mortified in the face of neighbors living round about! Fear the god’s wrath—before they wheel in outrage and make these crimes recoil on your heads” (page 95, line69).
Although the importance of hospitality is not as important today as it was in Homer’s time, people today can still learn a lesson from the story. Today, it is not really believed that you should be a good host or guest because it is important to the gods, but rather you should have good hospitality because it reflects good etiquette. Although we do not welcome strangers into our homes, we do welcome guests. As a host, we are expected to provide needs to our guests such as food and drink. As a guest, we are expected to respect our host as well as their home and property.
I think that a didactic part of the book would be the ability to have an ego like Odysseus and show the gods the respect that they demanded. Odysseus was shown early on how being disrespectful to gods lands you in big trouble. The whole reason he was unable to get home was because of his ego. If he would have just left the Cyclops alone then he could have been home years earlier. I think the idea of keeping your ego in check is a major theme for this work. Homer shows how having a big ego can hurt one and their future
ReplyDeleteThere are several didactic moments in this text. One part that I think has a didactic is in part two. This is when Telemachus sets sail. It shows us that if you believe in yourself, you can do anything. This part tells the reader to not be a coward and stand your ground. I know it is corny but this part illustrates it well. He attacks the sea at a very early age to find his father, very scary. That took true bravery on his behalf knowing that his father probably had many enemies overseas. Telemachus just needed some guidance from Athena to actually make a stand. The next part that shows bravery is when Telemachus confronted the suitors. You have grown men all about you trying to pick up your mom and you have the gulls to stand up to all of them. I love his speech he give on page 95 telling them all too basically go to you know where. Then the one suitor tells Telemachus that he must make his mother choose a suitor. Telemachus asks the suitor how he could make his mother do something against her will. I think this moment is one of the very few that actually puts women on an equal scale with men. This part demonstrates that women should have free will over their lives. We see through the novel an unfair double standard in terms of gender. Odysseus is allowed to sleep with the Goddesses he encounters because he cannot control himself. Their sexuality is too great for a man to resist. At the same time Penelope is being faithful to Odysseus. It is totally acceptable for Odysseus to act out in this way, but on page 287 he hopes that he will come home to an “unswerving” Another example to note is how the Goddesses are described. They are “lustrous”, “willing”, and exhibit nymphomaniac behavior. This is why they are mystical in comparison to the “average” women of the text. There are many derogatory terms used toward women in the novel. Words such as “wench”, “whore”, “bitch”, etc. On page 303 the herdsman is telling Odysseus (as he is disguised) that his king would have “given” him a wife. Like the woman is an object. We do not see any such language directed toward men. On page 189 of the text Alcinious tells Odysseus that he could wed his daughter and become his son-in-law. I do not remember seeing a passage that showed the daughter agreeing to this. The part where Calypso argues with Zeus about keeping Odysseus is an obvious didactic moment to a reader. It points out to women the injustices that they go through in society. It would make women aware to the idea that it is not fair to be treated differently based on your gender. Anyway the point I am trying to make is that it shows us to exhibit bravery to stand our ground and to become aware of the injustices that surround us every day.
ReplyDeleteOne of the main ideas I feel this book teaches is the idea of respect for everyone and treating people with kindness. Zeus' rule of Xenia requires the people to take anyone who appears on their doorstep and to treat them right, including feeding and providing a place to sleep. Without this rule it may have taken Odysseus even longer to make it home because many times people took him in, albeit sometimes for too long (Calypso). In those days xenia was a rule to live by, not only because it was the right thing to do, but also because traveling took much longer and was hard to survive without it. However, in today's society this rule is never followed because we view it as too much of a risk to take in strangers to our home. I still feel though that it teaches us to be kind to strangers and try to help them because you never know what they have been through. Now instead of offering them a place in our home we can do other things such as helping them find a place to stay or giving them money for food. While The Odyssey teaches many lessons I think the rule of xenia is very important.
ReplyDeleteIf we were looking at the overall didactic purpose of "The Odyssey", I think Homer wanted people to learn to not be so whiny all the time. What a bunch of drama queens...
ReplyDeleteBut more seriously, there are many obvious examples in which the Homer probably intended for people to pick up on and learn on, which leads to "The Odyssey" still being taught today.
One repeating theme throughout "The Odyssey" is the importance of hospitality. The Greeks obviously think being hospitable should be standard among all people, not only to friends and family, but to complete strangers as well. It was overly apparent that when it comes to manners toward your guests, it's "Treat others as you wish to be treated."
We see this idea of hospitality illustrated in Book 4, "The king and Queen of Sparta." On page 125, travelers, who are referred to as "strangers" make their way to the home of Menelaus. Menelaus' servant asks if he should help the strangers or turn them away.
Menelaus takes great offense to his servant’s question, and mocks him, reminding him how other's have treated them in times of need, and hoping that they will be treated with the same kindness in years to come.
We see this theme repeated on page 176 in the line, "Give the stranger food and drink, my girls."
Through these examples, it is easy to see how "The Odyssey" could have been used to teach the importance of hospitality.
I personally feel that The Odyssey was not didactic, I would never refer back to it as any sort of reference for advice or for life lesson. I think it is a great story but did not provide me with a lot of life lessons per say. I want to focus on the relationships in the story, I know that people did not have the technology that we do but that is still no reason to not have contact with your wife and family. Or have feel it is okay to flirt with other women as he did in book. However I do think that Odysseus had some leadership qualities, on page 276 he is looking out for his crew when they pass by Circe he puts wax in their ears to protect them. Throughout the book, he is always quick to think of a plan.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the novel, Telemachus states that he isn't sure if Odysseus is even his father. Odysseus left when Telemachus was young, so Telemachus really had never met his father. In book two, Telemachus decides he is going to set sail to find out if his father is alive or not. He is risking his life and the lives of the men he is sailing with to find out if the king, who may or may not be his father, is alive.
ReplyDeleteIn book twenty three, Odysseus finally returns home to Ithaca. Telemachus states in lines 139-145, "Look to it yourself now, father...But we are behind you, hearts intent on battle, nor do I think you'll find us short on courage, long as our strength will last." Even though Telemachus had never met his father and wasn't sure if Odysseus was his father, he was willing to risk his life in battle with him and for him. Telemachus puts his trust in Odysseus because he believes in both his mother and father and what they have told him about their relationship. Telemacus could be the product of an affair with a suitor, but he chooses to believe and support Odysseus.
The Odyssey is a story based on trust. Telemacus must trust a man he has never met to be his father and follow him into battle. The men must trust that whoever they meet along their journies will house them and feed them. If they did not take care of each other, no one would ever survive.
I think the most prominent didactic meaning to me throughout the story has to be based upon the hope we have for loved ones. Even though this story in some sense seems as though it's a quick journey, it's actually over a long amount of time. Therefore, these feelings and emotions each character has for one another is quite moving, and can show people nowadays how hope isn't a lost cause. For example, Penelope never looses faith in her husbands return. Also, Telemachus never flutters in his hope to find his father alive. With this sense of hope, we can see that through important relationships, one hopes to endure the love and wonderful memories shared.
ReplyDeleteThe Odyssey teaches us a lot on many different levels. There is much to be learned about the period of time that it was said to have taken place. How the Gods play such a big role in humans' lives. In many different parts they stop to worship a particular God as a thanks for things that have happened. They show how men are the dominant roles compared to women. For instance Telemachus is Penelope's son (and the prince), even though Penelope is the Queen Telemachus assumes more power and doesn't take his mom seriously because she is a woman. page 435 Telemachus tells his mother "So, mother, go back to your quarters. Tend to your own tasks". This shows how men back then were the dominant gender during these times and lived much more conventional ways. This book is a great indicator of older times and ways of worship.
ReplyDeleteWhat The Odyssey teaches is mostly loyalty and endurance. Penelope stayed loyal to Odysseus by not choosing a suitor, while Odysseus stayed loyal to Penelope by continuing his journey home and making it home. Odysseus’ continued his journey home shows his patience or endurance. Loyalty can also be seen in loyalty to Ithaca, as King, Queen, and even Prince Telemachus. The royal family does what they can for Ithaca, even though they kill all the suitors who were the wealthy men’s sons they got rid of the bad apples on their little island. Another way the lesson of loyalty is seen is through Odysseus’ crew. They don’t obey him multiple times and in the end they screw themselves over. Examples of the disloyalty are when the crew opens the bag of wind, while another is when they kill the sheep while Odysseus is sleeping. These show disloyalty because obeying the captain and king is being loyal and disobeying the captain and king is being disloyal. The lesson of loyalty shows that the Greek culture was full of proud Greeks who were loyal to Achaea. This lesson of loyalty is still transcends time.
ReplyDeleteHow can we be sure that our version of The Odyssey isn't somewhat didactic or based off one of the many didactic versions? I remember when we were doing the group presentations and my group pointed out the fact that there was a discrepancy between Fagles and Fitzgerald on the issue of where Phorcys and Poseidon made love. Fagles' translation says that it took place in Poseidon's cave while Fitzgerald's version says that it took place in Phorcy's. So to be honest with you, I cannot clearly point out one specific instance in the Fagles translation that I think is didactic because there is a possibility that the entire thing is didactic. Between all the epithets and the way the gods perceived the immortals, it's all just one big puzzle unless you know the original.
ReplyDeleteI believe we can take a lot from Odysseus and the tale of his life. To be a great leader it's important to have the trust of your men and their respect and in turn you return the favor to them as well. Certain situations call for you to be completely honest while other times you just need to give out instruction and leave it at that.
I also want to point out that I think it's kind of crazy, in a shocked/amazed kind of way, at how people treated complete strangers. They welcomed them into their homes with open arms. They put clothes on their back, gave them food to eat, allowed them to stay in the house for weeks, months, and maybe years at a time; and when it was time for them to go on with their journey they actually gave them gifts to take with them. Today's society is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from that of the greeks. We would never let some strange person in our house straight off the streets. In all honesty, we would do our best to avoid this person and make sure that they did not see us so that they never get the chance to ask us for anything. For the most part, no matter what it is that they want, people are going to say no. You never know if these people are con artist, or kidnappers, murderers, etc. This is just the society that we live in today. The Greeks didn't believe in that. They didn't think of people robbing them if they invited them into their homes. I think it's kind of eye opening to see how far we have come as people on this earth.
Odyssey is not only a epic of great history, but also a book full of wisdom. About the ancient tradition, it's obvious that there was a double standard to women and men at that time. As we discussed in class, the moral standard for women is to be very faithful while men basically can do whatever they want. However, I found their loves are either for admiration or physical attraction. Seldom did they talk about personal affection towards each other. Throughout the book, Penelope talks about Odysseus by describing him as the greatest man, and all her love is towards his heroic figure. And back in the book 6, the princess fell in love with the stranger just because Athena made Odysseus extremely charming and good looking. It's probably the way they were at that time.
ReplyDeleteIt's mostly didactic about how to face difficulties and choices. When Odysseus was making the choice of testing people, when Penelope was choosing from suitors and Odysseus, all of their choices affected their life profoundly. Making wise choice does not mean to follow your free wills; sometimes people has to give up something in order to make a better life later. Moreover, the book taught us not to be aggressive and arrogant at our time. It's a peace world, and when people face difficulties, it's rational to stay humble and keep a low key in order to make rational choices and behave properly. Odysseus's arrogance had most hindered him on the way home, and there were times that he might not be able to go home if without any help from the Gods. And also his men, who died at Cyclops, opened the wind bag, were punished for being careless and arrogant. In book 19, Telemachus was too confident that if Odysseus didn't stop him and said "Quite," their plan would be likely ruined. Therefore, Arrogance is not the proper way to deal with things in live.
Additionally, in order to make a significant progress or succeed in something that seems very far from you, one has to endure or suffer all disgrace and insults in order to accomplish a task. This particularly applies to Odysseus, because he was an old guy, he was insulted by suitors, other kings that weren't with much hospitality. However, he went through all these disrespects and succeeded. Thus, one should bare all he or she could, so that one day their efforts will pay back.
After reading the Odyssey we find that there are lessons to be learned about relationships. Relationships between father and son, husband and wife, captain and crew, guest and host/hostess. One thing that I found in all of the relationships is strength.
ReplyDeleteTelemachus shows strength in his will to find his father. Odysseus shows strength in his staying alive and his faith that he will make it home. Penelope has strength to say no to other suitors while still believing that her husband will come back to her. The relationships between the guests and the hosts/hostesses shows strength and honesty. The welcoming host is strong-willed in helping the guest.
Strength is a common virtue and is well recognized within the Odyssey. Showing strength in the characters is an example that has influenced the audiences of modern and ancient worlds. I feel that it is an important message, and the readers will learn strength is an asset that will carry you through life.
Ok...to me personally, this story was not didactic. That certainly doesn't mean it wasn't for others now or back in that time when they were reading it over and over again. Although, if I was to choose a part in the book where it stood out to me the most, would be the relationship of Penelope and Telemachus. There are things that can be learned through the kind of strange relationship that they had. Their roles reversed every-so-often. Such as the time that he was "taking care" of her. He had to step up and be in charge and be the "leader" of the house. For someone who doesn't believe in something, this book could be beneficial to them. It mainly has a lot of life lessons hidden away behind all of the gods and myths.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the Odyssey was definitely didactic. There are many lessons to learn about loyalty leadership, conflict resolution, and parenthood. I feel any book, or story has the potential to be didactic. If the reader can relate to the situation it may help them within there own lives. I feel that when Odysseus gets home he is incredibly guarded and is very careful and who he realizes that he can and can't trust.
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