The Odyssey
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Book 11
In this section of The Odyssey, Odysseus tells us about his visit to the underworld and of the many people he met while he was there. He receives advice and predictions about his future from multiple people in this section. What is some of the advice/predictions he receives and from who? How do you think that this affects his decisions later in the story and presently as he continues his journey? Do you think that hearing about his future from Tiresias affected the way he made decisions later in the story?
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I think that the most important words of wisdom that were given to Odysseus were from his mother. She reminded him that there were many suitors plaguing his palace and that he should know Penelope has no interest in them. She instead has remained faithful to Odysseus. I think this knowledge will be an incentive for him to return to Ithaca quickly. She also told him that Telemachus was ruling the kingdom and keeping it in order, which will also motivate Odysseus because he wants to see his son. Hearing about his future from Tiresias was very informative because he knows what will anger and please the gods in order for him to get home safely. He is trying his best to return home while keeping everyone alive on the journey back to Ithaca.
ReplyDeleteTiresias the profit, made predictions for Odysseus' journey home. He also told him that Polyphemus was Poseidon's son. This knowledge will effect Odysseus' actions. He now knows that there are not only gods helping him, but there is a very angry god trying to kill him. This will make him make more wise and thought out discussions, and try to avoid bad ones, like telling Polyphemus his name. Also, Odysseus' mother told him about the suitors. This will be another motivation for him not to quit, he will want to get home as soon as possible to save Penelope and Telemachus.
ReplyDeleteWhen Odysseus visits the underworld, he meets a man/ghost named Tiresias. Tiresias tells Odysseus that he will face several hardships on the way home to Ithaca. One positive statement that Tiresias told Odysseus was the he would, "die a gentle and painless death, far from the sea it comes to take you down, bron down with the years in ripe old age." This shows that Odysseus wil eventually make it home, and he will die a peaceful death. I am not sure what Odysseus will do after hearing these events planned out for him. I think that he will make wiser decisions and be able to plan out what to do. Odysseus is "The man of twists and turns" and he is very unpredictable. He could possibly pay no attention to this prophesy and try to make his own way.
ReplyDeleteTiresias tells Odysseus that he knows he wants a smooth easy journey home, but that is not what the gods will give him. He tells him he will never escape Posiedion because he still furious that Odysseus blinded his son, Polyphemus. He tells him that he will still most likely reach home, but will continue to suffer on the way. He tells him to go to the Thrinacia Island avoiding the "cruel sea" and to leave the beasts unharmed, and set is mind only on returning to Ithaca. No matter what he will come home late. He tells him that he will find a world of pain back home. And that when he dies he will die a peaceful death, from old age.Odysseus says that he thinks the Gods seemed to have planned all of this out of fate, but I dont think it has affected the story and his decisions later on. Odysseus has his mind set of reaching home, and he isn't just going to change that, when he is already so close and he has already suffered so much.
ReplyDeleteWhen Odysseus visits the underworld many different things happen to him. One thing that struck me as compelling is Tiresias, a ghost prophet told him of an angry god who will plague his journey home, Odysseus seemed upset and devastated. But he sees his mother and his mother tells him of his wife and the suitors and Telemachus, after that it's almost like he is reenergized to get the pain and suffering over with and get home as soon as he can. Almost like a divine pump up speech, if you will
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