The Odyssey Summary (Arts One Post #2)

I'm going to be honest and say that I was terrified to hear that "The Odyssey" was the first book we had to tackle on our reading list. All of a sudden, I had these terrible flashbacks to my Freshman English Class where I failed the test we had at the end of reading this 'epic poem.' In all truth, I don't think my young mind was ready to interpret the wealth of Greek mythology and the multitude of characters it carried with it. Until I re-read the poem, I didn't think I was ready to handle it now! Thankfully, I was wrong and I actually enjoyed "The Odyssey" on my second go-around.

One reoccurring thought I had was just how much I needed to be hearing this poem instead of staring at it. I'm not one for Greek mythology by any means, but I know that listening to a lively story teller recall the adventures of Odysseus, Athena, Telemachus, and the other one thousand characters, would be very entertaining! As I went through the book, I highlighted the imagery like "the sun sank as they reached the hallowing grave" or the "hefty bronze blade of the silver studded sword." I feel like these lines are ones you can grasp by reading the material, but can only feel by hearing them from a storyteller.

It also dawned on me that a person's mood could greatly affect their reading of "The Odyssey". Of course, it is easy for rush through the poem and get the gist of the story, but is that the way Homer intended? Call me old-fashioned, but I feel like The Odyssey should have lived and died in it's initial oral origin. By not reading "The Odyssey" with a careful eye, someone could miss just how powerful Athena was in her ability to aid Odysseus, or how terrified the suitors truly were of Odysseus's arrival. Even the small detail's like the hunger Odysseus felt after his long journey to the King and Queen, or the true image of Dawn's rose red fingertips could have easily been bypassed. All in all, I think I would have gotten more out of the poem had it been told to me. But I understand the world we live in and the actual reality of that occurrence.

Lastly, I just wanted to touch on something that fellow classmates already have, which is the very anti-climatic ending. For me, the stunning point of it all was how Odysseus transitions from former hero to raging monster. While I understand his frustration with the suitors, his notable killing spree was a little much. To me it felt like he was killing something inside him that he felt the suitors represented. Maybe I'm going too far into the symbolism but I think there is a little more to the story when a middle-aged man takes off for twenty years without a goodbye and sets sail for the unpredictable sea. The ending could have very well been an answer to Odysseus's reasoning for leaving- he was angry. But yes, I do agree with everyone else, the ending does leave a little more to be desired. Although, Athena does save the day and that's a cause of celebration in it of itself. Women rule! End of story (literally).