Odyssey essay

The Odyssey
By: Homer
Even strong minded men surcome to temptation, but it is the men that break free from that temptation that impress the god’s. The Odyssey written by Homer in the late 8th century B.C is an epic tale of a mans god cursed journey home to Ithica. After the 10 year clash between the Trojans and the Greeks Odysseus travels home after having fought for the Greeks in the Trojan war.
After the war Odysseus upsets Poseidon, god of the ocean’s by coming up with the clever plan to sneak into the Trojans castle by hiding in a giant wooden horse. Poseidon was on the Trojans side and because Odysseus made the plans that overthrew the Trojans Poseidon grew angry at him. Thus, Odysseus was cursed by him to never rejoin his wife and to never make it home. Odysseus’s strong love for Penelope was what made his will to return home so much more desirable. Odysseus was able to use his cleverness rather than his strength to fight off temptation.Odysseus’s journey home was filled with many rigorous obstacles such as escaping the cave of a man eating Cyclopes by stabbing him in the eye and blinding him, this cyclopes happens to be Poseidon's son, this act only infuriates Poseidon even more. His love is so strong that he is willing to go to the depth’s of hell literally to find a solution that will get him ever closer to his wife. He even fights off the irresistible Calypso's to return to his quarters and his wife and son. Telemachus his son was born the day before Odysseus ventured to the war and is a young man at this point in the story. During the time Odysseus is gone Penelope falls victim to several suitors that want to seize his kingdom for themselves.Finally Odysseus returns home and with the help of his son he kills the men that were trying to overthrow his wife and kingdom. Odysseus wasn't a strong man but rather a smart man, he used his smarts and advice given to him by Athena to help guide him through out his journey home. With the strength of his mind and not his body Odysseus defied Poseidon and returned home. Through out the story Odysseus falls victim to temptation which prolongs his journey home, but Odysseus manages to overcome and make it home.