Week 3: Zahra Peterson

After reading the epic poem of The Odyssey, I have found that the story identifies the main character of Odysseus as Greece. Most of the story contains mistakes and lessons that have to be learned, difficult and what seem like impossible situations, and finally the power Odysseus [or the people of Greece] are capable of overcoming their struggles no matter where they are or what they do to fight back.

Throughout many Greek stories, the character of Odysseus gets out of unruly situations not only with his Greek army, but also with his uncanny ideas and his never give up approach. In the epic poem of The Odyssey, Odysseus finds himself in a dangerous situation when he and his crew get stuck in the Cyclops’s cave, and have no way to get out. After they realize that the Cyclops is not the kind hospitable monster that Odysseus assumed he would be, they tried to plan a way of escaping their death. As the crew was being eaten one by one, Odysseus tried to formulate a plan. When the Cyclops asked him what his name was he told him: “Nobody”. Later on Odysseus puts his plan into action and stabs the Cyclops in the eye when graced with the opportunity.

When the Cyclops cried out for his neighbors and they asked who was harming him he yelled, “Nobody, friends! Nobody is killing me now by fraud not by force!” (Homer 224).

Thinking that he meant no one was there, the neighbors left the Cyclops to suffer and Odysseus got the chance to escape with the few crewmen he had left. Just like the Trojan War, Odysseus knew that he could not out power the enemy by force, but that he would definitely be able to out smart the enemy to obtain the victory.

By placing this factor within the well known story of The Odyssey, Homer is symbolizing that Greece can over come their battles without having to overpower the enemy or situation with weapons and a glorified army, but instead with intelligence and by sticking together in the time of great circumstances. Not only does this story exemplify that one can win the battle, but also that no matter where the Greek people may have to be living, they are still Greek and nothing can take that away from them. Both symbols play an extremely important roll in the story. Since Greek culture was so strongly woven together, Homer magnifies that bond by giving them a story containing the strength to see how getting through obstacles may take a lot of sacrifice, but in the end it will remind them what they are really fighting for; Greece and it’s people.

When Odysseus finally gets to go back to Ithaca he does so with heartache and a grateful spirit for what he has lost and what he has left. Ending the story with a simplified phrase “be grateful for what you have, and not weakened by what you don’t.”