Immortality In The Odyssey

Words: 393
Pages: 2
Open Document
Immortality is the ability to live forever, and only the gods and goddesses are immortals. They are also ageless. Reading the story of great warriors from Iliad, immortality seems to be crucial in ancient Greek society as all mortals in the hope of becoming immortals, would involve in courageous work like war. For example, Hector felt he would be immortals if he participates to save his father’s land Troy. In Odyssey, Calypso, a daughter of Atlas, is a powerful and immortal goddess, and she lives in a dark wooded island. When Odysseus reaches that island, she saves him and keeps him in her island by proving everything he needs like ruddy wine, food and cloak. Calypso, a beautiful goddess, falls in love with him and wants to marry him. Enthusiastically, she wants to provide him immortality and painless life. Odysseus would have a beautiful wife like …show more content…
When Calypso made him free of her island, Odysseus was excited to return his homeland. She alerts Odysseus about the upcoming painful journey, “But if you knew, down deep, what pains are fated to fill your cup before you reach that shore, you’d say right here, preside in our house wife me and be immortal.”, even by prophesying that, she could not stop him. Instead, Odysseus replied her, “Nevertheless I long—I pine, all my days—to travel home and see the dawn of my return. And if a god will wreck me yet again on the wine-dark sea, I can bear that too, with a spirit tempered to endure. Much have I suffered, labored long and hard by now in the waves and wars. Add this to the total—bring the trial on!” He is prepared to endure any pains in his journey, if he can return his island. Not only Calypso, he also refuses goddess Circe and princess Nausicaa on the way to his home. What does Odysseus want in his life and why did he abandon Calypso, a beautiful goddess, and her offerings like immortality and power, and choose to return home even enduring enormous
Show More

Related Documents: Immortality In The Odyssey

The Dangers Of Immortality In Homer's Odyssey

In the epic, The Odyssey, Homer warns of the dangers of immortality. When Calypso offers Odysseus eternal life, he rejects her offer, saying, ”what use is courage than” (Evslin 113). In society today, immortality is exploring the possibility of a greatly expanded, healthy lifespan. Scientists have not found a way to make immortality possible yet, however, research is happening. Furthermore, humans should not pursue being immortal due to the abundance of problems, but extending human life would…

Words 347 - Pages 2

Comparing Immortality In The Odyssey And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

dying. Others might greatly fear death and dying or not understand the reason for it. In some ancient literature works including the bible there are beliefs of immortality or eternal life. The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh are two great examples of ancient epic literature that both dealt with the concept of man’s mortality and immortality and their distinction from the gods. These epics share many similarities between the ways that the main characters think about mortality and how their views…

Words 1877 - Pages 8

Achilles In The Odyssey

legendary hero, is exploited in Homer’s epic, The Odyssey. The Green Knight, a fierce and complex character explained in the poem Sir Gawain, by Pearl Poet. These three men, along with many others, our parts of literature and history, solely for their emphasis on morality and freedom. After nine years at war, Achilles encounters a new kind of conflict. As a war hero, Achilles is not one to give up easily, but when Agamemnon, leader of…

Words 770 - Pages 4

The Role Of Calypso In The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer shows a vast variation of how women are depicted to all males. From the tempting monsters to the pitiful wives, women are of less value to men than any other commodity. Women are nonetheless invisible, walked upon, and avoided beyond angst for weakness. One of the known characters, Calypso, is portrayed as a beautiful nymph whose offers are very appetizing and difficult to refuse. In the book, Calypso is just seen as an obstruction that needs to be avoided. No man can see the…

Words 465 - Pages 2

The Pivotal Role Of Women In Homer's Odyssey

Women play a pivotal role in the Odyssey. Whether they are mortal women or goddesses their actions have heavy consequences in the turn of events throughout plot of the Odyssey. This is apparent from the beginning with the rape of king Priam’s daughter, Cassandra. This incident enrages the goddess Athena against the Greeks consequently delaying Odysseus's return to Ithaca. Athena‘s soft spot for Odysseus persuades her to encourage Telemachus to venture out to find his father, who she knows is on his…

Words 582 - Pages 3

Odysseus Decisions In Homer's The Odyssey

everyone is the story, The Odyssey, did. However, I thought his decisions stayed mostly on the good side. All of crewmen may have died various deaths, and he did offend several beings, but he that does not mean he made bad decisions. The Odyssey is really about the main character, Odysseus, returning to his wife, son, and kingdom after the Trojan War. During the story, Odysseus is met by many women. One of the women he meets is Calypso, a goddess who offers him immortality if he stays on her island…

Words 327 - Pages 2

The Inevitability Of Death In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

A universal truth exhibited in “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is the inevitability of death. It’s almost like a rite of passage in life, and it is one that we all fear. Death is kind of an unfamiliar concept. When one ‘experiences’ death it’s not like they can come back to life and tell others how it was. People live their lives trying to escape death almost. They won’t smoke in hopes of avoiding cancer or wear condoms during sex in the likelihood of not contracting an immune deficiency disease. In terms…

Words 438 - Pages 2

The Journeys Of Odysseus In The Odyssey And Gilgamesh

The journeys of Odysseus in The Odyssey and Gilgamesh in The Epic of Gilgamesh have many similarities and differences. Both characters embark on a journey to search for the meaning of life. Both stories show friendship, relationships with the Gods, and death. But each characters journey in the stories is unique and shows different lessons and outcomes. In the cultures that both of these stories take place in, the God’s have a big impact on the people’s destinies and doom. Throughout the stories…

Words 644 - Pages 3

Roles Of Women In Homer's Odyssey

In the Odyssey women have played a big role when Odysseus was on his journey home. When Odysseus first landed on Calypso’s island he did not trust her in what she was offering him. She offered him immortality if he slept with her, but he refused the offer because he adored his mortal wife, Penelope. When Odysseus returned to Aeaea to bury Elpenor, Circe describes one last obstacle he will face before returning home. She tells him that he will encounter the lovely Sirens, and another woman monster…

Words 243 - Pages 1

Lotus Eaters In The Odyssey

In Homer’s epic poem called the Odyssey, there is a man named Odysseus who faces many trials to return home to Ithaca. This is somewhat of allegory at work with my life and probably some others as well. Also this a story about life’s many hardships and lessons that are learned. Likewise to the life of Odysseus, I will go through my life making and learning from my mistakes, and enduring hardship while i'm on my way to becoming a national champion as a college basketball player. So what are some…

Words 698 - Pages 3