Stories throughout time implement features which help push the communication of a deeper purpose. In order to achieve these characteristics, authors and storytellers compose their stories with the use of language styles such as stylistic techniques, figurative language, syntax. The Odyssey is an epic poem that communicates the travels of Odysseus on his way back home from war. This epic poem is used to not just tell a story, but also explain and promote the ancient Greek concepts and morals, which are highlighted in Book 9. Over the course of Book 9, Homer utilizes several stylistic techniques such as juxtaposition and diction to communicate characterization. Throughout Book 9, Homer communicates characterization through the use of juxtaposition. …show more content…
When Odysseus and his men snuck into Polyphemus’ cave, they are questioned who they are by the giant. To describe their reaction to the cyclops, Homer writes, “The hearts inside us shook, terrified by his rumbling voice and monstrous hulk” (Homer 219). Homer develops diction through the use of specific words to describe Polyphemus, such as terrified, rumbling, monstrous, and hulk. By using these words, Homer develops a very great and intimidating impression of the cyclops. After driving an olive stake through Polyphemous’ eye, Odysseus describes the cyclops while he develops a plot to escape, saying, “The cyclops slept on-giant, lawless brute-” (Homer 225) In the quote Homer develops diction through the use of specific words such as giant, lawless, and brute. By using these descriptive words, Polyphemus is characterized as a mindless creature that doesn’t adhere to others. Throughout Book 9, Homer includes several instances of diction to help characterize the characters. These two quotes are examples of how Homer uses specific words to describe characters to develop a certain impression about them to the audience over the course Book
In the Epic, “The Odyssey,” written by Homer, is the story of a man named, Odysseus, and his experiences and his exploration told through many episodes within the story. Odysseus, as the leader of his men, he lacks qualities of humility, empathy, and focus, which overall prevents him from being qualified as a good leader. In not having humility, it causes Odysseus to often lose focus. During the episode, “The Cyclops,” Odysseus and his men escape the island in which Polyphemus, the cyclops, was keeping them held captive, rather than thinking of his men and immediately leaving, Odysseus takes the time to gloat and risks their safety. (Cyclops.
These pages from The Odyssey set an adventurous yet determined tone that is communicated by the antithetical; savagery versus purity. From the beginning, Homer starts off with a comparison by using metaphors and imagery. Lines 113-124 depict a land full of the immense and wild Cyclops. He describes how unkept and uncivilized they are by saying, “...without a law to bless them.”
1. Homer’s hearty descriptions fill the tale with so much beauty and imagination. His tale becomes real before your eyes, and grows with every place that is visited. Every land is a new adventure drawing the reader in. His words flow with glorious succession in detail that paints a picture in the imagination of the most uninventive minds.
When writing The Odyssey, Homer organizes the story in a unique yet confusing way. The reader follows Odysseus in his journey that is written out of order and confusing to follow for the reader. Odysseus journey also provides many different themes for the reader to follow leads to even more confusion for the reader. In The Odyssey, the structure Homer uses and his own arrogance leads to a confusing nameless main character for the start of the story, the many different themes, and non-chronological events only lead to confusion for the reader throughout the story. Homer's choosing to keep Odysseus nameless at the beginning of the story creates a confusing start for the reader.
Would you feast on my companions? Puny, am I, in a Caveman’s hands? How do you like the beasting that we gave you,” (The Cyclops. 476-478). In response to Odysseus’ boasting, Polyphemus hurls a hilltop at Odysseus’ ship.
In the section “In the One-Eyed Giant’s Cave” from Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is portrayed as a hero through his character traits and behaviors. When Odysseus and his men attack the city of Ismarus, the Cicones’ strong hold, Odysseus made sure to fairly distribute the spoils among his men. Odysseus’s behavior shows that he is a great leader, a characteristic of a hero. While Odysseus and his crew are in the Cyclops’ cave, Polyphemus, the cyclops, notices them. Polyphemus asks who they are with a monstrous tone, “‘Strangers!'
The Odyssey would be less memorable without Homer’s masterful use of figurative language. This poem can only stand the test of time when the figurative language is used to help readers relate to the text no matter what time period they come from. Figurative language in the text has made the story as a whole more interesting and has made countless readers engaged by this tale of, in Homer’s own words, “that man skilled in all ways of contending.” (p. 813,
Homer, by presenting multiple heroes in aristéia, demonstrates nature as both inferior and superior to culture, with the
Poetry for years has been renowned as a major form of expression in art and literature. A guiding example of this is Homer’s 12,000-line epic, The Odyssey. This epic tells a tale combining years to focus on the life of Odysseus, a soldier who fought in the Trojan War, and the life he lead on his journey home. Throughout his journey, Homer narrates the battles he lives through and shows how Odysseus perseveres with help from the Gods. In the above passage excerpted from Book 9, we are shown Odysseus’s encounter with a Cyclops which teaches the reader an important lesson.
“The Odyssey” There is a man named Odysseus also referred to as King of Ithica. One day he had to be the leader he was and flee off to war, leaving his wife Penelope and newborn son Telemachus on their own as they waited for his arrival back home patiently. This story can be known as a story of a veteran because the main character, Odysseus, underwent various challenges that no normal mortal could ever survive, and he never gave up because his loyalty to his land and family was so strong. The Odyssey has figurative language in the text to help associate with the feelings of characters and that helps us understand their emotions and also helps us get more of an understanding of the text. The Odyssey uses figurative language to effectively share the message with
In book nine of Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, Odysseus displays his intelligence, patience, and hubris when killing the Cyclops, Polyphemus. When Odysseus meets Polyphemus he introduces himself as “outis” meaning nobody. Lying about his name shows Odysseus’ intelligence. When Polyphemus fell asleep, Odysseus stabbed him in the eye and he woke up screaming “Nobody’s killing me”. (9: 455)
Finally, he develops the character our hero of this epic, Odysseus. Homer illustrates using character, symbolism and irony to reiterate that legerdemain or trickery isn’t always used for bad. The Odyssey illustrates the necessity to use deception to get out of life threatening situations. Polyphemus, is eating Odysseus’s companions. Odysseus quickly devises a trick, to escape Polyphemus.
My people think nothing of that Zeus with his big scepter, nor any god; our strength is more than theirs.” This quote shows Polyphemus’s hubris and how he thinks he is above the gods and stronger than them. Due to the circumstances of Odysseus’s men being eaten and the cyclops showing no hospitality, he had to come up with a plan to escape. He came up with a plan where he got the
We can depict this conclusion through the quote found in Chapter 9 ”Now, by the gods, as I drove my big hand spike deep in the embers, charring it again, and cheered my men along with battle talk to keep their courage up: no quitting now.” Odysseus and his men were very adamant about escaping and strategically injuring the cyclops, instead of crying aloud and yelling to the gods, courage rained down on them. The encouraging words that Homer uses instantly lifts the mood to triumphant environs. In retrospect, Homer uses diction and imagery to display distinct shifts in tone stimulating the reader's senses and evoking strong emotion in the reader. In this excerpt from “The Odyssey,” Homer’s brilliant diction shows the reader a valuable lesson, that things do not always go as you planned them to, making unintellegent assumptions will often hurt you in situations, but you can always turn a negative situation around by stabbing a cyclops in the eye
The Odyssey, Homer, takes the reader on a man's journey back home after being faced with many struggles for 15 years. Throughout the epic poem, The Odyssey, several examples of epic concepts are shown, such as; epithets, epic similes, and archetypes. Epithets are most commonly seen throughout this epic poem. This is evident because there are many examples of epithets in each book of The Odyssey. For example when the gods and goddesses were discussing Odysseus' fate they used a epithet.