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So long as the Gods grant him power, spring in his knees, he thinks he will never suffer affliction down the years. But then, when the happy gods bring on the long hard times, bear them he must, against his will, and steel his heart. 1 The poem Odyssey by Homer is one of the greatest works of the Western literature, until today it continues to inspire the readers. Odyssey is the ample narrations of the Greek mythology, showing the deeds of the Gods and the heroes, the influence of the Gods on lives of the mortal people. Divine prosecution is one of the main themes of these poems, but Homer insists, that not only divine intrusion but also personal will and character are essential and the combination of the fate and character bring people to their destiny. The battle between the Fate and the Character is one of the major themes in the poem Odyssey.
The people, introduced in the poems are guided by Fate and Gods, but the author argues, that only people themselves are the rulers of their actions, decision and their Destiny. In Odyssey Homer develops the themes of character and fate. In The Odyssey by Homer Odysseus enraged the Gods and they prevent him from returning home to Ithaca. Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy. (Homer, Book I) The definition the man of twists and turns and driven time and again off course to the great degree determines the theme of Homers narration. In the introduction Homer inserted the most meaningful aspects that rule human lives, their personality, or character, and the outer forces that influence him. The Gods in Odyssey are those forces that put the main character in the various situations against his will and they symbolize the fate.
That is why despite all interference of 2 Fagles, R. (1996). Homer's Odyssey. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books. the Gods all important decisions humans make themselves. Here Homer introduces such notion as freedom of choice.
The life and the Gods can put a person in the circumstances, where one has to apply his character. The person is always alone in this situation and the final outcome of the battle between the human and the circumstances shows his true self. Character in Odyssey is a very important issue, but it requires new approach from the hero to the problem of survival. If in Iliad the hero could accept the battle or escape it, in Odyssey we see that there exists a third option, the possibility to outsmart the enemy, which allows the hero to preserve both his dignity and his life. Odysseus possesses very balanced mentality, which helps him to negotiate his options and choose the best approach to solving the problem.
In the Book XI when Odysseus and his men are caught by Polyphemus, Odysseus was going to kill the Cycle, but remembers in time that only giant Polyphemus can move the rock, guarding the cave. Odysseus can not gain victory in the open fight with Polyphemus because any outcome of the fight would bring death to Odysseus. Telemachus condemns death at the beginning of Odyssey when he talks about his father I wish at least I had some happy man as father, going old in his house - but unknown death and silence are the fate of him that, since you ask, they call my father (Homer, Book I) Death is a glorious but undesirable fate, and Odysseus uses his character to fight this fate. The words of Achilles continue the theme of death: No winning words about death to me, shining Odysseus! Id rather slave on earth for another man - some dirt-poor tenant farmer who scrapes to keep alive - than rule down here over all the breathless dead. (Homer, Book IX) The author states, that people should not be the silent slaves of fate, they should apply their character to fight the circumstances and change them.
Homer puts his hero in new conditions, where courage and heroism is no help and he needs to draw to other possibilities: I schemed and schemed, as one who knows that his life depends upon it (Homer, Book IX). Here Homer contrasts the character of Achilles and the character of Odysseus. Achilles fate was to die during the war with Troy and become famous for centuries. Achilles knows his fate and makes his choice, but his personal qualities do not allow him to cheat death. Odysseus has clever mind and tricky character that helps him in his wondering's. Achilles is the example of person who accepts his fate, while Odysseus fights it and changes his own life.
After death, in the kingdom of Hades he comes to understanding that his choice was not the best and he gives warning to Odysseus. By putting his heroes in such situation the author shows, that the respect, honor and glory can be achieved not only by battling skills but also by mind, cunning and resourcefulness. Odysseus is the symbol of all those qualities, and Homer shows, that in life travels and in the battlefield Odysseus character very often works better then heroism, because at the end it was Odysseus, who found the way to overcome the Trojans. The sad fate of Odysseus comrades is another example that Homer gives to his readers: he could not save them from disaster hard as he strove the recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all, the blind fools (Homer, Book I) The people were put into the same circumstances by fate as Odysseus, they shared all his adventures and all his troubles, but Odysseus became the only one to return home.
Homer is not accidentally calls them the blind fools. Every time Odysseus warned them and every time they failed to follow his orders. They were blind in their hearts, unable to see for their own good, and fate severely punishes them for carelessness. According to Homer, everyone should win their destiny, and those who do not deserve it they perish in oblivion. Homer says: Of all that breathes and crawls across the earth, our mother earth breeds nothing feebler than a man. (Homer, Book XI) This expression fully describes the comrades of Odysseus, who yield to temptation, curiosity and all other human vices. Odysseus is not heroic, he is unhappy and homesick in his travels, but he is never a coward, and his way of dealing with obstacles makes him equal to the hero Achilles in glory and accede him in success.
The talk with Achilles in the kingdom of Hades returns the reader to the dilemma of choice between death in glory as opposed to quiet life in disgrace or oblivion. But this remorse of Achilles is only temporary weakness, because when he learns about the prowess of his son Neoptolemus, he strode off across a meadow full of asphodel, exulting over what I had said (Homer, Book XI) But this moment highlights the success of Odysseus life, the validity of his choice, which allowed Odysseus a long a happy life but at the same time brought him glory. In the Book XII of Iliad Homer again reminds about the frailty of everything except memory. The Gods want to destroy the bulwarks built by Greeks.
The author says that people are mortal, their creations can be destroyed, but the memory of their deeds can be preserved for ages. And people are free to choose, what memory they will remain after their death, how will they achieve immortality. This episode summons up the Homers views. Both, the character and the fate are important for creating a glorious destiny for a person, through which he can achieve immortality in the hearts of future generations. Great, courageous and cunning character without being put in difficult or dangerous circumstances would not allow the person to apply his skills and reveal his true self. Such person would live quietly and die unknown.
But the life full of events, troubles and achievements is not possible for a weak character, because he would fail all tests of fate and die in disgrace. Homer claims, that destiny is the combination of both, the character, and the fate, which would allow the person to express his inner forces in the extraordinary situations. Bibliography 1. Fagles, R. (1996).
Homer's Odyssey. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books.
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