Example research essay topic: Translated By Robert Greek Mythology - 1,593 words

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There is nothing alive more agonized than man of all that breathe and crawl across the earth. 1 The poems Iliad and Odyssey by Homer are the greatest works of the Western literature, until today they continue to inspire the readers. Iliad and Odyssey are the most 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 personal will and free choice are accentual in human life, and the only factor which determines them is not divine intrusion, but mortality. Mortality is one of the major themes in the poems Iliad and Odyssey. The people, introduced in the poems are contrasted to the immortal Gods, mortality to the great extend determines the actions and decision of people. In the Book I of Iliad Homer tells the story of disagreement between Achilles and Agamemnon.

When Agamemnon is pressed by assembly to give the girl Chryseis back to her father in order to escape the wrath of Apollo and the plague, Agamemnon is furious. He feels that his pride is hurt by such decision and insists on taking the girl Briseis from Achilles as compensation. Achilles is enraged by such decision, because by taking away the prize, won in hard battles, Agamemnon dishonors him and hurts his pride. Agamemnon, son of Atreus, has done me dishonour, and has robbed me of my prize by force. (Iliad, Book I) This argument results in Achilles leaving the ranks of Achaeans and weakening of their forces. Why the matter of pride enraged Achilles so much and allowed him to risk the victory of the nine year old war with Trojans? Homers Achilles is not an immortal person from the myth, he is the nymph, undaunted and mighty warrior, worthy of the whole army, but he is a 1 Homer.

Iliad. Translated by Robert Fagles. (Viking Adult, 1990) mere mortal human. There is no afterlife in Greek mythology, one in the kingdom of Hades, human cease existing and can life forever only in memory of people. For achieving such lasting memory a person should earn fame and honor.

The clash between Agamemnon and Achilles highlights one of the greatest values of Ancient Greeks, personal honor. Deferring to another person was considered humiliating and dishonorable, and this is the reason of Achilles valuing personal matters over the success of the whole Achaean army. Mortality enforces Achilles to seek fame glory and honor, which will preserve his name in the memory of many generations. The Gods, introduced in Iliad and Odyssey contrasts with humans. The Gods amply show the lack of generosity and honor, they very often act as the worse of humans could act. To the great extend such behavior is predetermined by the immortality of the Gods.

For the Gods good memory among the humans is not very important, because they will exist forever and they will have many possibilities to show humans their good sides and every new day can be a blank slate. That is why very often the Gods in Iliad and Odyssey are represented as mean, dishonorable, vindictive or undignified. Immortality of the Gods results in their lack of responsibility, and they play with humans and with each other. As for the humans, any day can be the last for them and they need to make their decisions wisely: Of all that breathes and crawls across the earth, our mother earth breeds nothing feebler than a man. 2 Homer not accidentally expresses the same idea in both of his works. That is why despite all interference of 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 choose between safety 2 Homer. Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles. (Penguin Books, 1999) and honor. The person is always alone in this choice and the final decision shows his true self.

Mortality very often determines many disgraceful deeds of humans. Mortality makes people to value the life on Earth and what it brings over the good memory of the descendants. Homer gives several examples of such behavior. In the Iliad, Book II, Agamemnon decides to taste the courage of his warriors and he tells them that they would cease the war and return home. He is very surprised, when the warriors happily hurry to their ships they swayed as they flew with loud cries towards the ships, and the dust from under their feet rose heavenward (Iliad, Book II). This scene shows that not all people possess strength of character equal to Achilles.

shall the Argives fly home to their own land over the broad sea, and leave Priam and the Trojans the glory of still keeping Helen, for whose sake so many of the Achaeans have died at Troy, far from their homes? (Iliad, Book II) The return home without victory is a great disgrace, but after the nine year long war the warriors are demoralized and they choose disgrace but safety and comfort. Homer again shows the weakness of the human spirit in the face of the mortality in the scene of the battle between Paris and Menelaus. Paris was loosing the battle to Menelaus and the goddess Aphrodite takes him from the battlefield and brings to Helens room. Helens words to Paris highlight the degree of disgrace that he brought upon himself: So you are come from the fight would that you had fallen rather by the hand of that brave man who was my husband. (Iliad, Book III) Homer shows, that for Greeks cowardice is worse than death, but all people are different, they can be strong and they can be weak, they can be fearless and coward, but very ironically, even disgraceful deeds and fear of death can result in immortal memory. In Odyssey Homer develops the themes of mortality and free choice. Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns. (Odyssey, Book I) The definition the man of twists and turns to the great degree determines the theme of Homers narration.

Mortality in Odyssey is equally 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. I was at first inclined to seize my sword, draw it, and drive it into his vitals, but I reflected that if I did we should all certainly be lost, for we should never be able to shift the stone which the monster had put in front of the door. (Odyssey, Book IX) 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 (Odyssey, Book IX).

But 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 qualities very often work better then heroism, because at the end it was Odysseus, who found the way to overcome the Trojans. 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. I would rather be a paid servant in a poor man's house and be above ground than king of kings among the dead (Odyssey, Book XI) said Achilles to Odysseus in the kingdom of Hades. This expression 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 (Odyssey, 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. Bibliography Homer.

The Iliad and The Odyssey. Translated by Samuel Butler. Barnes and Noble Books, 1999.

Research essay sample on Translated By Robert Greek Mythology