Essay On False Homecomings In The Odyssey

1010 words - 5 pages

The majority of the Odyssey is an account of Odysseus' adventures (or, rather, misadventures) trying to reach his homeland of Ithaka. Several of these adventures are false homecomings, the most prominent of which is his imprisonment on Kalypso's island. This false homecoming is strikingly different from what one would expect of Odysseus' real homecoming, but similar enough for parallels to be drawn between the two. Homer uses this false homecoming to foreshadow Odysseus' true homecoming.Throughout the Odyssey, Homer presents the reader with certain clues about what Odysseus feels his homecoming should (but not neccessarily will) be like. First of all, Odysseus wants to return to Ithaka. Homer goes as far as having Odysseus describe Ithaka: 'There is a mountain there that stands tall, leaf-trembling Neritos, and there are islands settled around it, lying one very close to another. There is Doulichion and Same, wooded Zakynthos, but my island lies low and away, last of all on the water...' (Bk. 9, ln. 21-25). Kalypso lives on island, which may indeed resemble Ithaka. In this way, Homer begins to alert the reader that this scene may be a false homecoming. But, simply the fact that Kalypso lives on an island is not enough evidence to draw the conclusion that this may foreshadow Odysseus's true homecoming. Other evidence is needed, and Homer provides it for us. Odysseus expects to return to his family and to the way of life which he is accustomed to. For the most part, Kalypso treats him as he is used to being treated--there is a certain sense of familiarity here. Returning from ten years of war with Troy and at least several years at sea, Odysseus wants to return to the comfort of home. Her cave has '...a great fire blazing on the hearth...'(Bk. 5, ln. 59) and '...even a god who came into that place would have admired what he saw' (Bk. 5, ln. 73-4). This residence is fit for a man of Odysseus' standing. Odysseus also wants to return to a land without conflict. Kalypso and her deserted island offer peace. Furthermore, Kalypso, '...singing inside the cave with a sweet voice as she went up and down the loom...' (Bk. 5, ln. 61-2), is reminiscent of Penelope. Odysseus wants to return to a good, faithful wife--Kalypso presents herself as the perfect domestic partner to win Odysseus's favor.So, Kalypso's island offers comfort, a sense of family, and familiarity. These aspects meet Odysseus's general requirements for a homecoming, but fail in the specifics. Homer is using this false homecoming as a foreshadowing of the true one, in which all the specifics will be met. First, Kalypso and her island offer all the comforts of Odysseus's home, but merely at the physical level. Kalypso does not offer civilization the way Odysseus thinks of civilization. Civilized lands and people offer hospitiality. When Telemachos asks Menelaos permission to leave his house and return home, Menelaos replies: 'Telemachos, I for my part never will long detain you here when you strain for home. I would disapprove of another hospitable man who was excessive in friendship, as of one excessive in hate' (Bk. 15, ln. 68-71). Initially, Kalypso appears to be a good hostess. When Odysseus attempts to leave and she forcibly detains him, Kalypso begins her pattern inhospitality. When Odysseus actually does return home to the suitors, he will not find hospitality being practiced in Ithaka. But, it is his image of his homecoming, not what will actually happen, that we are dealing with. To restore hospitality, Odysseus's will kill the suitors, thus making his homecoming what he expects it to be. By making Kalypso inhospitable, Homer is foreshadowing the state of Ithaka Odysseus will return to. Odysseus also expects to return to Penelope. Kalypso is a woman who appears to be a good wife, but she is not his wife. She cries over his loss, but Penelope has been lamenting over him for almost twenty years. She simply does not have the emotional attachment to him that Penelope does. Kalypso's cave is also lacking his son, Telemachos, and all of his people. Odysseus feels he needs to return to and recognize these people to be truly at home. Once again, Kalypso is appealing to his sense of family, but cannot replicate his specific family and people. It is these people and customs that Odysseus expects to return home to, and Homer is only using Kalypso's fake family and home to foreshadow this.When Odysseus finally reaches Ithaka, all that Homer has foreshadowed using Kalypso's island as a false homecoming is realized, and subsequently all of Odysseus's expectations are achieved. Odysseus returns to an island, but it is Ithaka. He is greeted with the inhospitality of the suitors (as Homer foreshadowed), but soon restores order and his own sense of civilization. Odysseus and Penelope (rather than Kalypso's perfect image of a wife) are reunited. Recognized by his son, his wife, and his people, Odysseus's homecoming is completely. No matter how desirable the world Kalypso created for Odysseus appeared, it was only a false homecoming used by Homer for it's generalities to foreshadow the specifics of Odysseus's true homecoming.


Loyalty in The Odyssey Assignment

554 words - 3 pages Untitled In homers epic The Odyssey loyalty plays a colossal role. His wife, his son, his dog, and a lack of loyalty by the suitors display loyalty. Homers wife Penelope is under unvarying pressure from the suitors to remarry. "Don't stay too long away from home, leaving your treasure there, and brazen suitors near; they'll squander all you have or take it from you" This quote shows how ready the suitors are to take

Relationships Between Gods And Mortals As Demonstrated In The Odyssey


The Gender Roles in the Odyssey Oral - Harvard University - Ancient Studies / History

773 words - 4 pages SACE Number: 610783X Ancient Studies Word Count: 807 Literature Epic Oral It is believed that the Greek poet Homer is the legendary author of the Iliad and the Odyssey which are two epic poems that are the central works of ancient Greek literature. I will be arguing upon the division of genders in Homeric society between female and male and the power roles which they both adhere to. Although I will only be speaking about some aspects I will be





How Hubris Effected Odysseus In The Epic Poem, The Odyssey, Writen By Homer

869 words - 4 pages Hubris is excessive pride with a lofty self-respect totally apart from reality; it distorts a person's view of the world, much like a funhouse mirror. Hubris is a characteristic of the protagonist, Odysseus, in the epic poem, The Odyssey, by the blind poet Homer. The hero Odysseus is a dynamic character who, blinded by hubris, changes his perspective on life according to the positive and negative experiences he endures and overcomes during his


545 words - 3 pages Wallace in a way that is mostly true and the fictions parts only add to the plot and do not take away from Wallace and are easy to point out and don't adversely degrade him. However, in Braveheart, there is a lot of false information regarding the battle scenes. Therefore, Braveheart is a semi historically accurate movie but some details are false.William Wallace, the patriot fighter for Scotland, was a real person who really fought heroically for his

Interaction between Calypso and Odysseus in 'The Odyssey' - English - Assignment

562 words - 3 pages Free During their last meal together, Calypso makes Odysseus an incredible offer. Describe this offer and Odysseus’ reply. What does this convey about his character and about the values, attitudes, and beliefs of ancient Greek Society? During their last meal together, Calypso attempts to coax Odysseus into staying with her by offering him eternal life on a beautiful island with a lustrous goddess. “Stay right here, preside in our house with me,” she

Comparison of "The Odyssey" and "O' Brother Where Art Thou"

427 words - 2 pages In "The Odyssey", the main character's name is Odysseus. In "O' Brother...", the main character's name is Ulysses. They both are on a journey to their home. Odysseus is headed to Greece, because he was in a war with Sparta that was away from his home. Ulysses is headed back to Mississippi because he escaped from jail. They both encounter unusual obstacles on their way. Odysseus meets up with a Cyclops that gets its eye poked out. Ulysses meets a

Analysis of 2001: A Space Odyssey - FMS 100 - Essay

1156 words - 5 pages Kane Rose Assignment 2 2001: A Space Odyssey In Stanley Kubrick’s movie, 2001: A space Odyssey, the audience was awed by the stunning special effects and the relationship of man and his computer. In 1968, movie goers were shocked to see the cinematic quality that Kubrick displayed, however, the narrative captures the event of a computer overhauling a space ship and causing harm to innocent humans. One key sequence shows the power shift from, the

The Odyssey, Oedipus the King and the Human Condition - Auburn ENGL 2200 - Assignment

1702 words - 7 pages Last four-digit number: 1220 Counts of quotations: 301 Counts for paper excluding quotations: 1401 The Odyssey, Oedipus the King and the Human Condition It's in literature that true life can be found. It's under the mask of fiction that you can tell the truth. Gao Xingjian World literature has witnessed the tremendous influence of the ancient

Clinton Impeachment and Conterversys - Essay for Clinton Impeachment - Essay

657 words - 3 pages The Odyssey: Expository Essay Assignment An expository essay seeks to define, explain, or illustrate an idea Writing Task: You are to select one of the topics below and complete an expository essay as your writing assignment. You must first complete an outline as your prewriting work (worth 50 points). Next, you must search for quotes or examples from the text that help in your explanation/essay AND record the book number from which you found

Odysseus/Penelope's Song Comparison - Baruch College - English 2800 - Essay

796 words - 4 pages Penelope: Then and Now In the Odyssey written by Homer, Odysseus is away from his home Ithaca, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus for 17 years. In Homer’s poem, Penelope was portrayed as the loyal and devoted wife patiently awaiting the return of her husband and cunningly wards off suitors that pursue her hand in marriage and Odysseus’ land. In the poem Penelope’s Song written by Louise Gluck, Penelope is portrayed somewhat differently



