The Odyssey is a literary work attributed to Homer.
Odyssey is a term closely related to a legend from Ancient Greece . It is captured in an epic poem that is attributed to the poet Homer . It is estimated that it was written in the 8th century BC and tells of a war that took place in the Asian part where Turkey is currently located.
It is believed that Homer was a blind lyrical singer who was linked to the aristocracy; In any case, there are no documents that can truly prove its existence. The word odyssey comes from the protagonist of the poem, Odysseus .
It should be noted that the name of Odysseus became the eponym of a long and arduous journey in which a series of events occurred that affected its normal development. In addition, it also serves to mention a series of unpleasant incidents that happen to a person during a certain period of time.
The Odyssey
Historians highlight that The Odyssey is, along with The Iliad , one of the first texts of Western literature . In 1922 , Irish author James Joyce published "Ulysses," a novel based on Homer 's The Odyssey . "Ulysses" had a film version in 1967 and another adaptation in 2003 (directed by Sean Walsh ).
In his first work, The Iliad , Homer recounts the events surrounding the Trojan War . The Odyssey , meanwhile, narrates the return home of the hero Odysseus (or Ulysses , in Latin) after the war . This journey to the island of Ithaca (where Odysseus was king) takes twenty years. During this period, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus are visited by numerous suitors who seek to marry the woman, since they believe that Odysseus has died. Throughout those twenty years, on the other hand, Penelope and Telemachus consume the family assets.
Thanks to his cunning, Odysseus manages to overcome all the obstacles that the gods place on his journey. To avoid being conquered by the song of the sirens , for example, Odysseus decides to tie himself to the mast of his boat.
It is a long poem composed of 24 different songs, where each one has a structure separate from the rest and in which three large parts can be found, which have led critics to think that in their origins they were three different works that were later unified.
In The Odyssey, Ulysses ties himself to a mast so as not to succumb to the song of the sirens.
Division of the work
At the beginning the poet invokes the muse and presents the hero, far from his home and in the hands of the nymph Calypso who wishes to marry him to her ; He is the only one who has remained in Troy when all the other warriors have returned. Also shown is the image of Penelope and Telemachus who refuse to accept the death of Ulysses . This part concludes with the release of Ulysses .
In the second part , the adventures on the way back are narrated, the immense dangers that Ulysses must face with the help of Athena until he reaches the land of the Phaeacians, where the princess Nausícaa rescues him and takes him to the palace of his father Here the central character becomes Alcinous who narrates his war experiences, after which he offers him a boat so that he can reach Ithaca safely.
The last part narrates his return to Ithaca where together with his son they plan revenge against those who wanted to marry Penelope and had assured him that he had died. In the palace a duel takes place between the suitors, where Penelope 's hand will be won by whoever can string Ulysses ' bow. None of them can do it, only Ulysses , and with the help of his son, he kills his adversaries and then, Penelope recognizes him. .