The Mesmerizing Story of The Odyssey
(A discussion over the entertaining qualities of The Odyssey)
The enticing tales of the Odyssey have captured the attention of millions throughout the centuries. Homer uses elegant writing style mixed with captivating tales to create one of the greatest stories of mankind. The Odyssey has been entertaining readers for thousands of years. Certain elements of the epic have stood the test of time. The mesmerizing tales of Odysseus have remained such an enduring work of literature throughout the ages, because it is filled with horrific gore, tales of romance, and the hair-raising adventures of a hero.
One of the most compelling characteristics of Homer’s Odyssey, is the magnificent theme of violence and gore, that has captured readers attention for millenaries. For instance, when Odysseus stabs Polyphemus’ eye, Homer goes into great detail, using an epic simile to describe the gruesome scene. After heating a huge spike in the fire Odysseus and his men, “...lifted it, and rammed it deep in his crater eye, and leaned on it turning it as a shipwright turns a drill in…show more content… Everyone loves superheroes and great adventures fighting off foes. Odysseus has been recognized as a great hero for thousands of years. He himself even states, “I am Laertes’ son, Odysseus. Men hold me formidable for guile in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim.”(pg 1047/lines 17-20) This shows how well known he is throughout the world at that time up to today. When the Phaeacians found out who Odysseus was in the text, they hastily sailed him to Ithaca so he could return home to his family. Odysseus was, and is, known worldwide. He fought at Troy; he managed to escape the blood-thirsty cyclops, Polyphemus; he ventured into the Land of the Dead; the gods greatly disliked Odysseus; and he was the only man from his crew who managed to stay