The Odyssey Summary

The Odyssey, Homers epic poem, is comprised of two distinct narratives. One narrative takes place in Ithaca, an island whose ruler, Odysseus, has been absent for twenty years. The other narrative is Odysseus’ own journey back home, which consists both of present-day narrations and recollections of his past adventures in lands inhabited by monsters and natural wonders. Books 1-4: Telemacheia The Odyssey begins with an introduction that presents the theme and the protagonist of the work, Odysseus, emphasizing the wrath of Poseidon towards him. The Gods decide that it’s time for Odysseus, who is being held captive by the nymph Calypso on the island of Ogygia, to come home. The Gods send Athena to Ithaca in disguise to speak with Odysseus son, Telemachus. Ithacas palace is occupied by 108 suitors all seeking to marry Penelope, who is Odysseus wife and Telemachus mother. The suitors constantly taunt and belittle Telemachus. The disguised Athena comforts a distressed Telemachus and tells him to go to Pylos and Sparta to learn of his father’s whereabouts from the kings Nestor and Menelaus. Aided by Athena, Telemachus leaves in secret, without telling his mother. This time, Athena is disguised as Mentor, Odysseus’ old friend. Once Telemachus reaches Pylos, he meets the king Nestor, who explains that he and Odysseus parted ways shortly after the end of the war. Telemachus learns about the disastrous homecoming of Agamemnon, who, upon his return from Troy, was killed by his wife and her lover. In Sparta, Telemachus learns from Menelaus’ wife Helen that Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, managed to get into Troy’s stronghold before it capitulated. Meanwhile in Ithaca, the suitors find out that Telemachus departed and decide to ambush him.   Books 5-8: At the Phaeacians’ Court Zeus sends his winged messenger Hermes to the island of Calypso to convince her to release her captive Odysseus, whom she wanted to make immortal. Calypso consents and provides assistance by helping Odysseus build a raft and telling him the way. Yet, as Odysseus approaches Scheria, the island of the Phaeacians, Poseidon catches a glimpse of him and destroys his raft with a storm. After swimming for three days, Odysseus makes it onto dry land, where he falls asleep under an oleander tree. He is found by Nausicaa (the princess of the Phaeacians), who invites him over to the palace and instructs him to ask her mother, queen Arete, for mercy. Odysseus arrives to the palace alone and behaves as he is told, without revealing his name. He is granted a ship to leave for Ithaca and is invited to join the Phaeacian’s feast as an equal. Odysseus stay culminates with the appearance of the bard Demodocus, who recounts two episodes of the Trojan War, interposed by the retelling of the love affair between Ares and Aphrodite. (Though not made explicit, Demodocus storytelling ostensibly moves Odysseus to recount his own journey, as Odysseus first-person narration begins in Book 9.) Books 9-12: Odysseus’ Wanderings Odysseus explains that his goal is to return home and begins to recount his previous voyages. He tells the following story: After a disastrous first venture in the land of the Cycones (the only population in The Odyssey that is also mentioned in historical sources), Odysseus and his companions found themselves in the land of the Lotus-eaters, who attemped to give them food that would have made them lose the will to get home. Next came the land of the Cyclops, where nature was bountiful and food was plenty. Odysseus and his men became trapped the cave of the cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus escaped by using his cleverness to trick Polyphemus, then blinding him. With this act, Odysseus inspired Poseidons wrath, as Polyphemus was a son of Poseidon. Next, Odysseus and his fellow seafarers met Aeolus, the ruler of the winds. Aeolus gave Odysseus a goatskin containing all the winds except Zephyr, which would blow them towards Ithaca. Some of Odysseus companions believed the goatskin contained riches, so they opened it, which caused them to drift in the sea yet again. They reached the land of the cannibal-like Laestrygonians, where they lost some of their fleet when the Laestrygonians destroyed it with rocks. Next, they met the witch Circe on the island Aeaea. Circe turned all the men but Odysseus into pigs and took Odysseus as a lover for a year. She also told them to sail west to communicate with the dead, so Odysseus spoke with the prophet Tiresias, who told him not to let his companions eat the Sun’s cattle. Upon his return to Aeaea, Circe warned Odysseus against the sirens, who lure sailors with their deadly songs, and Scylla and Charybdis, a sea monster and a whirlpool. Tiresias’ warning went unheeded due to famine, and the sailors ended up eating the Sun’s cattle. As a consequence, Zeus brewed up a storm that caused all men but Odysseus to die. That’s when Odysseus arrived on the island of Ogygia, where Calypso kept him as a lover for seven years.   Books 13-19: Back to Ithaca After finishing his account, Odysseus receives even more gifts and riches from the Phaeacians. He is then transported back to Ithaca on a Phaeacian ship overnight. This enrages Poseidon, who turns the ship to stone once it’s almost back to Scheria, which in turn makes Alcinous swear that they will never help any other foreigner again. On the shore of Ithaca, Odysseus finds the goddess Athena, who is disguised as a young shepherd. Odysseus pretends to be a merchant from Crete. Soon, though, both Athena and Odysseus drop their disguises, and together they hide the riches given to Odysseus by the Phaeacians while plotting Odysseus’ revenge. Athena turns Odysseus into a beggar and then goes to Sparta to assist Telemachus in his return. Odysseus, in the beggar disguise, pays a visit to Eumaeus, his loyal swineherd who shows kindness and dignity to this apparent stranger. Odysseus tells Eumaeus and the other farmers that he is a former warrior and seafarer from Crete. Meanwhile, aided by Athena, Telemachus reaches Ithaca and pays his own visit to Eumaeus. Athena encourages Odysseus to reveal himself to his son. What follows is a tearful reunion and the plotting of the suitors’ downfall. Telemachus leaves for the palace, and soon Eumaeus and Odysseus-as-a-beggar follow suit. Once they arrive, suitor Antinous and goatherd Melanthius ridicule him. Odysseus-as-a-beggar tells Penelope that he met Odysseus during his previous travels. Tasked with washing the beggar’s feet, housekeeper Eurycleia recognizes him as Odysseus by detecting an old scar from his youth. Eurycleia tries to tell Penelope, but Athena prevents it. Books 18-24: The Slaying of the Suitors The following day, advised by Athena, Penelope announces an archery competition, cunningly promising that she will wed whoever wins. The weapon of choice is Odysseus’ bow, which means that he alone is strong enough to string it and shoot it through the dozen axe-heads. Predictably,  Odysseus wins the competition. Aided by Telemachus, Eumaeus, the cowherd Philoetius, and Athena, Odysseus kills the suitors. He and Telemachus also hang the twelve maids that Eurycleia identifies as having betrayed Penelope by engaging in sexual relations with the suitors. Then, finally, Odysseus reveals himself to Penelope, which she thinks is a ruse until he reveals that he knows that their marital bed is carved out of a live-in olive tree. The following day, he also reveals himself to his elderly father Laertes, who has been living in seclusion due to grief. Odysseus wins Laertes trust by describing an orchard that Laertes had previously given him.   The locals of Ithaca plan to avenge the killing of the suitors and the deaths of all of Odysseus’ sailors, and so follow Odysseus down the road. Once again, Athena comes to his aid, and justice is re-established in Ithaca.

Mozart And Beethoven s Musical Origins - 1651 Words

Haydn began his musical career as a choirboy in Vienna up until the age of 17. Mozart and Beethoven’s musical origins are similar, both coming from families with musical backgrounds. Mozart’s father taught him and his sister before taking them to tour throughout Europe. Beethoven also studied with his father before receiving his study abroad opportunity in Vienna in 1792. After serving as a choirboy, Haydn found himself in need of a means to make a living. He was barely able to support himself as a freelance musician. Haydn’s first serious position occurred around 1757 when he became music director for Count Morzin. It was also around this time that Haydn began to write some of his first symphonies. Most of Haydn’s earlier symphonies were three-movement works (fast-slow-fast), somewhat like the Italian opera overture. Other symphonies were four-movement works arranged much like a sonata de chiesa. In 1761, Haydn began working for the Esterhà ¡zy princes, spending nearly 30 years at the Esterhà ¡zy court. He composed at every wish of the Esterhà ¡zy princes; any work they demanded. Haydn’s duties included conducting, training, and supervising all musicians, and maintaining instruments. He built an orchestra of 25 players His time at Eszterhaza really influenced the success of his career; Haydn got to hear his work in excellent performances. Because Esterhaza was so isolated, vsitors would often keep him in the loop about music events in other locations. Haydn’s compositionsShow MoreRelated Beethoven Essay706 Words   |  3 Pagesvan Beethoven into the rank of history’s greatest composers was paralleled by and in some ways a consequence of his own personal tragedy and despair. Beethoven’s family was of the Flemish origin. His mother, Maria Magdalena, died after a long illness when Beethoven was only 17. He was not the only child in this family though. 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Welcome speech for annual day free essay sample

?Every morning when I put on my Head Girl badge, I am reminded of the responsibility, challenges and leadership I entail. Although Yr 12 is often described as hectic, for me it has been a year of great discoveries. Where I have learnt from positive and negative experiences, learnt about myself and my peers, and gained the acquired knowledge I will need to carry on for the beginning of my adult life. When I think of the Student Council team this year, I see a group of passionate young adults who can work together in making positive changes throughout the school. Their strength, enthusiasm and positivity has been refreshing and assisted us through the years’ hurdles. My experiences at Leeming Senior High School have shaped me into the Year 12 Student I am today and I thank the teachers, students and school for all they have contributed. â€Å"Ability is nothing without opportunity† I have been given countless opportunities to enhance my leadership skills and workshop my passion for drama. We will write a custom essay sample on Welcome speech for annual day or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I have attended various leadership camps such as the Sir Charles Court Leaders Program in 2009 and the Amanda Young Leaders Eco-Summit in 2010. Both these camps not only taught me how to develop my leadership qualities but also bring these skills out into the community, and especially our school. My involvement in the annual school productions, ‘Summer of the Aliens’ in 2009, ‘Ziggy’s Bar A Cabaret’ in 2010 and this year’s ‘A Dream Deferred’; can be characterised by the words: magical, emotional and at times, life changing. I’ve come to believe the truth is the most valuable gift you can share with other people. Who you are and what you do is priceless. Sharing my experiences and leadership with the rest of LSHS, the class of 2011 and eventually the rest of the world, has and is one of my goals. My stories. My truths. So that we may all come to understand each other a little better. So that we may all find our own definition of what it means to be successful. So that our generation will be prepared to lead. I leave you with one last quote from Nelson Mandela, â€Å"Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that generation. †

Taoism And Christianity Essays - Taoism, East Asian Religions

Taoism And Christianity My choice was between Taoism and Christianity, two very appealing and well-liked practices. Taoism, though unfamiliar to most of you, has many favorable traits. People are urged to respect others and to be kind to everyone whom they meet in order to be reborn wealthy and noble. If people are disrespectful or cruel, they will be reincarnated into a poor and unhappy life. I feel that this motivation would do many things for us as a human race, making us a more decent, well-meaning people. The set of rules that a devout Taoist follows would help out the world crime wise, since the scriptures speak against killing and wronging others, however only the very religious will adhere to these laws of the scriptures. In practicing Taoism, an individual finds him/herself more appreciative of nature, and the natural state of things. This fact added to the fact that Taoists don't eat meat would allow many endangered species of our planet to reproduce and become plentiful, and the rainforest would no longer be being cut down simply for more farmland so we could raise more cows to slaughter. Another favorable trait of Taoism is that it is practiced on a personal level. Everybody seeks the Tao in their own way, depending on their interpretation of the laws that govern the religion. However this personal level of practice is also a drawback. In Christianity, people attend mass once a week (more or less, depending on the person and his/her amount of faith), and mass becomes a sort of social gathering. In Taoism, however, there is no weekly mass where people will congregate. If a majority of the population becomes devout Taoists and each person dedicates at least a few hours a day to meditation, then this country will suffer from a significant social loss. Another drawback of Taoism is the diet. If I choose this religion, and a majority of you practice it strictly, then the universe will lose economically. There will no longer be a big market for meat, grains, or alcohol. This would shut down thousands of businesses, and unemployment will escalate rapidly. On days when people fast completely and don't eat anything, most restaurants will have to close, because even the people cheating on their diets wouldn't want to be seen doing so in public. However the aforementioned drawbacks are not as severe to me as this third one - the idea of rejecting culture. Taoism is built upon the belief that people should allow themselves to grow untouched by any outside sources. People should grow naturally, and not allow cultural advances or traditions to harm their natural flow of energy, Qi, in any way. These beliefs would push aside our modern medicine and replace it with natural (meaning herbal and spiritual) healing methods. Although Taoism is successfully practiced by many people today, I cannot reject the culture that belongs to the rest of the world. For us all to become good Taoists, we would use acupuncture for anesthesia and treat a heart attack with herbs. Modern medicine has come too far and has done too much for the human race for me to simply shove it aside. Think of all the literature alone that would become worthless, such as Bibles and medical journals. Christianity is definitely practiced by a larger percent of the population than Taoism is, I must admit - and I also know a lot more about it than I do about Taoism. And it has many good points as well, however, it also has its bad side. For one thing, Christianity is not a universal religion. There are many different interpretations of the Bible, which create many different smaller religious groups, all calling themselves Christians. Friction would build between the groups, and there would be many arguments over who is following the correct interpretation. Religion would lose a lot of its meaning if the world simply becomes one huge Jerry Springer show, with groups merely fighting over who read the Bible correctly. If I needed to choose a uniform religion with definite guidelines, Christianity would not be it. There are also many good aspects of Christianity. As I have already stated, the regular attendance in church would foster feelings of community and would create religious bonds between fellow worshippers, keeping people around the world united by one common goal. Although everybody pursues the Lord in his/her own way, Christianity allows for groups to congregate and socialize while they worship. Another good aspect is the set of rules that Christians must follow in

Wells, H.G. The Time Machine Essays - The Time Machine, Morlock

Wells, H.G.: The Time Machine The Time Machine Herbert George Wells was born in 1866 in Bromley, Kent, a few miles from London, the son of a house-maid and gardener. Wells died in 1946, a wealthy and famous author, having seen science fiction become a recognized literary form and having seen the world realize some of science fiction's fondest dreams and worst fears. Wells mother attempted to find him a safe occupation as a draper or chemist. Wells had a quick mind and a good memory that enabled him to pass subjects by examination and win a scholarship to the Normal School of Science, where he stayed for three years and, most importantly, was exposed to biology under the famous Thomas H. Huxley. Wells went into teaching and writing text books and articles for the magazines that were of that time. In 1894 he began to write science-fiction stories. -James Gunn Wells vision of the future, with its troglodytic Morlocks descended from the working class of his day and the pretty but helpless Eloi devolved from the leisure class, may seem antiquated political theory. It emerged out of the concern for social justice that drew Wells to the Fabian Society and inspired much of his later writing, but time has not dimmed the fascination of the situation and the horror of the imagery. The Time Machine brought these concerns into his fiction. It, too, involved the future, but a future imagined with greater realism and in greater detail than earlier stories of the future. It also introduced, for the first time in fiction, the notion of a machine for traveling in time. In this novel the Time Machine by H. G. Wells, starts with the time traveler trying to persuade his guest's the theory of the fourth dimension and even the invention. He tries to explain the fourth dimension before he shows them the time machine so they don't think of him as a magician. H. G. Wells uses details about the fourth dimension to teach the reader the theory about it to capture your attention. Also Wells character the time traveler says "Scientific people", "Know very well that time is only a kind of space". In this quote he is clearly using persuasion tactics. He tries to attack there consious by saying that, scientific people know that this is only a kind of space. He says this in hopes that they will believe what he says just because other intelligent people believe the theory. This is a very primitive but still an effective way to try to persuade people. The idea is "because many people believe it, so it must be true". The people he is trying to persuade are of 19th century thinking and well to do people and they are competitive amongst other well to do people so if other rich and intelligent people believe this fourth dimension theory so the time traveler hopes this will motivate them to learn about it. The Characters in the book Time Machine are The time traveler, Filby, the psychologist, and the provincial mayor. Later the silent man and the editor come in to play. Filby is described as "an argumentative person with red hair". He has another label that Wells puts on him; he call him the "young man". The psychologist also has another label; he is "the medical man". The time traveler is described briefly when the group of intellects head down the corridor to the laboratory. He uses "his queer broad head in silhouette." When the arrive at the machine's location it is described as "Parts were made of nickel, parts of ivory, parts had certainly been filed or sawn out of rock crystal". He probably chose these characters as witnesses because they hold higher education and people would believe them from there reputations. The psychologist would be beneficiary in convincing the other that its not a hoax because he is aware of human behavior. The provincial mayor is also an intelligent man and the people elected him so if he is to believe that this works then many people would follow him. Filby is another character but never talks about his standing in society it could be his friend because he did wink at the

First Love by John Clare Essays

First Love by John Clare Essays First Love by John Clare Essay First Love by John Clare Essay Essay Topic: Song of Solomon This expressible poetry by a man, who has deep feelings for the one his soul loves, has more meaning hidden between the lines if the reader will take the time to savor it. The first two lines are simple enough. It was the very first time he ever felt a love go as deep as his soul as soon as he saw her face. It was love at first sight for him. He felt as though he could not move, breathe, and then she looked at him and nothing else in his life mattered anymore but knowing who she was.Being around her, the blood made his face flush and hot, and his eyes could see nothing but her. The rest of the world suddenly melted away until there was only the two of them. The words would not come from his mouth that he wished to say, the very words that were in his heart, so he hoped that the way he looked upon her with his eyes would be enough to let her know how he was feeling. He writes that she seemed to hear his silent voice.She must have been able to look into his eyes and see the love that was there. She must have been able to feel the love coming from his heart, without him speaking a word with his mouth. How wonderful for two to meet and fall so much in love and not to have to speak words to know that their hearts song is singing the same song. The blood in his heart was boiling as if there were a ring of fire around it.As a heart is given to one so deeply so fully, it can never ever be the same again. : The Song of Solomon in the Bible is the greatest love story ever told. It is graceful, and poetic, and best of all it was written by the God of the Universe. Here are a few excerpts: I will seek him whom my soul loveth Song of Solomon 3:2 Have you seen him, whom my soul loveth? Song of Solomon 3:3 I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him: and I will not let him go Song of Solomon 3:4

Deontology and Utilitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Deontology and Utilitarianism - Essay Example Utilitarianism usually lays stress on cost-effectiveness or cost-benefit analyses. For instance, such analysis has been applied to the issue of whether animal experiments are to be permitted in the United Kingdom. The chief disadvantage associated with adopting such a narrow perspective that is solely focussed on the result leads to the acceptance of actions that cannot be justified morally (Purchase 309). Thus morally unacceptable actions may result from the application of this theory. Utilitarianism tends to diminish the responsibility of the individual to some extent, and it is also perceived to be exacting. In accordance with this theory, an individual before acting or taking a decision will assess the overall benefit that will accrue to him, and whether the happiness of all the involved parties will undergo a net increase. In other words, utilitarianism exhorts the people to benefit those whose need is greater, by sacrificing what they possess. This is obviously inconsistent with the past and present social traditions (Lawson 3). The absence of a distinction between superfluous and mandatory actions serves to devalue the individuals who adhere to the tenets of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is of two types, first, act utilitarianism and second, rule utilitarianism. In both these categories, the rightness or otherwise of an act is determined on the basis of the results. Moreover, in rule utilitarianism, the correctness of the rule is judged by the results obtained from the rule (Loewy and Loewy 36). Similarly, in act utilitarianism, the rightness of the act is established by the outcome of the act. The deontological theory requires people to discharge their duties faithfully, whilst examining a moral quandary.