The Odyssey by Homer
- jancynbindman
- Aug 9, 2023
- 4 min read
"Tell of the storm-tossed man, O Muse, who wandered long after he sacked the sacred citadel of Troy." first line of The Odyssey by Homer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
We don't really know. Just like with Shakespeare, we don't know if Homer was one person, a fictional character, or many people under one name. We also, shockingly, don't know if Homer was a man. Although, historically, it does seem to point to Homer being one man (if not several). There is also information out there about his being blind or a captive. However, these could also be for dramatic quality since the epic poems attributed to Homer were spoken or sung. Creating a kind of creative "blindness." (information for this section was taken from the British Museum website).
SYNOPSIS
Odysseus has been gone from his homeland, Ithaca, for twenty years. He fought in the Trojan War for ten of those years, and has been trying to get home ever since. His wife Penelope grieves daily of Odysseus' absence, and craves to hear some news of her husband whether he be dead or alive. Odysseus' son, Telemachus, has been brought up by a herdsman and is attempting to take control of his household that is now wrought with suitors for his mother. The suitors are wasting and robbing Odysseus of his kingdom and assets while Penelope is trying to figure out what the right course of action is. In the end, with help from some of the gods, Odysseus returns to Ithaca and restores his household and kingdom.
THINGS I FOUND INTERESTING
This was my first time reading The Odyssey, and although the story is epic and full of adventure, I was really struck by two things. One, Penelope and Telemachus' never wavering in their love for Odysseus was mind blowing. This is important on many fronts because a lot of Odysseus' friends from the Trojan war died because of unfaithful women and family members. In fact, the reason why Odysseus is gone in the first place is because Helen of Troy was unfaithful to her husband. It is also important because at the very beginning of the book Telemachus states clearly that he's never met his father and doesn't know if he's actually Odysseus' son except from what his mother has told him. When considering the importance of lineage, to continue an untainted bloodline was everything back then. It also shows, once again, Penelope's incredible love for her husband.
The other thing that really struck me, was the kindness and giving nature of lands filled with people who Odysseus meets toward the end of his journey home. He is given so many gifts and banquets even when people don't know who he is. Homer (or whomever) did a great job illustrating that Odysseus' royal demeanor was so obvious that he was a man who deserved these niceties. The same is true with Telemachus (Odysseus' son). When Telemachus visits Helen and Menelaus to seek information about his father they not only throw a banquet in his honor, they also send him home with treasures from their own house.
MY FAVORITE PART
Most of this story is quite tragic, so figuring out which part was my favorite was easy. It reminded me of a Shakespeare play (or should it be the other way around?) and the scene begins when Penelope is trying to determine if Odysseus is really who he says he is. She begins by asking her maid servant to ready the bed that Odysseus made when they first got married. Odysseus is furious because it is a very heavy and immovable bed which he is now thinking that may have been moved or used by someone else, but Penelope is just testing him to make sure he is actually who he says he is and a god playing tricks on her. Odysseus rants off about all the special things he did to create their wedding bed, only which he could have known, and after Penelope believes him they spend the night together talking, laughing, crying, and being together. Because this is a Greek poem there is not a lot of detail about this scene, but I love that Homer put in that they talked. That little extra detail tells you why Penelope and Odysseus' love for one another is real and deep. However, I do have to mention that while Penelope stayed true to Odysseus, Odysseus did not stay true to Penelope. There are many moments when Odysseus gets to spend time with goddesses...so take it with a grain of salt. The scene between the two is still very sweet.
RECOMMEND?
Yes. As I was reading The Odyssey I was struck by how many other books and authors sprang to my mind as being influenced by this epic poem. First of all, if you've ever read Ernest Hemingway and liked his style, you will love Homer. They have a very similar cadence and way of having their characters talk to one another. Shakespeare was obviously influenced by these tales as well as modern authors, Hemingway aside, that have taken these tales of monsters and gods for their own creations. In the end, The Odyssey is a story about never giving up and finding a way home.
Enjoy the book, let me know what you think, and check out the video, or click here for more information.
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