When we look at Greek Mythology we often run into the gods of that era. Sometimes they are merely backdrops to the human element of the story but in stories such as The Odyssey the gods play a prominent if not vital role to the central themes of the story. (Maguire-in conversation) Fate has a place in the Greek world but its place is not the same as it is in other scenarios or worlds. (Sparknotes) It is important to understand the word before we discuss it. Fate as far as Greek mythology goes is not just fate. By most standards fate means that things occur for an unknown reason that no one has any control over. (Munro) However, in the world of Greek Mythology fate does not just happen. The gods engineer fate and they interfere to make things happen that might not otherwise have happened. Since the players do not always know of the gods" involvement, things may actually appear to be fate but in reality be engineered happenings. Free will on the other hand is not engineered. It speaks to the concept of having full authority over one's aspirations and ultimate direction. The key there is "ultimate."(in conversation) The gods can make up the plan and choose the path, but the people had to walk it. Therefore, fate and free will are not mutually exclusive and they both go on throughout The Odyssey. In The Odyssey life is one's own responsibility; instead of leaving all things up to fate, the characters had a significant influence upon his or her own existence. (Sparknotes).
In The Odyssey the gods are responsible for controlling many aspects of where the story goes, but the people still have to choose to go. The gods in The Odyssey are who held Odysseus captive for over eight years. They were responsible for his capture in the first place and then refused to let him go for almost a decade. When they finally decided he should be allowed to find his way home they made it known to his captor Kalypso.
The Iliad and the Odyssey will prove to be literature that shapes a nation. ... The gods would postpone death or totally change the fate of a person. ... The Odyssey is a true love story. The Odyssey celebrates the love of a husband and wife. ... Homer wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey in the eighth century B.C. ...
According to The Odyssey how significant is the role that the gods play in the fate of the mortals? ... Fate is a concept that has ruled many civilizations. ... In the epic The Odyssey, they bend their lives to the rule of fate. ... They can manipulate certain things in order to assure that fate is reached, or they can attempt to change that fate. ... I believe that through the epic story of the Odyssey, it is clear that men do have a significant role in their fate. ...
"A man paints with his brains and not with his hands" - Michelangelo While the famous artist Michelangelo might have been employing the word "paint" literally when he crafted this quote, when taken in a more abstract sense, the words of wisdom echo a theme developed hundreds of years earlier and immortalized in The Odyssey - the idea that prowess of the mind is far superior to that of the body (or its impulses). Throughout the text, The Odyssey presents a dichotomy of early Greek values---Athenian traits as opposed to Poseidon qualities. ... Agamemnon's fate serves...
The Odyssey vs. ... The Odyssey, translated by Fitzgerald, is about an epic hero trying to get to his home after twenty long years. ... In The Odyssey women were treated as slaves. ... A difference is that in The Odyssey the women were known as whores. ... I swam in the blackness of night, hunting monsters our of the ocean, and killin them one by one; death was my errand and the fate they had earned." ...
Fate is the word used to describe anything that a human being cannot control. ... Teiresias, a blind prophet, also played a major role to fate. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus's fate was largely controlled by Athena, Teiresias, Circe, Aeolus, Poseidon, and Zeus. ... Odysseus's fate was heavily influenced by Athena's godlike intervention. ... In The Odyssey, Odysseus's fate was dictated by Athena, Teiresias, Circe, Poseidon, Zeus, and Aeolus. ...
Goddesses in the Odyssey The appearance of many goddesses in The Odyssey by Homer exemplifies the fact that they are essential to Odysseus" journey. ... The Odyssey begins with a meeting of the gods and goddesses who are trying to decide upon the fate of Odysseus. ... These three change Odysseus in ways he could never expect, weaving his fate into the epic that is The Odyssey. ... They appear as fate would have them to serve the purposes and fulfill the roles that Odysseus needs fulfilled. ... Without the goddesses in The Odyssey, there would be no odyssey. ...
The Odyssey mentions many gods and goddesses, all of whom are involved with Odysseus" journey. The Odyssey begins with a meeting of the gods and goddesses who are trying to decide upon the fate of Odysseus. ... These three change Odysseus in ways he could never expect, weaving his fate into the epic that is The Odyssey. ... Athena is mentioned in almost every book of The Odyssey, a constant in Odysseus" life. ... Without the goddesses in The Odyssey, there would be no odyssey. ...
Death, the way it is represented in Homer's book, The Odyssey, is always caused by human error. ... For example, The Odyssey begins with a scene containing a conversation among the gods. ... Hades, probably the most down to Earth adventure, represents time and fate. Many religions use time and fate as representations of why people die. ... Time and fate do not demonstrate the reasons of death. ...
Fate: Cause beyond human control to determine events. ... In The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus faces this concept throughout the book as Homer tells it. ... Was that part of their fate as well? Or is your Fate dictated by your actions? ... Is Fate the journey through life or is it the end? ...
