The Odyssey, an epic poem by Homer that details Odysseus’ quest for homecoming after the Trojan War, is a work that has remained relevant for thousands of years because of its ability to examine and discuss many different important aspects of being human. The hero of the narrative experiences heartbreak, fear, and eventually victory as he completes this decade-long journey. While Homer employs numerous literary forms to tell this famous story, he uses few epic similes. Therefore, the appearance of...
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Homer creates a sense of hopelessness and uncertainty in the passage. For example, Odysseus is described as being left in a state of perplexity and distress, which creates a vivid image to the reader of just how confused and uncertain he is. He also says that he 'cannot think of anything better', which suggests he felt helpless in this situation, and creates this sense of hopelessness and doubt in himself and the gods. This makes this an effective passage therefore...
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The poem titled Ithaca by Constantine Cavafy was written in 1911. In this sonnet, the great poet of all times alludes to the “importance of enjoying the trip, any trip, and not only longing for a journey’s end” (González De León, 2017). This illustration can be extended to a variety of processes in life, save to say that as much as we enjoy the trip “we all want to return home, to Ithaca” (Gonzalez De Leon, 2017) for many reasons....
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This extract is from ‘Beasts are Rational’ which is part of Plutarch’s collection of essays known as on Moralia. The compilation consists of literary works and touches on political, religious, and ethical issues. The publication date is thought to be around 100 AD. In this text, Plutarch casts an ironic view on human life and behavior, as well as that, the protagonist is a pig named Gryllus. The source of Plutarch’s parody is The Odyssey in which the crew of...
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The Patron and Protector of travelers, herdsmen, thieves, orators, and trade. The herald and messenger of Mount Olympus. That was what they called me. The great god Hermes was reduced to nothing. My only purpose was to look over petty thieves and lowly herdsmen. I had done more important things in my immortal lifetime, like guiding Perseus in his quest to slay the Gorgon Medusa, providing guidance to lower Deities, and delivering gifts from the gods. I wanted to be...
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Introduction In the poem "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden, the author skillfully employs tone to convey complex emotions and themes. The poem explores the dynamics of a father-child relationship and the profound impact of acts of love and sacrifice. Through a critical analysis of the poem's tone, we can gain deeper insights into the speaker's attitude, the underlying emotions, and the overall atmosphere created by Hayden. A Somber and Reflective Tone From the opening lines of the poem, a...
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Introduction Robert Hayden's poem "Those Winter Sundays" is a deeply introspective and reflective piece that explores the complex emotions associated with familial love and the profound impact of seemingly ordinary acts of care. In this reflective essay, we will delve into the various layers of meaning embedded within the poem, contemplating the universal themes of love, sacrifice, and regret. Unspoken Love At its core, "Those Winter Sundays" contemplates the powerful but often unspoken love that exists within familial relationships. The...
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Introduction Robert Hayden's poem "Those Winter Sundays" is a powerful exploration of a complex relationship between a father and a child. Through the use of vivid and evocative imagery, Hayden paints a poignant picture of the cold winter mornings and the unspoken acts of love and sacrifice. In this critical essay, we will examine the rich imagery employed in the poem and analyze its significance in conveying the underlying emotions and themes. Descriptive Imagery One of the remarkable aspects of...
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Introduction Robert Hayden's poem "Those Winter Sundays" is a poignant and introspective exploration of a complex father-child relationship. Through the use of vivid imagery and powerful figurative language, Hayden captures the nuances of the speaker's emotions and the depth of their connection. In this critical essay, we will delve into the various types of figurative language employed in the poem, analyzing their effects on the overall meaning and impact of the work. Metaphor One of the most striking aspects of...
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Introduction In the realm of poetry, literary devices serve as the building blocks that breathe life into the written word, allowing poets to convey complex emotions and ideas. Robert Hayden's poem, 'Those Winter Sundays,' exemplifies the skillful use of literary devices to enhance its themes and evoke a profound emotional response. In this literary criticism essay, we will explore the various literary devices employed in 'Those Winter Sundays' and analyze how they contribute to the poem's overall impact and meaning....
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Introduction "Those Winter Sundays," a poem written by Robert Hayden, is a poignant exploration of the complex dynamics of family relationships and the sacrifices made out of love. Published in 1966, the poem delves into the narrator's reflections on their childhood experiences with their father. Through subtle yet evocative language and imagery, Hayden captures the emotional depth of the relationship and offers insights into the profound impact of love and its often unspoken manifestations. In this literary criticism essay, we...
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Medievalism can be defined as “the ongoing process of recreating, reinventing, and reenacting medieval culture in postmedieval times” (Emery and Utz). David Lowery’s The Green Knight is a modern adaptation of one of the most well-known romances Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The film The Green Knight has an accurate representation of the themes in the 14th century Middle English poem the film made changes from the original poem to explore more of the man behind the legend of...
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Beowulf is a member of the tribe of the Geats, who goes to serve in the court of Hrothgar and Sir Gawain is King Arthur's great knight. Both of them are the heroes facing the grim challenges in the stories. To compare the idea of the hero in Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, both of the heroes in the stories are brave. The braveness of Beowulf lies in trying his best to help the king of the...
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Introduction "The Odyssey," an epic poem attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer, stands as a monumental work in the literary canon, chronicling the arduous journey home of the hero Odysseus after the fall of Troy. Composed around the 8th century BCE, this timeless narrative weaves themes of perseverance, loyalty, and the quest for identity against the backdrop of divine intervention and the capriciousness of fate. Odysseus' voyage spans a decade, marked by formidable challenges, from the seductive song of...
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Everyone’s life is an exploration of investigating relationships and loyalty. Loyalty can be shown through devotion, dependency, or honesty to other individuals or things. Everyone is loyal to something, whether it be their religion, significant other, political views, or a leader. Inscribed in Matthew 6:24 it is written, “No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other”. This precisely describes...
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I picked the poems “Because I Could not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson and “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe. Both these poems were narrative confessional. The subject matter chosen by both these poems to discuss was similar, but their perspective towards the idea differs significantly. In ‘Because I could not Stop for Death’, the speaker describes death as her fiance` and she can’t resist herself for the day of her wedding. It seems the speaker is waiting excitedly...
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Introduction Edgar Allan Poe begins his poem called “The Raven” with the narrator, who is nearly asleep when he hears a sudden knock on the door and chooses to ignore it. The poem revolves around the narrator, who is in a sad mood from his actions. He opens the door, gazes at the dark, and calls out Lenore in a whisper, his lover, but he passes away. “This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word “Lenore!” (Poe, 5.5)....
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According to Naidoo Mervyn, author of “80% of Victims Know Their Killers” IOL November 16, 2014. 80% of murders are committed by someone that the victim knows personally. In the gothic writings, “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. In “The Tell-Tale Heart” a “sane” man kills his elderly housemate because his eye scared him. In another work by Poe, “The Raven,” a man driven to insanity by grief opens his door at midnight hoping to see...
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title More than any other art form, poetry permits its writers to articulate their emotions and express the inner workings of their minds, body, and soul. Specifically, metaphors and symbolism give an extra sense of depth to said words and ideas, and give poetry a subjective lens that allows the reader to resonate more with the art. Symbolism in poetry uses indirect suggestions and symbolic images to further the intensity of meaning. Its style has influenced many famous poets, including...
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“Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.” This quote was written by the great Edgar Allen Poe. He was born January 19th, 1809, and died October 7th, 1849. Poe’s parents were both actors. His father abandoned his family when Poe was just a child and his mother died while acting. Poe was placed in a foster home and later was adopted by John Allan. While growing up in a rich family, Poe...
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Even though it was written 174 years ago, The Raven remains one of the greatest and most iconic works in the history of literature. This poem has impacted many pieces of work such as stories and movies from Poe’s time to the present. From the beginning of the narrative, Poe deliberately and skillfully draws the reader into a somber and pensive world. It’s obvious that as the story unfolds, Poe slowly descends into the depths of madness. As this is...
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My book was The Odyssey by Homer. The Odyssey is a widely popular ancient Greek epic poem written nearly 2500 years ago in Europe. It tells of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, on a long journey home after the Trojan War. It tells of his battles with monsters and encounters with gods, his son's desperate attempt to bring him home to save their estate, and in the end their victory over power-hungry suitors. The Odyssey is set in Ancient Greece...
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In the epic, The Odyssey, the author, Homer, used symbolism in the description of Odysseus’ bed. He had carved the bed from a tree. The tree’s roots went deep which produced a sturdy, healthy, and long-lasting tree. Since the roots were a part of the foundation of the house, there is an implication that a strong family is fundamental to a strong society. The rooted tree also represents how loyal Penelope (Odysseus’ wife) and Odysseus were to each other despite...
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Summary Because they kill Hyperion the Sun-god's bull/oxen/thing, his companions are dead, (great leadership right here) and Odysseus is stuck on the island of Ogygia with Calypso, a weird goddess-lady-nymph, Odysseus still longs for his better half and home. Back in Ithaca, Odysseus' home, Penelope sits trusting that Odysseus will return, while she is fighting off a castle loaded with suitors for her turn in marriage. The following day, as Telemachus calls the meeting, an old man acclaims Telemachus for...
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The Odyssey is a classic ancient Greek poem credited to Homer, following the Greek hero Odysseus and his extensive journey home after the fall of Troy. In his absence, his wife Penelope “is sieged by suitors who want her hand in marriage and with it her kingdom” (Morford, Lenardon, & Sham, 2019, p. 520). Despite having over one hundred wilful suitors competing for her, Penelope is known for staying loyal to Odysseus, waiting twenty years for his return. She fills...
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Sirens, synonymous with their seductive and tempting voices in Greek mythology, which bewitch men causing their deaths, is one archetype intertextually present in both O Brother Where Art Thou and Homer’s Odyssey which the film is loosely based on. Through strategic employment of diegetic sound, the careful and thought-provoking composition of the mise-e-scene, and numerous camera shots, the archetype is introduced, with the scene being a direct allusion to an important plot twist in Homer’s Odyssey. Apart from the brilliant...
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Introduction “The Thousand and One Night” is a text that involves a series of different stories that are centered on one major story. These stories have been narrated by a woman known as Shahrazad. She narrates the stories to her husband, the king. Shahrazad tells the story to the sultan every night ending it with a cliffhanger to make sure that the king is not bored and decides to kill her (Mahdi, 35). Various themes have been addressed by the...
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In Book XI of The Odyssey, in the underworld, Tiresias describes to Odysseus a final journey he must take to 'have a gentle, painless death... with all [his] people there in blessed peace around [him]” (Homer, XI. 155,157). Tiresias says that Odysseus must walk inland with an oar until he gets to a place where people mistake it for a winnowing fan. Then, he must plant the oar and appease Poseidon with sacrifices. The scene where Tiresias instructs Odysseus is...
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In the title, Sherry Simon (1996) refers to linguistic aspects of gender as opposed to biological or social gender. Linguistic gender breaks down into semantic and grammatical gender: semantic gender corresponds to a referent's biological sex; grammatical gender is assigned even to inanimate nouns. English follows a natural gender system, where the assigned gender corresponds to the perceived sex of the referent where inanimate objects are neuter in gender; French follows a grammatical gender system where gender is assigned to...
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The true meaning of being heroic is having the qualities of a hero, such as bravery and courage, and using those qualities to save or help others. As seen through both epic poems we encounter ways that both of the main characters acted heroic and analyze in what way each character had portrayed their acts of bravery and courage. Throughout The Odyssey and The Aeneid, both Aeneas and Odysseus portray qualities of being heroic in yet similar but different ways...
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