The Odyssey
Can Odysseus reflect the cultural values of ancient Greece through his super human qualities? Odysseus is the hero of the Odyssey, an epic poem believed to have been composed by Homer, a blind poet, in about 800 B.C. An epic is a long, narrative poem that tells about the escapades of a hero who reflects the ideals and values of a nation or race. Odysseus, though he often seems larger-than-life, reflects the cultural values of ancient Greece. Physical strength is a quality that was greatly emphasized throughout the Odyssey. In this epic, Odysseus is depicted as a very strong man who defeats numerous foes, such as the Cyclops, Scylla, and Circe during his journey home to Ithaca following the Trojan War. Upon returning home to Ithaca, Odysseus displays his immense strength once more with the stringing of his bow, which was
very large and required a great deal of physical power to use. …
