When we hear or read about ancient Greek heroes, we imagine strong, physically developed athletes striving for glory and challenging fate. But was Odysseus, one of the most famous characters in Homer’s poems “The Iliad” and “Odyssey”, like this? How did he glorify and immortalize his name? What feats did you accomplish?

Myths and poems of Homer

From century to century, ancient Greek myths told about the origin and structure of the world, the deeds of heroes and Olympian gods. The wonderful world of mythology fascinated and frightened, explained and prescribed; it reflected the value system of Ancient Greece and the connection of times. Hellenic myths had a huge influence on the formation of European and world culture, and the names of many heroes, gods and monsters became common nouns, symbols of some qualities and properties. For example, a chimera is a symbol of something non-existent that can give rise to dangerous illusions and misconceptions.

With the development of social, economic and other public relations, mythological consciousness began to collapse, and the poems of the legendary Homer “Iliad” and “Odyssey” served as a kind of bridge between folklore and literature.

The heroic epic of Homer is the peak of the development of Hellenic mythology, but at the same time its artistic interpretation. In addition, as archaeological excavations by Heinrich Schliemann have proven, Homer's poems to some extent reflect the reality of the 11th-9th centuries BC. and can serve as a historical source. Homer is the first ancient Greek poet was, according to legend, blind and lived in the 8th century BC. However, there is no reliable information confirming the fact of its existence yet. But there are wonderful epic poems that recreate the magnificent world of ancient Greek mythology and, at the same time, had a huge impact on the development of all European culture.

The cross-cutting character of both Homer's poems is Odysseus, king of Ithaca, participant in the Trojan War.

If in the Iliad he is one of the minor (albeit key) characters in the siege of Troy, then in the Odyssey he is the main character.

Biography of Odysseus

The name "Odysseus" in ancient Greek means "angry" or "wrathful". The Romans called him Ulysses. The name Odysseus now has a common meaning: an odyssey is a long, dangerous journey filled with adventures.

Odysseus is the son of Argonaut Laertes and Artemis's companion Anticlea. According to legend, Odysseus's grandfather was Zeus, supreme Olympian god.

Odysseus's wife - Penelope, her name became a symbol of marital fidelity. Long She waited twenty years for her husband to return from the military campaign, deceiving numerous suitors with inventive cunning.

A major role in the poem “Odyssey” is played by the son of the main character, Telemachus.

Turning to the Homeric epic, we can identify the fateful events in the life of the legendary hero:

• participation in matchmaking with Helen the Beautiful, where Odysseus meets his future wife Penelope;
• participation, albeit reluctantly, in the Trojan War;
• protection of the body of Achilles;
• creation of the Trojan horse;
• a ten-year journey by sea and numerous adventures in which Odysseus loses all his companions;
• returning to Ithaca in the guise of an old beggar;
• the brutal extermination of Penelope's numerous suitors;
• happy family reunion.

All these events create a unique portrait of Odysseus, a characteristic of his personality.

Hero's personality

The main feature of Odysseus’ personality is its universality and cosmic nature. The genius of Homer created the image of a comprehensively developed person. Odysseus appears not only as a brave hero and winner on the battlefield, he also performs feats among monsters and wizards.

He is cunning and reasonable, cruel, but devoted to his homeland, family and friends, inquisitive and crafty. Odysseus is an excellent speaker and wise adviser, a brave sailor and a skilled carpenter and trader. He refused eternal youth and love, offered by the nymph Calypso, who was in love with him, in order to return to his homeland, to his family.

Thanks to his cunning and resourcefulness, Odysseus overcame numerous dangers:

• on the island of the Cyclops he blinded the giant Polyphemus and thereby escaped death and saved his comrades;
• defeated the sorceress Circe;
• heard the sirens singing, but did not die;
• passed on a ship between Scylla and Charybdis;
• defeated Penelope's suitors.

In essence, Odysseus's voyage is a path into the unknown, comprehension and mastery of the unknown, a road to oneself and the acquisition of one's own personality.

The legendary hero appears in Homer's poems as representative of all humanity, discovering and learning the world. The image of Odysseus embodied all the richness of human nature, its weaknesses and vastness. It is no coincidence that many famous writers and poets turned to this image: Sophocles, Ovid, Dante, Shakespeare, Lope de Vega, P. Corneille, L. Feuchtwanger, D. Joyce, T. Pratchett and others.

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Some of the most striking early works of ancient Greek literature are the heroic poems “The Iliad,” which tells about the events of the legendary Trojan War, and “The Odyssey,” which tells the story of the difficult return to the homeland of one of its heroes. Their author is considered to be the ancient Greek poet Homer, who composed these epics based on the centuries-old experience of nameless folk singers who sang short songs-legends at feasts like our epics.

In The Odyssey, the author created an interesting image of an intelligent, inquisitive hero who uses his innate resourcefulness to explore the world with its wonders. Odysseus in the poem is often awarded the epithet “many-minded.” His cunning has many sides and shades. The hero himself admits to King Alcinous that he is famous for his cunning inventions:

I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, everywhere by invention of many

Glorious tricks and loud rumors raised to heaven.

The goddess Athena confirms that even the gods cannot compete with Odysseus in dexterity and cunning inventions.

But Odysseus is not famous for his cunning alone. No one can surpass him in archery, he is “famous for his spear,” but most importantly, he is “great in soul,” “great in heart.” No mortal can also compare with him in oratory, in the wisdom of words, in the goodness of advice.

However, on the path of an intelligent and inquisitive hero, obstacles often arise, which he overcomes thanks to his ardent love for his family and home. Violating the order established by the gods, Odysseus more than once provokes the wrath of Poseidon, Aeolus, Zeus, and Helios. And this brings him considerable suffering. But in all misadventures the hero is helped by his courage and cunning. Also, the great gods do not abandon the hero, admiring his courage, endurance and determination.

Many adventures awaited Odysseus on his travels. But the most dangerous thing was visiting the island where Cyclops live - evil and cruel one-eyed giants. Finding themselves in the cave of one of the Cyclopes, the hero and his companions were captured by him. The terrible cannibal kills two people every time. And, realizing that he cannot defeat the giant by force, Odysseus begins to look for ways of salvation and revenge on the enemy. And he finds: together with his comrades, he made a powerful stake, with which he planned to pierce the eye of the cannibal when he fell asleep. That's what they did. Odysseus also told the Cyclops that his name was Nobody. The blinded giant began, with a terrible roar, to call for help from the Cyclopes living around him. Those who came to the call began to ask what happened, who was destroying the giant. But he answered: “Nobody!” And the Cyclops left, saying that if no one was destroying him, then there was nothing to call for help, and if he was sick, then “Zeus will do it,” and they will not be able to help him. But the travelers still had to emerge unharmed from the cave, past the enraged giant. And then Odysseus came up with the idea of ​​tying three rams, and tying a man under them. And so everyone successfully left the Cyclops’ cave. Thus, as usual, cunning and quick wits helped the hero avoid death and defeat a formidable enemy.

As you know, the Odyssey belongs to the genre of epic poetry. It contains more than 12 thousand poems. Scientists claim that several centuries before the beginning of the new era, philologists from Alexandria divided it into 24 books, in accordance with the number of letters of the Greek alphabet. Thus, the ancient book was a fragment of up to 1000 lines, which were placed on one papyrus scroll. Modern historians have discovered about 250 papyri, which depict parts of the Odyssey.

It is also known that Homer wrote his poems, focusing on the fact that they would be recited by rhapsodist singers, who usually performed at all kinds of folk festivals. In general, the Odyssey, together with the Iliad, should be considered a monument to an era when society moved from one system to another, eliminating the communal-tribal system and giving birth to the slave system.

Analysis of the work

“The Odyssey” is dedicated to the story of how the Greek king returns home from the war. Thanks to his skills and efforts, Troy was taken (remember the famous Trojan horse). The return was long - a whole decade, but special attention is paid to the most recent trials on the path of the protagonist to the island of Ithaca, where his wife Penelope and son Telemachus are waiting. It is noteworthy that the woman has to resist impudent suitors who are trying to convince her of the death of the king and force her to choose a new husband. Having reached his destination, the husband takes revenge on those who encroached on his wife and kingdom.

In addition, the Odyssey contains many lyrical digressions - the protagonist’s memories of Troy, a story about the adventures that befell the conquerors over all the years spent on campaigns. If you look broadly, the poem describes the events of two decades. If we compare this work with another Homeric creation - “The Illiad” - then we can notice that in the work in question more attention is paid to descriptions of everyday life, as well as the adventures of the main characters.

Heroes of the poem

There are many heroes in The Odyssey: these are gods, mythological creatures, and people. For example, among the patrons of Odysseus, the goddess of wisdom Athena stands out. The antagonist and persecutor of the protagonist is Poseidon, the god of the seas. Throughout his travels, the Greek king communicates with Hermes, is captured by Circe, succumbs to the spell of the nymph Calypso, and descends into the kingdom of the dead to Hades.

The image of Odysseus itself is painted in as much detail as possible. In the poem he appears as a real hero who accomplishes great feats. Moreover, his main achievements are visible not on the battlefield, but among temptations - wizards and fairy-tale enemies. He is often resourceful and cunning, and he needs these qualities no less than honesty or decency.

Penelope is the wife of Odysseus. In order to maintain love for her husband and fidelity to him during his long absence, she also endures a heroic struggle. Homer makes it clear that Penelope, in her feminine way, is as smart and resourceful as her husband.

The Odyssey mixes reality and fiction. Very often mythology interferes with reality. At the same time, the poem is as realistic as possible, there are even social episodes - for example, when Odysseus acts as a master who takes care of what belongs to him. The conflicts between private and public, desire and duty come to the fore in the poem.

In conclusion, we can say that “The Odyssey” reflects not only the real journey of the protagonist in space, but also his movement within himself, the solution of various ethical and moral problems.

Achilles (Achilles) is the main character of the poem, a stern and unforgiving warrior. In response to the insult inflicted on him by Agamemnon, the supreme leader and leader of the Achaean army, which besieged Troy for 10 years, A. refuses to participate in the war. Because of this, the Achaeans suffer one defeat after another. But when the Trojan leader Hector kills A. Patroclus’s friend, A. forgets about his offense and reconciles with Agamemnon. The mighty A., patronized by the goddess Athena, shows miracles of courage on the battlefield and kills Hector in a duel, whose death marks the final defeat of the Trojans. A.'s image bears the typical features of a mythological epic hero, a courageous warrior, in whose value system the most important thing is military honor. Proud, hot-tempered and proud, he participates in the war not so much in order to return the king of Sparta Menelaus his wife Helen, kidnapped by Paris (this was the reason for the war with Troy), but rather in order to glorify his name. A. thirsts for more and more new exploits that will strengthen his glory as an invincible warrior. He sees the meaning of his life in constantly risking his life. A. despises a quiet life at home and prefers death in battle to a serene old age.

Hector is the son of Priam, leader of the Trojan army. Like Achilles, G. in all his actions is guided by military honor, but if Achilles values ​​it for its own sake, then G., while preserving his honor, at the same time realizes that he is responsible to his people, whose interests he must protect. Homer shows how two aspirations struggle in G.’s soul: to avoid defeat in the war and to keep his reputation untarnished as a brave warrior and hero. Because of this, the image of G. is more complex than the image of his main opponent, Achilles. G.'s behavior is often contradictory, since the motives for his actions are either a thirst for glory (which is typical of an epic hero), or an understanding of duty to his homeland and the people, which he, as the son of a king and a leader, has no right to sacrifice in pursuit of a reputation as an invincible warrior and brave man. Rejecting the advice of the experienced military leader Polydamus, who, citing a bad omen, dissuades G. from attacking the Achaean camp, G. declares: “The best omen is to fight bravely for the fatherland.” However, when Hector is persuaded to return to Troy, not to remain on the battlefield and to avoid a duel with Achilles, G. acts not like a wise, cautious leader, but like a warrior driven by ambition and passion. Pride does not allow him to seek protection behind the fortified walls of the city. Even anticipating his death, which, as he perfectly understands, will inevitably entail the fall and sack of Troy, G. neglects the interests of the country and enters into a fatal single combat with Achilles. And yet, before his death, G. admits that he acted rashly: “The very last citizen can say in Ilion: Hector destroyed the people, relying on his own strength!”

Odysseus (in the Roman tradition, Ulysses is the king of Ithaca, the main character of Homer’s poem “The Odyssey” and one of the minor characters in the “Iliad”), O.’s courage is combined with cunning and prudence. O. himself considers cunning to be the main feature of his character: “I am Odysseus, the son of Laertes, everywhere by the invention of many glorious Cunnings and raised to heaven by loud rumor.” The father of Anticlea, O.'s mother, Autolycus, “the great oathbreaker and thief,” was the son of Hermes, a god who was famous for his dexterity and ingenuity. Thus, cunning is a hereditary trait of O. However, not only natural ingenuity, but also rich life experience helps O. in his many years of wanderings. Thanks to his resourcefulness and ability to deceive his enemy, O. manages to cope with the terrible cannibal Cyclops Polyphemus, and then with the sorceress Circe, who, with the help of a miraculous potion, turns his companions into pigs. Homer constantly emphasizes that not only courage and physical strength, but wisdom often helps out his hero. Among the numerous characters of the Odyssey and the Iliad, O. is the most striking figure. It is no coincidence that many writers and poets turned to this image in their work (Lope de Vega, Calderon, I. Pindemonte, Ya. V. Knyazhnin, L. Feuchtwanger, D. Joyce, etc.). Compared to other heroes (like Hector, Achilles, Agamemnon, Paris, etc.), whose characters are determined by any one characteristic feature, O. is a multifaceted figure. Courage, the lack of which he cannot be blamed for, coexists with reasonable practicality, the ability to turn the most unfavorable circumstances to his advantage. O. is alien to the stubborn arrogance of those warrior heroes whose heroism lies entirely in action and who despise prudence and caution, identifying them with cowardice. O.'s weapon is not only a sword, but also a word, and with its help he often wins brilliant victories. The amazing adventures that O. had a chance to experience serve Homer only as a kind of background in order to show how much his hero yearns for his native Ithaca. No force can tear out the memory of his homeland from O.’s soul, and this is the greatness of his image.

The images of warriors were varied. Homer did not yet have an idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcharacter, but, nevertheless, he does not have two identical warriors. It was believed that a person is already born with certain qualities, and nothing can change during his life.

The amazing moral integrity of Homeric man. They have no reflection or duality - this is in the spirit of Homer's time. Fate is a share. Therefore, there is no doom. The actions of the heroes are not related to divine influence. But there is a law of double motivation of events. How are feelings born? The easiest way to explain this is by divine intervention. Homer's talent: the scene with Achilles and Priam.

The image of Helen in the Iliad is demonic. In the Odyssey, she is a housewife. It is not her appearance that is being described. And the elders’ reaction to it. We know very little about her feelings. In "Odyssey" it is different - there is nothing mysterious.

Each warrior has the same set of qualities, but the images are unique. Each of the characters expresses one aspect of the national Greek spirit. There are types in the poem: elders, wives, etc. The central place is occupied by the image of Achilles. He is great, but mortal. Homer wanted to depict the poetic apotheosis of heroic Greece. Heroism is Achilles’ conscious choice. Epic Valor of Achilles: Brave, strong, fearless, war cry, fast running. In order for the heroes to be different, the number of different qualities is different - an individual characteristic. Achilles has impulsiveness and immensity. Homer's characteristics: he knows how to compose songs and sings them. The second most powerful warrior is Ajax the Great. He has too much ambition. Achilles is fleet-footed, Ajax is clumsy and slow. The third is Diomedes. The main thing is complete selflessness, which is why Diomedes is granted victory over the gods. Epithets: Achilles and Odysseus have more than 40. In battle, Diomedes does not forget about the economy. The leaders of the campaign are depicted in conflict with epic laws. The authors of the epic write objectively. But Homer has many epithets for his favorite heroes. The Atrides have few epithets. Diomedes reproaches Agamemnon: “Zeus did not give you valor.” A different attitude towards Nestor, Hector and Odysseus. Hector is one of Homer's favorite heroes; he is reasonable and peaceful. Hector and Odysseus do not rely on the gods, so Hector is inherent in fear, but this fear does not affect his actions, since Hector has epic valor, which includes epic shame. He feels responsible to the people he is protecting.

Celebration of wisdom. Elders: Priam and Nestor. Nestor survived three generations of people, thirty years each. New wisdom: the intelligence of Odysseus. This is not experience, but mental flexibility. Odysseus is also distinguished by: all the heroes strive for immortality - it is offered to him twice, but he exchanges it for his homeland.

Homer first gives us the experience of comparative characterization. Song 3 of the Iliad: Helen talks about the heroes. Menelaus and Odysseus are compared. + synopsis

In poems we see many images of heroes. Each of them has its own unique character, each of them is multifaceted. The characters’ experiences are not yet complex; they are revealed through external reactions, i.e. the hero blushes, gets angry, grabs his sword. All feelings come out, everything is childishly simple. Characters are not given in development, they are constantly static. But they are unfolding. Much of the characters’ behavior is explained by God’s intervention: sudden decisions and actions, sudden changes in mood. The author uses various techniques to characterize the characters. Helen's beauty is never described; it is revealed through the perception of the Trojan elders. With the help of Elena, character is given to the heroes. Sometimes the author knows how to show the characters’ experiences in the first line. All the images of the poems reflect the folk ideals of that era. Thus, the main idea of ​​the “Illiad” is the glorification of military valor, heroism, and patriotism. All heroes are revealed from a military point of view. Achilles is an ideal warrior - his courage, physical strength, courage, agility, and speed are limitless. His battle cry is terrifying. Loyalty in friendship: revenge for Patroclus. But although Achilles is an ideal warrior, he has many weaknesses, he is aware of them and condemns them. The paired image of Achilles is the image of Hector, the Trojan leader. Hector is an ideal warrior, a brave, talented commander, a patriot, who sacrifices his life for the sake of his homeland. Sense of duty and military honor. At the same time, Hector is a wonderful family man: a loving husband and father, a wonderful husband. The poet draws Hector with great sympathy. The image of Agamemnon is not entirely positive - the king is unjust, soulless. Achilles calls him “the king-devourer of the people.” He treats his enemies with amazing cruelty. In “O” the main ideological task is the glorification of worldly wisdom, experience, and important rules of everyday morality. The ideal hero is Odysseus, a multifaceted, bright character: smart, cunning, eloquent, long-suffering, has the ability to find a way out of any hopeless situation, find an approach to any person, optimism, perseverance, he never loses heart. These qualities are O. Typical for that era when a person breaks away from his tribe and goes on a journey. The author does not condemn O.’s cunning, because this is a white lie. In the tragedies of Euripides, O. turned into a negative hero. The wonderful quality of Odysseus is love for his homeland, patriotism, he refuses to exchange his homeland even for eternal youth and immortality. A wonderful family man, O. is pious. All images of the poem reflect the humanity of the author. The characteristic for all the heroes is a passionate love of life with the awareness of its hardships and brevity; each of them tries to live it with dignity and leave a mark. A sense of comradeship, mutual support, all heroes sacredly honor the law of hospitality.

8. The image of Odysseus and what is new in the concept of the hero compared to the Iliad

The image of Odysseus in the Homeric epic.

Odysseus is the most striking figure of the Ionian epic. This is not just a diplomat and practitioner, and certainly not just a cunning hypocrite. The practical and business inclination of his nature acquires its true significance only in connection with his selfless love for his native hearth and his waiting wife, as well as his constantly difficult fate, forcing him to continuously suffer and shed tears far from his homeland. Odysseus is primarily a sufferer. His constant epithet in the Odyssey is “long-suffering.” Athena speaks with great feeling to Zeus about his constant suffering. Poseidon is constantly angry with him, and he knows this very well. If not Poseidon, then Zeus and Helios break his ship and leave him alone in the middle of the sea. His nanny wonders why the gods are constantly indignant at him, given his constant piety and submission to the will of the gods. His grandfather gave him the name precisely as “the man of divine wrath.” The motive of love for the homeland. In the 10th song of the Iliad, Odysseus is glorified in war. In the Iliad, he fights bravely and is even wounded, but Diomedes tries to keep him from fleeing and reproaches him for cowardice. Cunning, fantasy of cunning. Either he gets out of the cave under the belly of a ram, grabbing its wool, and thereby deceives the vigilance of the blind Polyphemus. Then he intoxicates the Cyclops and the cannibal and gouges out his only eye. Either he slips past the sirens, where no one has ever passed alive and well, then he makes his way into his own palace and takes possession of it. He himself speaks of his subtle cunning, and Polyphemus guessed that it was not the strength, but the cunning of Odysseus that destroyed him. Odysseus is a complete adventure, resourcefulness. He lies even when there is no need for it, but his patronizing Athena praises him for this:

If you were very thieving and cunning, who could compete with you?

Could use all sorts of tricks; it would be difficult for God too.

Always the same: a cunning man, insatiable in deceit! Really,

Even when you find yourself in your native land, you cannot stop

False speeches and deceptions that you loved from childhood?

Introducing himself to Achilles, he announces himself: I am Odysseus Laertides. I am famous among all people for my cunning inventions. My glory reaches to heaven.

Everyone praises Odysseus's love for Penelope. He was both the husband of Calypso, and, moreover, for at least seven years, and the husband of Kirka, and according to other sources, he even had children from them. However, he prefers returning to his homeland to immortality. He spent his nights with Calypso, and during the day he cried on the seashore. Odysseus also likes to assume the appearance of a merchant and entrepreneur: he is a very prudent owner. Arriving in Ithaca, he first of all rushes to count the gifts that were left for him by the Phaeacians. Finally, let us add to all that has been said the brutal cruelty shown by this humane and sensitive person. Tracking down the suitors, he chooses an opportune moment to deal with them and their corpses fill the entire palace. The sacrificial fortuneteller Leod tries to ask him for mercy, but he blows his head off. Melantius was cut into pieces and given to dogs to eat; Telemachus, on the orders of his father, hanged his unfaithful servants on a rope. After this wild massacre, Odysseus, as if nothing had happened, hugs the maids and even sheds tears, and then has a happy meeting with his wife.

So, Homer’s Odysseus is the deepest patriot, the bravest warrior, sufferer, diplomat, merchant, entrepreneur, resourceful adventurer, woman lover, wonderful family man and cruel executioner.