Preview

Captain Odysseus Journal Entry

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
692 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Captain Odysseus Journal Entry
The Diary of Captain Odysseus

Entry 1

The smell of fresh entrails is so strong I must cover my mouth with a dirty rag as I write this. I am staring at my comrade, Lieutenant Dan, and observing his condition: a bone protruded out of his leg which moved with his rattling breath – it is a cruel fate to be confined to, to be a good soldier and merely wanting to return to the country he loved. His moaning seems synchronised with the rocking lifeboat, and his muscles, visible to the naked eye, writhed underneath the surface as he drew breath. The weather seems to agree with the mood – the sky this morning seems reflects a grey iron curtain that refuses to roll back and reveal daylight. The mood of the other three men on the ship seems to sour the air I breathe, they look at me a soulless, lifeless stare.
…show more content…
A violent storm had torn through our metal sanctuary like paper and left myself – Captain Odysseus, captain of the ship – Lieutenant Dan, and 3 other men unknown to me huddled within a dank, cramped lifeboat. Lieutenant Dan had served with me on the frontline. We had fought together, killed together, and it now seems as if we will die together.

Last night was the first time I have slept peacefully since my 10 years of war. Upon these last days I have decided to write these passages to account for my following my departure of the battlefield. I fear in my heart for my wife and son and their suffering upon my death, so I write this in the hope that it will provide them some

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Odysseus Research Paper

    • 355 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Odysseus and his men (also known as the Ithankans) landed on the Aeaean island. The Aeaean island was ruled by Aeolus, the god of the winds. The Ithankans were welcomed and stayed there for a month. After one month the Ithankans began to depart to Ithka. Before they departed Aeolus gave Odysseus a bag of winds. This bag would help Odysseus and his men on their journey home. Odysseus did not tell his fellow men what the bag contains. As Odysseus and his men were arriving at Ithka Odysseus fell asleep after driving the ship for nine days. While he was asleep the men opened the bag thinking it was some type of treasure. When the bag was opened winds rushed everywhere and blew the ship back undoing the nine days of sailing. Odysseus sailed to…

    • 355 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The tone in the epic poem is bright in the beginning when Homer writes “Helios’ burning rays” and “the sun at high noon.” As the poem progresses, it takes on an ominous tone that shows Odysseus’ self-control as he “stop[s] the ears of [his] comrades one by one” with beeswax. He also has his men “[bind him] hand and foot in the tight ship…lashed by ropes to the mast.” These two examples show Odysseus fighting against his desire to listen to the Siren’s…

    • 332 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    {Odysseus is a hero in The Odyssey because of his bravery throughout the story, The Odyssey. He may have made a few unintelligent decisions however one can’t blame someone for an unintelligent decision. Odysseus was only human and no one is perfect. }…

    • 291 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The gods have played their part altering the course of the hero’s voyage. Seemingly, in the epic harmony does not last long and challenges follow Odysseus like a plague. Calypso, the audience believes holds the last installment of the global journey, our hero has yet more battles ahead of him. In fact, the king of Ithaca wandered the Mediterranean and its coastal lands for 10 years before finally arriving home. As waves crash against the raft, “he was seen sailing the ocean”(284). The sea near the land of the Phaeacians is only one region Odysseus has been driven to. All these occurs as a number of loyal citizens and a hopeful family await his return, a period when others dependence on him shines through. As Odysseus is under the angry waters…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Heroes are characterized by their intelligence and resourcefulness, strength, bravery, and loyalty. Based on this description, Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, is a hero. In the section “The Cyclops”, Odysseus represents these five characteristics in many forms. His bravery is shown when he approached the Cyclops, Polyphemus, while trapped in his cave, to yell about not obeying the gods’ rule of treating guests well, as he was not, to Odysseus and his men. A portion of what he told Polyphemus was, “We would entreat you, great sir, have a care for the gods’ courtesy; Zeus will avenge the unoffending guest.” While hollering at him, Odysseus was very much in danger of being eaten alive, being so close and yelling at…

    • 538 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” In the book, The Odyssey, written by Homer, we follow a mortal named Odysseus through his journey home to Ithaca. Odysseus faces many obstacles along his way and the way he chooses to combat them may make him appear a hero. Despite his obvious heroic qualities, Odysseus is not the hero you once thought.…

    • 317 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Throughout Homer’s “The Odyssey,” Odysseus’ actions and choices are the driving point of the plot. When he and his crew encounter Polyphemus the Cyclops, he tries to secure his legacy by shouting his real name, and giving other important information away. The Cyclops prays that a curse befall him and his friends and Poseidon hears him. After this, half of Odysseus’ men are turned into swine when they encounter an enchantress and give into temptation, and though no men are killed, the crew is again delayed in their journey by a year. Misfortune and death are prevalent throughout the consequent chapters, where men are constantly lost, and those that survive begin to lose faith in their leader. By the end of chapter 12, all of the men have died,…

    • 1412 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Soldiers go through traumatic experiences in and out of war. In war, soldiers sacrifice themselves to protect their country. Odysseus somewhat sacrifices himself to bring him and his men to safety. Losing people is a big obstacle when in and out of war. Watching your friend and fellow soldier die in front of you is one of the most horrendous experiences a soldier can face, this experience has also been faced by Odysseus. As a result of this some soldiers receive posttraumatic stress disorder. Mending wounds can…

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus is gone from Ithaka for many years, and his hall is now teeming with suitors who wish to marry his wife, Penelope. Odysseus learns of this comes up with a clever plan with his son to reclaim his household. Odysseus and his son are outnumbered, and they know they cannot reclaim their house with just weaponry. With the help of Athena, Odysseus is disguised as a beggar. wearing “an old tunic, a foul cloak, upon him, / tattered, filthy, stained by greasy smoke, / and over that a mangy big buck skin” (XIII.543-546). This disguise greatly contrasts what is associated with great Odysseus, fooling everyone, and “the swineherd later on will take me down the port-side trail--a beggar by my looks; hangdog and old” (XVI .322-324). He infiltrates his home unnoticed, and this allows him to find out who is loyal to him through the words they speak. For example, he learns the cowman is devoted to him, saying that “tears came to my eyes, remembering / Odysseus: rags like these he may be wearing” (XX.225-226). The thought of his old king in rags, away from home causes him to tear him up, revealing that he is loyal. Odysseus also tells his son to “round up all armor, lances, gear of war / left in our hall, and stow the lot away” (XVI. 337-338) and to “put aside two broadswords and two spears / for our own use” (XVI 352-353). Odysseus is shrewd, knowing that he must hide away the weapons so the suitors cannot fight back when he strikes. Odysseus’ plan allows for him to take back what he lost, showing that Book XVI, where Odysseus introduces his plan, should be in the subsection, “Nohbdy’s…

    • 687 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On the island of Helios all of Odysseus’ men were killed. After, Odysseus set sail alone on the open sea. Then a terrible storm hit and the waves become treacherous. When his boat gets wrecked, he stays afloat by, “...lashing mast and keel together ,” riding the frightful storm(797-798). He works so hard by trying the parts of the boat together just to keep afloat. If he hadn't done this he would have died in the ocean and would have never made it home to his family. This is representing his will to survive and his loyalty to his journey. After all his hardships and sacrifices, he finally made it back to his home of Ithaca. When he sees his wife Penelope for the first time in twenty years, “...he wept at last..” knowing that his wife was “clear and faithful in his arms”(1408-1409). THis let him know that the hardships that he faced were worth it. He finally made it home to his family and his…

    • 980 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    On the subject of heroism, Maya Angelou once wrote that “I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people” (Angelou). The general picture that comes to mind when the word “hero” is said is the idea of Superman or Wonder Woman; however, a true hero is anyone who tries to make their world a better place. Odysseus, the hero in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, fought in the Trojan War and embarked on a ten year journey to return to his kingdom, Ithaca. During his quest to return home, he encounters many supernatural forces that show both his heroic, and not so heroic actions. He faces countless challenges, meets new people, and has to make sacrifices for the overall benefit of his crew (Bowler and Homer 645-705).…

    • 1620 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus is an epic hero because of all the challenging obstacles he had to overcome. He is strong and brave by never giving up, but rather determined to fulfill his accomplishments as a young and adventurous man. Odysseus was also very cunning, knowing how to create and form the ideal way to sabotage the Trojans. Such a bold hero and great father that seeks to win the 10 year war with the Trojans and succeeds. Although, weaknesses lye in every man as a human necessity and even this 'Hero' has one.…

    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Odysseus In The Odyssey

    • 343 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A critical event in anyone’s life can change people way of thinking and/or reacting, like Odysseus. In the book the Odyssey, we learned the story about the great warrior Odysseus, who was trying to go home, from a long and brutal war against Troy. He was a great fighter who demonstrated his strength and power in the Trojan War, but his prideful, hubris, and impulsive personality, made his journey back home be extremely long. Throughout most of the story of the Odyssey, there are many examples that demonstrate how Odysseus reacts to certain situation, and how his personality and the way he is, gets him in a lot of trouble. His whole voyage allowed Odysseus to see the outcomes of his reactions, which help him change from being an impulsive person, to a person that strategically plans his actions and waits for the right time to act upon them. The difficult, tedious, and long journey that Odysseus went through just to get to his home town in Ithika, changed him, for the better.…

    • 343 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus: A Greek Hero

    • 130 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Greeks idea of a hero is very different from the idea of a hero today. The Greeks saw heroes as someone that was more than life, someone who battled monsters and gods, who did the impossible and went on dangerous quests. Odysseus is one of these heroes. He is a greek hero from the story the odyssey, this man was said to be half god half man, he out tricked the trojans only to find himself on a 20 year trip filled with monsters and gods. He shows leadership “‘friends have we never been in danger?’” (?) and cunning. He defeats the cyclopes and resisted the siren's song. but like every hero in the greeks mythology he has a fatal flaw. Achilles had his heel and odysseys had…

    • 130 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the Epic, Odyssey by Homer Odysseus has to save his men and get them home. Odysseus is a modern day hero hero. He qualifies for the job because first he is brave, cunning, and determined. He made smart decisions and knows how to get out of sticky situations. Second he is brave and he is ready for whatever comes his way. Although the ancient greeks consider odysseus a hero epic hero, according Modern day to Ethos and Logos he fails to measure by modern standards.…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays