How People Avoid Challenges In Homer's The Odyssey
People often make the mistake of avoiding challenges that come in life. The Odyssey, written by Homer, tells the story of Odysseus’ arduous journey home from Troy. During his 10-year trek, he encounters many temptations of a life of ease that would test his determination to return home. Although this literary classic was written over 2500 years ago, it is still studied today and is one of the most influential texts in Western literature. The Odyssey is a timeless literary composition, because it shows how human nature causes people to make mistakes that would prevent them from achieving their destiny. Homer asserts that in order to live a fulfilled life, people must reach out of their comfort zone and stand up to all of the challenges that
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The lotus eaters show how people can hurt themselves by choosing a life of ease: “Any crewman who ate the lotus, the honey-sweet fruit, lost all desire to end a message back, much less return, their only wish was to linger there … all memory of the journey home dissolved forever” (9, 106-111). After eating the lotus, the crewmembers did not want to return home, because they did not want to struggle through all of the obstacles that would appear on their journey home or any other challenges that would come in life. Although they would not have to suffer anymore, not wanting to return home would be a tragic mistake, because it would cause them to live the rest of their lives without progressing. If a person stops “moving”, they would live without a purpose and would not accomplish anything in life. Odysseus reinforces this idea that is shown throughout this composition when he tells Calypso, “I pine—all my days—to travel home and see the dawn of my return. And if a god wreck me…I can bear that too with a spirit tempered to endure” (5, 241-244). Although Calypso offered a life of luxury, ease, and immortality, Odysseus still longed for the trials of life. Odysseus and his crew had made many sacrifices to bring Odysseus to where he was and he did not want to misuse it by choosing to live a life without meaning or accomplishment. He believed that he would waste all of the hard work and
The lotus eaters show how people can hurt themselves by choosing a life of ease: “Any crewman who ate the lotus, the honey-sweet fruit, lost all desire to end a message back, much less return, their only wish was to linger there … all memory of the journey home dissolved forever” (9, 106-111). After eating the lotus, the crewmembers did not want to return home, because they did not want to struggle through all of the obstacles that would appear on their journey home or any other challenges that would come in life. Although they would not have to suffer anymore, not wanting to return home would be a tragic mistake, because it would cause them to live the rest of their lives without progressing. If a person stops “moving”, they would live without a purpose and would not accomplish anything in life. Odysseus reinforces this idea that is shown throughout this composition when he tells Calypso, “I pine—all my days—to travel home and see the dawn of my return. And if a god wreck me…I can bear that too with a spirit tempered to endure” (5, 241-244). Although Calypso offered a life of luxury, ease, and immortality, Odysseus still longed for the trials of life. Odysseus and his crew had made many sacrifices to bring Odysseus to where he was and he did not want to misuse it by choosing to live a life without meaning or accomplishment. He believed that he would waste all of the hard work and