Rather than revisiting this week's discussions, I want to look ahead to the final books of The Odyssey. Specifically, I'd like to know whether the book met your expectations and answered your questions. (You might look back at the previous post on this topic to see what you wrote at the time.) When you finally read the last line and closed the covers of this rather hefty volume, were you satisfied with the ending? Did you experience a sense of closure? Did the text deliver the "happily ever after" conclusion that many of you were hoping for? Or did it deliver something perhaps even greater than that? Finally, would you say that The Odyssey is an example of a "good and true story" as we discussed on Thursday? Take a stab at any or all of these questions, and as always, provide adequate "why" or "why not" evidence.
Given the huge emphasis on battles in the text, I found the ending quite abrupt. Athena expends so much energy ensuring that Odysseus fights the suitors. She is hell bent on a blood bath. Then when the family members of the men come for revenge she begs Zeus to make peace. (Bk 24. Line525) "Will you prolong the pain, the cruel fighting here" Isn't she the one that was trying to encourage the fighting a few chapters back? Then she just yells and everyone goes home? What kind of ending is that? After all he's been through I have a very difficult time believing that it would end so peacefully.
ReplyDeleteIn my earlier post I said that I hoped Odysseus would become a little more modest and mature and that Penelope would realize her self-worth by the end of this story.
ReplyDeleteIn Book 21 Athena inspires Penelope to have the suitors compete for her hand. Athena "lavished immortal gifts" (18.214) on Penelope to make her look even more beautiful to the suitors and they begin to complement her much more as a result. Even Telemachus complements his mother saying she has no equal (21.121-125). Penelope has more agency in the later books than she does at the beginning.
Odysseus definitely takes care of business in the last books. He kills all of the suitors and the unfaithful maids. After cleansing his house he finally reveals himself to Penelope. The point of his secrecy was discussed in class. Was Odysseus really excited to see his wife? I think that Odysseus earns his way back into Penelope's house by getting rid of the suitors. It's a strategic move. He shows a lot of self control in the final books of the Odyssey. I think Odysseus grew as a character. I was satisfied with the end of the book--although it does end abruptly.
As a first-time reader of “The Odyssey”, I’d have to say that its ending didn’t really give me a sense of closure. I thought that the declaration of peace (“Call a halt to the great leveler, War—don’t court the rage of Zeus who rules the world!” [XXIV.596-598]) was too vague; I need a concrete ending! I felt as though everything we’d read in the book was going to be resolved in this fantastic conclusion, only to find that it was settled in just a few lines. For me, a more specific, maybe even lengthy, conclusion would have been more satisfying.
ReplyDeleteI would venture to say, though, that “The Odyssey” is indeed a good and true story. My personal feeling about good and true stories is that they are designed to keep us questioning. We read a story and formulate questions in our minds; the more questions we have, the more driven we are to finish our reading. As I was finishing the last few pages of the book, I found myself asking how the tale could be ending already when I still had a multitude of questions waiting to be answered. What happens to Telemachus? Do Odysseus and Penelope live happily ever after? Is someone going to die in this battle? Although I thought the ending of the book was vague, I suppose it does allow for interpretation and can answer some of our questions if we allow it to. I may never find out what really happens to Odysseus and Penelope, but at least I know that they live peacefully ever after!
I was quite surprised by the ending of The Odyssey. As the book had been very detailed and drawn out, I expected a particularly long conclusion, however, the reader was only provided with a few paragraphs. I was surprised at how brief the closure was and considered the topic we discussed in class of Homer not writing the whole text. It gave the cliché feeling of a “happily ever after” with lines such as “glad at heart” and “Athena handed down her pacts of peace between both sides for all the years to come” (XXIII. 598-600). Throughout the entire book there is constant action and defiance, but the ending comes rather quietly as if Homer could have continued on, but got bored and just decided to abruptly halt the storyline. I thought it would have been easier to gain a sense of closure if the battles and action had not carried on until the very last page. It is hard—for any author—to have the end or any type of closure and a battle on the same page. I would not say that I feel angry about how the way the book ended, just disappointed; from such an epic poem, a reader expects a similar epic ending.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I was a little confused at why Homer decided to put in the last two lines “the daughter of Zeus whose shield is storm and thunder, but the goddess still kept Mentor’s build and voice” (XXIIII. 601-602). It seems like a much better ending to just cut it off at “years to come.” Yet Homer decides to add a few more minor details into the last lines that seem irrelevant to the reader. Also, bringing up Athena’s shield of “storm and thunder” only provides an opposing image to what just had happened in the text. Although Athena was the ultimate inducer for the fights, she pacifies the men, yet is still described as one who indulges in fire. The juxtaposition of images in such close context only brought on confusion as the story came to a close.
In my earlier blog I questioned Odysseus’ motivation to return home which grew into another question of his decision to not inform his family and friends of his return. In the last three books, most of my question was answered. After all the random places Odysseus stopped on his journey, compared with the awful treatment he received as a beggar in his own palace, there was a lot of revenge to be had. In order to successfully achieve this revenge, it was critical to keep his return quiet. As well as Penelope’s reaction to his return in that he had to prove to her by the knowledge of their rooted bed. (XXIII, 222-229)
ReplyDeleteOverall, I believe this is a good story based on the events, characters, and action packed ending that kept much of my interest alive. I enjoyed the ending, but I enjoyed the suitors’ slaughter and Odysseus’ revenge more. The ending started well when there was closure between Penelope and Odysseus and honestly, I think the story should have ended there. (XXIII, 388) I totally agree with Christa in that Athena urged so much anger and fight into Odysseus over the suitors, but quickly added closure to the story once more by bringing peace down upon the townspeople and Odysseus. (XXIV, 525) Therefore, it was a good and true story until it broke down and let the gods completely solve the issue.
When reading the conclusion to The Odyssey, I did feel a sense of closure, but I was left rather unhappy with the ending. I feel that closure came about because Athena laid down her “pacts of peace” (XXIV, 599), thus suggesting all conflicts had been resolved and no more questions would be asked of the reader. However, I was unsatisfied with the ending because it felt very abrupt. At one moment another battle was about to begin and in the next moment it was immediately rectified. Being that the rest of the novel was so detail-oriented, giving prolonged explanations for the events that occurred, I felt as though the final scene should have been more elaborate. Personally, I would have preferred the book to end when Penelope and Odysseus were reunited (XXIII, 230-290). I guess that would have been more in line with my expectations for the novel.
ReplyDeleteFinally, I feel as though The Odyssey is a “good and true story.” In my opinion, a story that fits this description is one that keeps the reader engaged and curious, all while displaying some “real-life” qualities in the characters, even if they are characters that could not really exist or if they are put in surreal situations. The Odyssey kept me asking questions which allowed me to stay captivated – I always wanted to know where the story would lead me next. Also, I felt the characters, be they human or mythical, displayed qualities I could relate to in some way. Being that I was able to connect to them, I was more interested in them and I cared more about them, which was also important in keeping me engaged in the book.
As a first-time reader of The Odyssey, I must say that the ending was not super surprising, just vague. It DOES give off the "happily-ever-after" feeling" and I cannot say that I would change it in any way. I would, however, add more to the final few pages. As someone above stated, the entire story is drawn out and explained in great detail, yet when it comes down to the end, the resolution is stated in just a few lines. Athena advises Odysseus to "hold back now! Call a halt to the great leveler, War - don't court the rage of Zeus who rules the world!" (Book 24, lines 596-597) And that's it. That's all we get. It does leave some speculation hanging in the air. Like, what happens between Odysseus and Penelope? Does Laertes regain his strength and live on? What happens to Athena now that Odysseus is safely back home? But, on the other hand, I suppose there are typically always questions that you could pose after you finish any book. I find it rare that you finish a book and can confidently say that all the loose ends were tied up.
ReplyDeleteAs far as whether or not this story is "good and true," I suppose I'd have to say yes. To me, a good and true story is one that connects to its audience, makes them feel as though they are experiencing the story along with the characters. This does not necessarily mean that the story has to be TRUE (in terms of fiction or non-fiction). I am not one who typically enjoys books like this, and I must admit that I would have rather been reading Nicholas Sparks but surprisingly, it wasn't too bad. The plot line was obviously intriguing and kept me interested from Book 1. Overall, a good read.
I felt like the book had an uncompleted ending. All of a sudden there is a sudden war between Odysseus and his men and the families of the suitors. However, before the war can start Athena creates peace in Ithaca (XXIV: 550-602). I felt there should have either been a big battle or not even a thought of a battle. I imagined the ending to be like perfect movie. Odysseus tells Penelope it’s him and then tell his father he is alive. Next, they all live together as one big happy family. I would have liked more to the story after Athena created peace in Ithaca. I feel that a line about how Odysseus goes back to his family and lived out his years happily would have made the story more complete.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I've previously read The Odyssey, I didn't remember the ending so it was just as surprising as if I just read it for the first time. Like Christa said earlier, I thought the ending was very abrupt and although it did give closure, it seemed to be a forced ending. Like we discussed in class, the last few chapters were very detailed and descriptive, I felt book 24 was rushed and didn’t really fit the flow of the rest of the book. The first part of the chapter was a visit back into the house of the dead that was visited earlier by Odysseus, but then suddenly changes to the scene of visiting Laertes. It also seems unfitting what should have been a short of momentous moment of both meeting his father again and also the mobilizing of the suitors against Odysseus, was cute down and written in only a few pages. Even more disappointing than the meeting with his father was the faux battle between the suitors’ families and Odysseus and his followers. It was especially anticlimactic when after Laertes threw a spear to what would have instigated the fight, to have Athena tell them to stop and the just listen and leave at that, no more fighting (595-603). The last chapter was so miss-fitted and all over the place it was hard to follow and although didn’t ruin the story because there was closure after all, but was a very abrupt and unsatisfying ending to me. As far as good and true story based on what we discussed in class, I do believe the Odyssey is a good story as it’s a classic work of literature for centuries; being a true piece of work can be debated but is most obvious when the book gets into the dynamics, relationships, and insights into the different characters in the story.
ReplyDeleteAfter having finished the Odyssey, I believe that I was given a sense of closure, but not because everything was happily ever after, but because I thought by the end of the story Odysseus had experienced a personal growth. Like we have discussed in class, his conversation with Penelope and even his conversation with Laertes at the end of the story show a very emotional and honest side to Odysseus. He seems very content and satisfied with coming back to his life in Ithica. I do agree with most of the other bloggers/classmates, that the ending was very abrupt. I think that if there was any question about the power of the gods, the ending proves that the gods have an enormous influence over the mortals. (24; 585) Athena asked Odysseus to make peace, had Athena not interceded the end of this book could have been a total disaster with the murder of many townsmen. I believe the gods had the last say in how the story went, and to me this seemed rather abrupt. I would say overall the chapter peace was kind of disappointing for me the most climactic scene was probably his conversation with Penelope because she had longed for him for so many years, and we finally saw joy and life again in Penelope. I would say overall the story was very good, and it exceeded my expectations.
ReplyDeleteIn my other post I basically said that I hoped Odysseus would finally return home, take revenge on the suitors, and basically ‘live happily ever after’ with his wife and son. Essentially, I think the story met my earlier requirements but there was also a feeling of a very quick or abrupt ending.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Corinne that it was quite surprising actually how abruptly the story ended after reading this long, drawn-out, and rather detailed book. It, as Corinne said, did give the feeling of a happily ever after with the passages such as “glad at heart” and “Athena handed down her pacts of peace between both sides for all the years to come” (XXIII. 598-600). But I feel that maybe it left more to be desired and that Homer maybe could have continued the story. I honestly cannot say where I think he could have or should have gone but I do think it could have continued. Even a longer conclusion maybe would have been more satisfying than the few lines that were given, “Call a halt to the great leveler, War—don’t court the rage of Zeus who rules the world!” (XXIV.596-598)
Also, I would like to address the topic of Odysseus growing as a person. I know in class we discussed the topic of Odysseus not revealing himself to Penelope and in the end I agree with Annie that this was an act of strategy. I feel like you can see Odysseus as a more patient person and more able to control his anger versus the person we see throughout the book who is easily angered and not very patient. With now dealing with the suitors we see Odysseus having much more self-control. Even though he has to stand there and watch how the suitors are treating him and his home he is able to remain in disguise and fulfill his plan.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading the Odyssey and I am really glad that we read it in this class because I know that otherwise I never would have.
The ending did not provoke too much emotion either way for me. I do think that we were able to see the positive side that Odysseus was back at home with Penelope and the suitors were gone. However, it is kind of a brutal killing. He literally kills everyone.To me that was kind of intense, even though I do believe that they were in the wrong for the past 20 years. The ending was cut short as I know some others said above me. Once we got to the peak of the story and saw that Odysseus was home (where we wanted him the whole time) it went entirely too slow. The ending sped up, Odysseus saved the day, and Athena granted him his way. Again, as I have said I am not against the idea that he got his way because he did go through a lot of hardship to get there while suitors were taking all of his belongings. I just think that Homer could have given the battle more justice as it deserved.
ReplyDeleteI also think that it is interesting that Athena closes it all out. The story is concluded by her. The line most interesting to me would be when Zeus says, "Do as your heart desires-- but let me tell you how it should be done," (24.483). As I read this I found it humorous because it suggests that yes she has the final say but she is being told what to do from someone else. It goes into the whole question of whether or not the gods are in control or if the humans are. This takes that question to a deeper one...which gods are truly in control? We have seen her ask for Zeus's permission, as well as, Poisedon.
I was glad that the ending had closure and Odysseus was back with his family. However, I think it was rushed and there was not enough detail and time given to the final books and scenes.
For me the ending brought sufficient closure. It pieced together the culmination of events that the narrative had been building to throughout the story. Sure the ending did seem somewhat abrupt but i try and view it in the context it was probably given when first written. This was probably a story verbally told before it was written, so from that aspect the ending makes sense. I believe that the main objectives were given adequate ending. The reader got an entire chapter on the slaughter of the suitors and for the reuniting of Odysseus. The part that seemed brief to me was the situation with vengeful family members of the suitors. However this problem was not introduced until the final stages of the book. In all reality it probably could have been left out. This last part was simply there to create complete closure of the story, not to be some new great complication in Odysseus's quest for peace.
ReplyDeleteI will be honest here - there were times over the last month that I never thought I would finish this book. I felt like Odysseus was chasing his tail for years and years (or hundreds of pages, in book time) and neither he nor the narrative really made any progress. Happily, that wasn't the case in the last 6 or so books, which I appreciated enormously, though I can't help but feel like the last portion of the tale was somewhat incongruous with the rest of it (I know, I'm impossible to please).
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Rachel and Corinne in their opinions on the inadequacy of the ending, particularly when contrasted with the rest of the book. After following Odysseus' horrific quest to return home for two decades, an ending so neatly tied up in the space of a few pages seemed very abrupt to me. There weretesting situations for Odysseus, such as his wife consenting to take a new husband (21; 85) and horrific bloodbaths (22; 278) until the very end , when Athena stands up and just goes, "Okay, hang on, we're finished with the fighting. Let's do peace now."
This begs the question, what on Earth is Athena's motivation? This has been irksome for me throughout the narrative; Athena spent so much time riling up Odysseus (as we see her doing yet again in 22; line 236), the suitors, Telemachus, and manipulating people to coerce them into lying to one another, fighting, and murdering. And yet, she is the one calling for peace (24; 596) immediately afterwards. Part of me is convinced that Athena had some sort of grand plan all along - whether all of Penelope's suitors somehow made it onto her hit list, or if she was simply bored and in want of some entertainment - and once she decided she was bored with the whole ordeal, she called it all off.
I don't know that the ancient Greek gods were necessarily good or evil - it seems to me like they are simply temperamental and moody, much like human beings - so it's hard to say where Athena was coming from.
As I said in my previous post I tend to want the fairy tale endings and the Odyssey didn't quite deliver. Throughout the book I wanted a bllody ending for the suitors and they certainly got that. Odysseus comes and retakes his house in a bloody and conquering style. XXII.408 I found it interesting that after 20 years apart the first thing that Penelope and Odysseus do is fight. XXIII.229 The story however was fantastic it made me glad to see Odysseus extract his revenge on the suitors and reclaim his house. I was disappointed with the end however. I wish that Homer had gone into greater lengths about the future for Odysseus and his family. You see all the way to the end that Athena was by Odysseus' side. She is the last one to be talked about in the book and you can see that she may be a more important character than Odyseeus himself. Overall I enjoyed the ending and found that it answered most of my questions.
ReplyDeleteI was actually fairly disappointed with the ending. The build up for this novel was fantastic. All these exciting journeys, hearing all about the cunning and incredible Odysseus, watching Penelope's pain and the suitors greed. Then the rest feels like Homer got tired of telling the story and wrapped it up quick.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for a more romantic and happy wrap up between Odysseus and Penelope. I mean, they haven't seen in other in 20 years, I feel like emotions would be a bit stronger. Also I was hoping for more on the relationships with Telemachus and Laertes, Odysseus's father. I feel like there could have been a lot more about their relationships. While I do feel a sense of closure reading the last few chapters, I wish there would have been more!
As I predicted from my previous blog post, I got the happily-ever-after ending that I wanted. Although I did feel like I got some sense of closure, I still felt some sort of disappointment as to how the story ended. I feel like the towards the end of the book, the author was trying to squeeze in a series of events in the last couple chapters, and it all just seemed so abrupt. Judging by the end of the book, it seems that the gods have full and ultimate control of all mortals (24.599).
ReplyDeleteI felt that the ending to the Odyssey was very abrupt and just sort of ended. I thought that I was going to experience another big fight scene between the men of Ithica and Odysseus. I did think it was funny how when Athena went to ask Zeus to make peace between the two sides he tells her this in book 24 line 532 “do as your heart desires-but let me tell you how it should be done.” This clearly states who is really running the show. I wouldn’t say that I felt a sense of closure because the scene that Athena just appears and makes the two sides make peace was unrealistic to me. However, I was glad that Odysseus got his revenge on the suitors and took back his home. I would say that the Odyssey is a good story, but not a true story. A true story to me is a story with facts and events that can occur in real life. In the Odyssey there was tons of fictional characters and events that occurred that made the story interesting but not a true story.
ReplyDeleteAfter finishing the Odyssey, I have very mixed feelings about whether or not there was sufficient closure. I agree with basically everyone that Book XXIV ended very abruptly. The intervention of Zeus and Athena to prevent the battle is about as close to the literal meaning of "deux ex machina" as you can get, and I feel that the final two lines, "the daughter of Zeus whose shield is storm and thunder, yes, but the goddess still kept mentors build and voice" (XXIV. 601-602), failed to leave me as the reader with a lasting impression of the story as a whole. In my opinion, the ending does not do justice to an otherwise engaging and powerful narrative.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I do not necessarily agree that the story ended vaguely. While the final lines left something to be desired, the final few books provided some excellent closure. Odysseus is reunited with his son, wife, and father, and he kills the suitors and regains his kingdom. The narrative even reveals how the rest of Odysseus life will play out when Odysseus explains, "And at last, my own death will steal upon me... a gentle, painless death, far from the see it comes to take me down, borne down with the years in ripe old age" (XXIII. 321-323). I also especially enjoy the scene where Odysseus tells Penelope his entire tale, because I feel like it does a great job of tying the whole narrative together.
Overall, I do think that the Odyssey is a good and true story. I was emotionally invested in the characters, especially in the later books, and I thought it was great to see them grow and develop throughout the narrative and finally find happiness in the end. In my opinion, it is this relatability of the characters that makes a story good and true.
My expectations of the Odyssey shifted as I got further into the book. I would say that it wasn’t quite what I had expected in the end. I agree that the Odyssey seemed to end abruptly. Not only did the final pages end abruptly, but also the overall battle at Ithaca. Odysseus spent at least a whole book in the Odyssey telling the story of his journey, yet the final battle and ending was so short and sudden. I was surprised all this planning, killing action, and reuniting only took three books. I believe I am satisfied with the ending—in the fact that Odysseus had made it home and is reunited with his family and palace, Telemachus has grown into a man, and the suitors have been defeated—but the ending wasn’t what I expected. To end the fight between the mob and Odysseus, Athena’s voice cries out, stopping all the fighters, “Hold back, you men of Ithaca, back from brutal war! Break off-shed no more blood-make peace at once.”(XXIV. 584-5) Basically, with that the story was over. So the complexity of this book doesn’t seem to allow it complete closure.
ReplyDeleteI thought the ending was satisfying, but I wanted Odysseus to make a triumphant return, and instead, an angry mob tries to kill him because he killed the suitors. I was happy with the reunion of Penelope and Odysseus, however. I believed it made her seem so much like a real human being, how “so joyous now to her the sight of her husband, vivid in her gaze, that her white arms, embracing his neck would never for a moment let him go…”(XXIV. 269-72) I feel this is exactly how someone who had been longing and grieving for her husband so long would have felt in the presence of her husband.
To me, I believe the Odyssey is a “good and true” tale. Being “good and true”, it has a moral and value system instilled in it. It involves “good vs. evil” or “hero vs. villain”, with the good always coming out with the upper hand in the end, which I think we, as humans, seem to have some underlying factor in us that delights when we know that good triumphed over evil. In some way or another, a “good and true” book allows us to connect to the character or characters, bring us into the book, as if we are a part of it, which I believe the Odyssey had fulfilled. In the end, closure and satisfaction is where “true” comes in. Our questions should be answered and truths shall be revealed in that we know that what didn’t make sense has come together and all the pieces of the puzzle are put together. In the Odyssey I believe the questions are answered, just not as predictably as we’d thought.
The ending of this book was awesome! Odysseus and Telemachus created a smart strategy and killed all the suitors. The ending of this book was pretty much what I thought it would turn out as. All the suitors would die, Odysseus would be reunited with Penelope, and go see his father Laertes. Pretty much it was a happy ending and it provided closure, especially when Athena stopped all the suitor's families from taking revenge on Odysseus. If that had not happened then I would have wondered more about the story and would not have gotten that sense of closure. But because Athena and Zeus decided that enough was enough, the book gave me a sense of complete closure. These two sections of the text gave me closure, "[...]if Athena, daughter of storming Zeus, had not cried out in a piercing voice that stopped all the fighters cold, 'Hold back, you men of Ithaca, back from brutal war! Break off-shed no more blood-make peace at once!'"(XXIV. 582-585). This line was important because it caused all of the suitors to drop their weapons and flee. Then the book says, "So she commanded. He obeyed her, glad at heart. And Athena handed down her pacts of peace between both sides for all the years to come" (XXIV. 598-600). This shows that the book comes to a complete end because peace on both sides has been obtained and enforced by a God, so Odysseus has nothing to worry about. It was a "happily ever after" ending because the book ends with everything good happening. The suitors are dead, Odysseus is back with his son, wife, and father, and they have all been shown that Odysseus is indeed Odysseus. Also there is peace enforced by a God, and nothing bad seems to be able to happen. Even in the Kingdom of the Dead, the dead ghosts of the suitors are unable to win any sympathy from Agamemnon because he likes Odysseus more than them and is glad for Odysseus and not sorry that the suitors ended up dead, which is really funny.
ReplyDeleteLauren Trout
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the Odyssey ended too abruptly to have complete closure. Here we readers had spent so much time building up to this epic battle against the suitors only to have it all end within 14 pages. Where was the real struggle? Odysseus slaughtered all of the suitors in an easy way. In book 22 lines 278-283, it literally lists off names of who killed who, there's no fight just a massacre. So for me the final battle was a bit of a disappointment. It achieved the end I wanted to see, but it was quite the struggle I was hoping for.
I also agree with what Rachel said earlier in that the book didn't provide the right amount of closure for the "happily ever after" feeling. There were so many unanswered questions, which still leaves me asking for more explanation and description. I guess I'll have to come up with some of my own conclusions for those questions.
Finally, I believe the Odyssey to be a "good and true" story. A good and true story to me is one that keeps the reader engaged, forces the reader to ask questions, and causes one to think about the story even after one has finished it. The Odyssey performed all three of these requirements for me. It kept me engaged and left me wanting to know more. The Odyssey also forced me to consider things even after reading it. For example I still wonder about the Cyclopse and why his gentle side was depicted in the story. It would have been easier to call him a monster and leave it at that, but now he has depth. He has personality and feeling. He isn't a character that one can ride off as pure evil and this brings a whole new set of questions. It's parts like this that give the Odyssey its depth if meaning. The story requires the reader to think and therefore I believe it is a "good and true" story.
Scott Evenson
ReplyDeleteThe last two chapters of the book seemed to fly by more quickly than I would have liked. After all of the lengthy discussion about how to destroy the suitors I figured that there might have been more time spent in the aftermath. The reunion of Odysseus and Penelope really lasts about 6 pages (XXIII.170-415) much of which is spent confirming Odysseus’ identity and him recounting his adventures. (XXIII.260) “The more she spoke, the more a deep desire for tears welled up inside her breast – he wept as he held the wife he loved, the soul of loyalty, in his arms at last.” There are moments like this line that give a sense of how much the reunion meant to them but it seemed that they reconciled and went to bed. Compared to other parts of the book that are less important I felt that there weren’t enough words spent for this scene. The planning for destroying the suitors last from book XVI to book XXI .
Finally the uprising of the townspeople was quickly quelled. With one line (XXIV.585) “Hold back, you men of Ithaca, back from brutal war! Break off – shed no more blood – make peace at once!” the battle is squashed.
For as short as the last two chapter were I was satisfied with the ending. Odysseus and Penelope were back together, Odysseus saw his father, the suitors got made fun of in Hell, and the townspeople were understandably upset. I was wondering whether the book would address the aftermath of killing the majority of the young nobles in Ithaca as well as those from abroad and although it was quick, I felt it was necessary.
The last few chapters definitely provide closure to the book, and do give that sense of happily ever after. Odysseus comes to save the day, and quells the situation with the suitors. Now what is interesting is how the first thing that Odysseus and Penelope do after Odysseus reveals himself is that they fight(Book 23, line 229). At this point it makes it seem like happily ever after may not come and that everything that has come to this point is going to be worthless, but in the end the make up, and in Book 24, all is calm, all is right, and they are finally settled down again as queen and king of Ithica.
ReplyDeleteAs far as being a good and true story, on Thursday in class, I was very skeptical that I would be able to place The Odyssey in this category. Up until the last couple books, I have not felt very connected to the story. It has not been a lack of enjoyment, but rather a lack of involvement and emotional connection. I think that one of the main reasons for this has been the circumstances of Odysseus' journey. Because he has been out at sea for so long, he has not had many relationships. This is an aspect of a character that I find it easy so connect with, and the lack of these relationships has made it more difficult for me to connect to Odysseus. When I think of a way to define a good and true story, I think of stories that one becomes completely involved in. It is not necessarily a matter of the realistic nature of the events of the story taking place, but rather the ability of the reader to become completely engulfed by the story.
ReplyDeleteSince finishing the book, my view on if it would be a good and true story has changed slightly. I still think that for the bulk of the book, it was very hard for me to identify with the characters and get involved as a reader, but in the last books, I felt that I was really in the story. I wanted to be able to convince Penelope that it really was Odysseus, whom she had been waiting for, who was downstairs. I could sense the compassion that Telemachus was able to convince his father to have for Phemius and Medon as he spoke, "Stop, don't cut him down! This one's innocent" (XXII.375). I could identify with Penelope's skepticism in trying to test Odysseus, wanting it to be her husband, yet in many ways, trying to not get her hopes up. "Penelope started down from her lofty room, her heart in turmoil, torn...should she keep her distance, probe her husband? Or rush up to the man at once and kiss his head and cling to both his hands?" (XXIII.96-97).
With this change in my ability to become connected to the story, it is more difficult for me to call it a good and true story or not. As a whole, most of the book would not fit my description of a good and true story, yet the end has an overwhelming influence. I would say that The Odyssey is a good and true story, and that its classification as this is entirely due to the ending. This in turn goes to prove the influence of an ending and the closure it provides to the story. the ending of a work can completely change the feeling of the book, as did the ending of The Odyssey for me.
As far as deciding if The Odyssey is a good and true story, on Thursday I was leaning towards it not fitting into this category. However, since reading the last couple books and finishing the story, my feelings on this have slightly changed. To me, a story that is good and true is one that the reader can become involved in, whether this be the realistic nature of the story, the emotional connection to the characters, or the overall enticing nature of the book . The majority of the book, up until the last few episodes, did not fit any of the criteria for me. It was not that I was not enjoying the book, but I did not feel connected to the story in any way. I think a major part of this was that Odysseus was on a solo journey for so long. The reader was never able to see his relationships, and for me this is any easy aspect of a character to identify with and become engaged in the story by.
ReplyDeleteThe last few books, however, do not follow this same pattern. As Odysseus returns home and begins to reveal himself to his friends and family, those relationships become more apparent. Along with this, there were more moments near the end of this book that I felt I could relate to emotionally. I could feel the compassion Telemachus convinced Odysseus to have in sparing Phemius and Medon in saying, “Stop, don’t cut him down! This one’s innocent. So is the herald Medon-the one who always tended me in the house when I was little-spare him too” (XXII.375). Additionally, I wanted to be there convincing Penelope to go downstairs and believe that her husband, Odysseus, had finally returned, yet also identified with her skepticism. She wanted to believe that it was her husband, yet was afraid of getting her hopes up and being let down again. “Penelope started down from her lofty room, her heart in turmoil, torn…should she keep her distance, probe her husband? Or rush up to the man at once and kiss his head and cling to both his hands?” (XXIII.96-97). These changes in the way I was able to feel as if I was a part of the story, or at least connected to a character made me begin to think of the last part of the book as a good and true story. The difficult part is deciding whether the end can make up for the majority of the book not fitting this classification. I would say the the way I felt after completing the book was that it was a good and true story, and I think that it goes to show the affect a good ending can have on the book. Only the last fifty pages or so did I really feel connected to the story, but the closure and enticing nature of the ending persuaded me to feel as if the work as a whole as a good and true story.
After spending a decent amount of time reading this book throughout the past two weeks, I expected all of my questions to be answered at the end. Now that I've finished, I can say that I am pleased with how everything turned out. I think it would be really hard on the reader (or listener), after everything Odysseus went through, for the story to end in a manner that didn't favor him. In that sense, I was expecting a happily ever after sort of ending and I don't feel ashamed to admit that I am glad I was right.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I really liked was that in the last six books or so, we saw new dimensions to characters that were a little unexpected. For example, at the very end of the last book, Athena is the one to make peace in the town. She stops Odysseus from shedding more blood when she says, "...Odysseus, master of exploits, hold back now! Call a halt to the great leveler, War- don't court the rage of Zeus who rules the world!" (XXIV. 595-597). It made me stop and think, Athena? Really? The same goddess that made the suitors even more appalling and disrespectful just so Odysseus would become even more compelled to brutally kill them all? Initially, some may have been led to believe that Athena manipulated the suitors' actions just so there would be more blood and murder. However, from the ending it is clear that she has other motives besides ensuing as much war as possible.
As far as if "The Odyssey" is a good and true story, I think it's debatable. There were times when the pages would fly by because I was very interested in what was going on, but at the same time I never read without the sole intention of being prepared for class. The story itself is exciting with all of the adventures and action that goes on, but I feel it is dragged down by the side stories that get confusing and boring. I think this would be a very interesting play or movie (if it was well done) if it stuck to the plot and cut out the extraneous parts. Overall, I'm glad I read this book because of what I have learned from it, but I will not be quick to reread the whole thing again.
Overall I thought that The Odyssey was a really good book. It was very engaging and after the second time reading it I understood a lot more about the characters and storyline. I didn't really like how it was so drawn out through Odysseus' entire journey home and then once he returned the suitors were killed and the revenge of their kin happened so fast and just abruptly ended. Athena asked Zeus to stop the fighting and make peace (B24 lines 521-526) and then two pages later Athena cries out to the men and begs them to stop and that's the end of the novel.(B24 lines583-585) I liked the ending because none of Odysseus' followers or family members died battling the suitors or the avengers but I feel that they could've made Odysseus' journey home a little shorter and added more about when he returned and how everything ended up for his family and land.
ReplyDeleteTo me, there was closure where the suitors were concerned, but not with the rest of the story. Odysseus spends nearly all of book 22 slaughtering the suitors living in his house and all of the unfaithful, conniving maids who lived in his house. And then we see the suitors in the underworld swapping stories with other dead folk. They're upset about being dead and mad about Odysseus coming back, but we leave them with them telling stories.
ReplyDeleteWe aren't left with much closer for the people who are alive though. Odysseus reveals himself to be home and reunites with his wife and father. The families of the suitors are angry and go on a "foolish, mad campaign" (XXIV; 483; line 517) to kill Odysseus in revenge of their sons deaths. However, Athena stops them. And then that's the end of things. They go to fight, are told to stop, and stop. Wimps. I didn't like it. There was no closer to anything. It does show, however, that the gods are truly in charge. The men are hell-bent on fighting, but when Athena jumps in with "make peace at once" (24;p.485; l.585)they listen and stop. The fact they wanted to fight no longer seemed to matter, Athena said make peace, so they had no other choice than to make peace.
When I had finished reading the last pages of The Odyssey and set the book down, I did not feel as much relief and closure as I thought that I would. I expected a deadly bloodbath between the suitors and the great god-like Odysseus. To that extent I felt closure, the suitors died a tragic death and finally got what they deserved. However, I would have liked to see more closure at the very end when the families of the suitors came to seek their revenge for their fallen sons. It seemed to end too abruptly. Zeus and Athena decide that after Odysseus has taken his revenge, "...let both sides seal their pacts that he shall reign for life, and let us purge their memories of the bloody slaughter of their brothers and their sons"(XXIV. 533-536). I almost felt like that's it? After all the gods have put him through, in the end they quickly decide to create peace between both sides for all the years to come. I felt like the great Odysseus should have had the final words; he is known for being a man of wise words and I would have like to see him have the "last laugh" in this tale that was written about him.
ReplyDeleteOne thing about the ending of The Odyssey that pleasantly surprised me was that we finally got to see Odysseus as a real man, not a god-like man. The one moment of vulnerability Odysseus has in the entire book is when he finally reveals himself to his wife Penelope. Odysseus the wise and god-like man who has more trouble keeping his mouth shut than opening it has no idea what to say to his own beloved wife! Odysseus just sat there, "....leaning against the central column, eyes fixed on the ground, waiting, poised for whatever words his hardy wife might say when she caught sight of him"(XXIII. 103-105). I enjoyed the fact that he finally had nothing to say. For once he seemed more like a human than like a god.
Overall, I felt that The Odyssey was a good and true story. It gave me closure in certain aspects, but it also left some things open. The ending made me appreciate this story for how amazing it is, but it also left me wondering. I think this is one of the important aspects of a good and true story. If everything had been wrapped up in a neat little bow, it would have made the story boring. This way the story stays with you and makes you forever wonder what happened after. That is what makes The Odyssey a good and true story.
I was satisfied with the beginning of the ending, however the ending of the book was unsatisfying. I don't think Athena should have stopped the townsmen, after Odysseus slaughters their sons, they should have got their revenge, or there should have at least been another battle. The way the story ends makes me question how powerful of a king Odysseus actually was if the townsmen are willing to turn against him. The story delivered a happy ever after ending, but not one that I enjoyed. I wanted the suitors to be slaughtered exactly how they were, and I enjoyed reading that book, but the actual ending just wasn't very satisfying.
ReplyDeleteI think this story is a good and true story because of the morals many characters display throughout the story. Hospitality is a major theme throughout the story, and is the most portrayed of the morals characters show. The never ending hospitality Penelope and her servants show the suitors is a good example. Another would be the value characters place on spending time together like when they have their feasts. In book 24, line 437 when Dolius and his sons walk in from their field work, the first thing Odysseus says is "sit down to your food, old friend." Odysseus tells his old friend to sit down and join his family feast the second he sees him. These morals display the meaning of "good and true" to me. To welcome friends and strangers into your home or to your table, without expecting anything in return shows the good in these characters personalities.
I enjoy open endings to stories. When I think of the end of The Odyssey, it reminds me of the ending of the movie "300", when the Spartan reinforcements are starting to charge across the field at the Persians. It reminds me of Odysseus running to meet the families of the suitors, except there was never any action. To be honest, it just feels like another chapter has ended and not the story itself. There was still the prophecy foretold to him by Tiresias (XI.146) that could have been covered. I feel like the character development for the story was satisfactory. At the start, I believed Athena's boldening of Telemachus was not showing the true Telemachus. But by the end of the story, I feel like he has earned the title of Son of Odysseus. He takes authority over his mother during the bow challenge (XXI.388) and tells her to go back to her room. As Telemachus can finally fit in the shoes of Odysseus, I feel Odysseus has earned the right to settle down with his family after all his troubles.
ReplyDeleteThe Odyssey is definitely a "good and true" story. It does not have to be a work of nonfiction to be good and true. This story has been the inspiration of other stories, and has been passed down throughout generations. This story succeeds in leaving a mark in your brain and heart when it has been read, and is a classic work of literature. This is what makes it good. Homer obviously poured all his ability into this tale, which is what makes it true.