Various aspects of The Odyssey were surprising because they were different from what would be expected in the real world. Other aspects were surprising because they created a better understanding of the character and then steps that they were willing to take to achieve their objectives. This essay will explore four different aspects of the novel that were surprising. The first aspect that the book will address is the strange relationships between human beings and the spirit world. The second aspect is the choice by some of the characters to adopt cunningness and trickery as they interact with the other characters. The third aspect that will be discussed is the ideas of the people regarding the afterlife. The fourth aspect is the violent nature of the community on which the novel is based. The four aspects identified show that the people lived in a community that is significantly different from the one that we currently live in

1. The strange relationships between the gods and men

The relationships between the men and the gods as shown in the novel are not as would be expected in ordinary life. The interactions between Odysseus and Calypso most effectively show the strange relationship. The novel shows that Calypso, who is a spirit, is romantically interested in Odysseus, an ordinary man. Odysseus  tells of how on reaching Ogygia’s Island “the nymph Calypso held him back, deep in her arching caverns, craving him for a husband— cherished him (391).” The statement shows that Calypso desired to start a romantic relationship with a human being, a practice that does not seem to have attracted condemnation from the other gods. Even though Odysseus rejects Calypso’s love, it is surprising that the gods would be willing to pursue a romantic relationship with people. It raises the possibility that there were sexual relations between the gods and ordinary people.

It is also surprising that the gods would be willing to dwell among people just to try and provide assistance to the people they favor. The case emerges from the god Athena who transforms herself into a man to fit in with the other people. After transforming herself into Mentes, Athena tells Telemachus “My own name is Mentes, lord of the Taphian men who love their ores (24).” It is moving that the God Athena is willing to transform herself into a man so that she can help Telemachus overcome the suitors that are planning to take over his father’s family. It thus emerges that the gods would often be expected to live among ordinary people if they felt that it was the only way to accomplish their intended objectives. Gods that dwell among men would create a society in which the men are closer to the gods.

Additionally, it is surprising that there were conflicts between men and gods. It emerges that the gods sometimes take the side of the humans instead of supporting their own. In a conflict between the gods and a human being, the gods would be expected to win due to their greater power. However, in the confrontation between Poseidon and Odysseus, a human being wins and escapes death. As Odysseus tries to return home, Poseidon says “Outrageous! Look how the gods have changed their minds about Odysseus. Just look at him there, nearing Phaeacia’s shores where he’s fated to escape his noose of pain (86)” The statement implies that the gods are willing to help Odysseus escape and rich home safely, even though Poseidon wants to revenge for Odysseus act of stabbing a Cyclops eye. Odysseus successfully escapes through the assistance of the gods even though he is at war with another god. It is surprising that the gods do not support each other but enable humans to escape.

2. The use of trickery by the characters

The characters use trickery to try and achieve their objectives. Thus, to succeed, a person must be cunning and able to trick the other people. From the novel, the most cunning character emerges to be Penelope as she tries to escape the suitors that have come to her home while her husband is assumed to have died. In the afterlife, the suitors explain that for “Three whole years she deceived us blind, seduced us with this scheme (398).” It emerges that Penelope gave the excuse of wanting to weave a shroud for her father-in-law. Penelope is however sure that completing the shroud will expose her to the risk of being married by one of the suitors. Penelope thus unweaves the shroud each night so that she is sure of never finishing to weave the shroud. Penelope manages to keep the suitors waiting for a long time before they finally discover her plot. If Penelope had not been cunning, she would have been married off to one of the suitors before her husband came back.

Trickery is used in war to achieve a quick victory. Odysseus emerges to be a cunning person, especially during periods of conflict. The novel describes that during the attack on Troy, Odysseus “slipped into the enemy’s city, roamed its streets— all disguised, a totally different man, a beggar (57).” As a result, the successful attack on Troy was partly because of Odysseus readiness to trick the people of Troy that he meant no harm. Odysseus is a person that effectively preys on other people through hiding his real identity. In the absence of the use of trickery, it would have been difficult for Odysseus to gain entry into the city. The use of trickery by the main character shows that it was an acceptable practice that could be used by people that possessed adequate talent to fool the other people.

The gods also choose to use trickery. The god Athena transforms herself to Mentes, a person that is a family friend to Telemachus. Transforming herself to Mentes enables Athena to gain the trust of Telemachus easily. Additionally, Athena tricks the people into seeing Odysseus as being of greater size and splendor than he ordinarily was. When Odysseus returns, Athena “Athena lavished a marvelous splendor, yes, making him taller, more massive to all eyes (117).” Athena modifies Odysseus physical appearance to make the people more willing to accept and like him. Athena may then have tricked the people into believing that Odysseus was a person that should receive their respect even as he went to reclaim his home from the suitors. Thus, the gods also use trickery to try and help the people they prefer. Using deception effectively fools the people and makes it easier to achieve the intended objective.

3. Excessive violence

The novel describes various instances where the characters are violent to each other. Some of the characters experience suffering in the hands of other people. The clear descriptions and detailed explanations of the violence that some of the characters experience is moving. In one instance, Antinous tries to describe the violence that Irus will go through in the hands of Odysseus saying “he’ll lop your nose and ears with his ruthless blade, he’ll rip your privates out by the roots, he will, and serve them up to his dogs to bolt down raw (330)!” The statement gives a detailed description of the harm that may potentially happen to Irus. The words “rip your privates out” and “serve them up to his dogs” show that Irus will be exposed to a lot of violence. The example shows that the characters often act violently towards each other when they want to have their way. The level of violence described in the novel is extreme and surprising

In another instance, the novel explains the events as Odysseus fights with Antinous. The novel clearly presents the painful experience that Antinous goes through as Odysseus kills him. The novel describes that “Odysseus aimed and shot Antinous square in the throat and the point went stabbing clean through the soft neck, man’s life-blood came spurting out his nostrils (365).” The statement shows that Odysseus was a dangerous man who would use crude and cruel methods to kill his opponents. The violence described makes it easy to visualize the events that were happening. The vivid statements lead one to the conclusion that violence is a primary part of the lives of the characters.

4. The description of the afterlife

People are fearful of death as they are unsure of what to expect when they die. It is however interesting that the novel describes the events in the afterlife. The novel addresses a topic which most people are unsure about due to the absence of enough information about the world of the dead. The novel states that “So with their high thin cries the ghosts flocked now and Hermes the Healer led them on, and down the dank moldering paths” (393). The statement creates a scary picture of the afterlife that the suitors experience after Odysseus kills them. The afterlife is shown to be a place where Hermes torments the spirits of the dead people. It is thus surprising that the suitors after having experienced a painful death have to again go through painful experiences of being burnt, walking in dark paths and ocean streams. The description of hell is interesting because it proves that the community was concerned about what happens after the death of a person.

Conclusion

The novel contains various things that attract my interest. My curiosity is drawn by the beliefs of the society in which the author came from as it would have significantly influenced their perspective when writing the story. The interactions between the characters reveal some of the personality traits that affected the success of a person in achieving their goals. The involvement of the gods in the lives of ordinary people shows that the lives of gods and people on earth frequently affected each other.

 
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