FREE ESSAY ON HOMER IS ALL MIXED UP

HOMER IS ALL MIXED UP

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AP English 12
October 23, 2000
Homer is All Mixed Up
Homer's epic, the Odyssey, is a heroic narrative that follows the adventures of Odysseus,
the powerful King of Ithaca. The main story involves Odysseus's return journey to his
homeland after the Trojan War. However, Homer skips around in the action periodically to
give the reader a better understanding and interest in what is going on in the epic.
Homer takes his audience from the present action involving Telemakhos' search for news of
his father's return, to the past where Odysseus tells the Phaiakians of his tragic
journey home after the war. The events in Homer's epic are not in order but still prove
more effective at guiding the reader through the narrative. Although the events in the
Odyssey are not in chronological order, the story line is enriched by Homer's use of the
in media res method because it introduces characters that were not involved in Odysseus'
adventure, because it shows the urgency of Odysseus' return to his kingdom, and because
it allows the reader to become more interested in the opening chapters without having to
wait for a climax in the action. 
In media res is Latin for "in the middle of the race" which is a style used by Homer in
the Odyssey when he begins the story in the middle of the action. In this way Homer is
able to introduce major characters that would otherwise not be included in the narrative
until the end of the epic. Three major characters introduced by this method are
Telemakhos, 
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Odysseus' son; Penelope, Odysseus' wife; and the suitors, prominent young men of Ithaca
who attempt to marry Penelope. Telemakhos is the first of these characters to be
introduced. In lines 1-14 of book II he is introduced as a prominent young man as he
enters the assembly "spear in hand, with two quick hounds at heel; Athena lavished on him
a sunlit grace that held the eye of the multitude. Old men made way for him as he took
his father's chair." Despite Telemakhos' prominent figure in the opening lines of this
book, it soon becomes obvious that he is not an extremely powerful figure. Telemakhos
intends to expel the suitors from his home but he is not strong enough to fight them. It
is important that the reader meets Telemakhos in the beginning because he is the main
character in the Ithaca plot and also he must overcome obstacles at home foreshadowing
the obstacles his father faces later in the epic. In lines 219-234 of book II he decides
to go in search of news of his father. If he finds Odysseus is dead then he will give
Penelope to another husband. 
Penelope is also introduced in book II. She is a wise woman who, out of love for
Odysseus, procrastinates marrying another man. One instance of her defiance to the
suitors occurs in lines 104-106 when she says "Young men, my suitors, now my lord is
dead, let me finish my weaving before I marry, or else my thread will have spun in vain."
She intends to trick the suitors and weave very slowly so she does not have to marry.
Finally the suitors are introduced in book II as well. The suitors are the young men who
occupy Odysseus' home, eat his food, consume his wealth, and attempt to woo Penelope.
Homer does an outstanding job by introducing these characters at the beginning of the
epic. This opens the reader's eyes to a smaller subplot that is occurring 
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in Ithaca as Odysseus makes his way home. Homer introduces these characters and their
concerns first so that the reader is not caught off guard later in the narrative when
Odysseus finally does reach his homeland. These specific characters all play vital roles
in the climax of the story and they are introduced early so that the reader can relate
with their issues better later in the narrative. 
Homer also leaves the proper order of time in the Odyssey to show Odysseus' urgency to
return home to his beloved wife and kingdom. Odysseus faces many hardships on his journey
home and could have easily given up. However, Odysseus overcomes the adversities because
he is a true hero and must return home to restore his kingdom under his rule. In book V
the story changes its focus on Telemakhos to a focus on the adventures of Odysseus. After
being held captive by Calypso and treated like a god for several years Odysseus is still
determined to return home. When she asks him why it is so important for him to return to
his wife and kingdom and risk more hardships by returning he answers in lines 224-233 in
book V:
'My lady goddess, here is no cause for anger. My quiet Penelope- how well I know- 
would seem a shade before your majesty, death and old age being unknown to you, 
while she must die. Yet, it is true, each day I long for home, long for the sight of
home.
If any god has marked me out again for shipwreck, my tough heart can undergo it. What 
hardship have I not long since endured at sea, in battle! Let the trial come."
In this statement Odysseus has explained that he has endured many years without his wife
and homeland. He misses Ithaca so much that he welcomes any obstacles he must overcome to
return home.
As part of the in media res method an author must fill in the missing details of a story
by inserting flashbacks and taking the story temporally out of chronological order. Homer
uses Odysseus's flashback to tell the story of his adventure home to the 
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Phaiakians. When Odysseus arrives at the island of the Phaiakians he begs them to bring
him home to Ithaca. Odysseus then explains his journey that brought him to their island
and all of the hardships he has overcome. He flashbacks his story starting with 
The Trojan War then goes into the rest of his hardships including Ismarus, the Land of
the Lotus-eaters, Land of Cyclops, The bag of winds from Aeolia, the Land of the 
Laestrygonians, the witch Circe, the Siren's enchanting song, Scylla and Charybdis, the
Sun god's Island, Calypso's Island and finally the Island of the Phaiakians. The fact
that 
Odysseus is still determined to get home after all of these impediments is incredible.
Odysseus' extreme will power shows the urgency behind his return. 
Homer's most important reason for using the en media res method and taking the epic out
of chronological order is that it draws the reader into the story right away instead of
having the reader wait for a climax in the action. By using this method the reader feels
more involved in Odysseus' journey because the reader knows he must return home to solve
the problems of his kingdom. The audience already knows that Odysseus' ultimate goal is
to return home and expel the suitors from his house even before Odysseus knows his fate.
In a way the reader goes through the narrative to make sure that this happens. The clear
example of the reader understanding Odysseus' destiny comes in book II in lines 49-85
during Telemakhos' speech during the assembly that begins the action in the epic.
Telemakhos explains that it is not courteous for the suitors to plunder his home and
riches and that the suitors have no indignation or shame about the foul acts that they
commit. Later on in the assembly Telemakhos begs that Zeus come so that the suitors
"shall get what you deserve: a slaughter here, and 
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nothing paid for it!" (Lines 153- 154). After that statement Zeus sends a sign to the
Greeks:
Now Zeus who views the wide world sent a sign to him, launching a pair of eagles from a
mountain crest in gliding flight down the soft blowing wind, wing-tip to wing-tip
quivering taut, companions, till high above the assembly of many voices they wheeled,
their dense wings beating, and in havoc dropped on the heads of the crowd- a deathly
omen- 
wielding their talons, tearing cheeks and throats; then veered away on the right hand
through the city. Astonished, gaping after the birds, the men felt their hearts flood,
foreboding things to come. (Lines 155-165, book II.)
This sign acknowledges Telemakhos' bid for divine intervention and serves as an omen to
all that Odysseus will return and kill the suitors. The reader has now become drawn into
the story and they are now aware of Odysseus' ultimate task. 
The Odyssey is a timeless work because of the creative style Homer used to pique the
audience's interest. The narrative style allows the reader to relate with Odysseus more
than anyone else because most of the Odyssey is told like a story. Homer's use of in
media res really holds the reader's attention throughout the narrative. It is perhaps
still so greatly appreciated today because a hero figure is so greatly desired in all
cultures. Odysseus' ability to overcome so many obstacles to reach his goal is what
really captivates readers. Many readers could only imagine what it would take to
accomplish Odysseus' feats but most readers would be able to apply his virtue of never
giving up to their own lives.