Homers Odyssey is one of the Greek epics. It is also a sequel to Homers Iliad. In book 11, Odysseus speaks to numerous ghosts that give him revelations, advice and guidance. Most of these ghosts have an influence on Odysseuss fate. Throughout the book, Odysseus speaks to numerous ghosts including that of his own mother, Anticleia. These ghosts explain to Odysseus about the past while other give his hope and way forward for his future. Of the numerous ghosts in book 11, my favorite three include Elpenor, Tiresias and Anticleia.
The Ghosts of Elpenor, Tiresias and Anticleia
After Odysseus travels to the famous River of Ocean, he performs several sacrifices and pours libations as instructed by Circe. The first ghost to appear is Elpenor (Homer 157) . The ghost instructs Odysseus to ensure he goes back to the island of Circe and perform a proper burial for his body.
From this encounter, Odysseus understands something new and important. The ghost informs Odysseus that a decent burial was necessary as a sign of respect for those who had died (Homer 162) . He therefore learns the importance of a burial for someone who is deceased. After the conversation, Odysseus would go back to the island and give the body a proper burial as requested by the ghost (Homer 162) .
The second ghost to speak to is that of Tiresias, a prominent Theban prophet (Homer 163) . I find the ghost one of my favorite because of the hope and information he gives Odysseus. The ghost reveals to Odysseus that Poseidon was busy punishing and killing the Achaeans (Homer 163) .
According to the ghost, Poseidon was punishing them because they had blinded his own son by the name Polyphemus. The other thing about his conversation with this ghost is that he learns about his fate and future. The ghost foretells Odysseuss fate (Homer 164) . According to the ghost, Odysseus would go back home, succeed in reclaiming his own wife. The ghost assures Odysseus that he would reclaim the palace and make a successful journey to Poseidon.
Tiresias ghost tells Odysseus not to touch the children of the Sun especially after he makes his journey to Thrinacia. If he touches the flock he would face much hardship and even lose his entire crew during the journey (Homer 164) . The information is vital and gives Odysseus courage and hope as he faces his future. The ghost foretells the journey ahead of him and he is warned of the dangers that might fall on his way (Homer 165) .
The ghost of Odysseuss mother is my third favorite ghost. Odysseus speaks with Anticleia who informs him about the affairs and events taking place at Ithaca (Homer 165) . She also narrates to Odysseus how she died of pain and grief while she was waiting for his son (Homer 166) . From the encounter with his mothers ghost, Odysseus learns the love of a mother and the reason to treasure it.
Conclusion
Throughout book eleven, Odysseus speaks to numerous ghosts including that of his own mother. These ghosts explain to him about the past while other give his hope and way forward for his future. My favorite ghosts are those of Tiresias, Anticleia and Elpenor. Having spoken to the ghost of Tiresias, Odysseus is informed of his future and can go ahead with useful information about what to do and what to avoid. This would play a huge role towards his success as a great warrior.
Works Cited
Homer. Odyssey. New York: Classic Books, 2009. Print.
Homers Iliad and Odyssey remain powerful even today because they relate to the current issues. The main topics that have currently dominated the world are conflicts and politics. In the Iliad, for instance, the story focuses on the conflict between different groups with distinct interests. However, in regards to the Odyssey, it is mainly about politics and leadership. Therefore, in relating the two poems with the current situation, people are constantly fighting over leadership positions. In their quest for control of power, they pretend to have their followers interest, yet their wars are individual-based. Therefore, some stories remain for long because they revolve around the daily human experiences which vanish fast. If a story is based on a rare event, it will not appeal to the audience because they will easily lose interest. The Iliad and the Odyssey tell me that conflict is not evitable in a society with people of different interests. However, we should seek other sources of conflict resolution rather than war.
The gods in Homer are important because they direct what people are supposed to do. They act in violent ways when they are not appeased with the actions of humans. They play a role in ensuring that humans have no control over their surrounding and should be guided by a supreme being. The stories cannot exist if the gods are not in the picture. Although humans mainly conduct actions, their activities are directed by the gods. In short, the conflicts mainly revolve around what the gods want.
The Iliad and the Odyssey are anti-war poems, even though the actions in the stories are mainly conflict-oriented. They are anti-conflict because the aftermath of the fights is tragic, and every individual always engaged in losses. Both the antagonists and the protagonists lives end tragically. This, therefore, means that war is not the solution to every problem; at times, people should embrace other peaceful mechanisms in ensuring that an issue is resolved. The Iliad and the Odysseys results are a tragedy that imply that the story was against war by highlighting the consequences of it.
All through the Homers Odyssey, disguise has been adopted by different characters to complicate or facilitate their or another characters passage across the world. Some characters assume multiple disguises throughout the plot.
Athena, the goddess, for example, goes through no less than three transformations. It is not only the goddess who puts on a camouflage, though; Odysseus also pulls off the disguise power to progress his goals and objectives. Odysseus was the king of Ithaca at the time when Palamedes sent him to the Trojan War, which lasted for ten years.
The story begins when Odysseus with his crew journey back to Ithaca, his homeland, as a Trojan Wars valiant hero. He sets sail for Ithaca but in the face of fate wonders for a decade when his ships were instantly drifted to Thrace by a violent storm.
It was the beginning of an expedition. Throughout the The Odyssey, disguise helped the main character, Odysseus,develop through humility and understanding, which eventually led the character back to Ithaca. This journey was made with the aid of the goddess Athena, who disguised Odysseus.
Odysseus faces many challenges and tragedies during this adventure. During his travel back home, he was put to trial on different occasions by the monstrosity that nearly destroyed him. His intelligence and sly behavior made him pull through the various dangerous situations he met.
Ultimately, he succeeded in getting back home, and this, he owes to Athena, the goddess, who always supported him throughout his travel. Athena incessantly favored Odysseus, as witnessed in The Odyssey, when Zeus, on Athenas behalf, had ordered him to release from the island of Calypso where he had been held captive for seven years.
Unfortunately, Poseidon noticed him floating in the waters and was compelled to make him drown, had it not been for goddess Ino who saved him. Later, Odysseus reached Phaecia city, where he encountered Athena camouflaged as king Alcinous daughter. The following excerpt supports that, indeed, the goddess Athena disguised Odysseus to help him. (Homer and Johnston 111).
Straight to his house, the clear-eyed Pallas went, full of plans for great Odysseus journey home. She made her way to the gaily painted room where a young girl lay asleep: Nausicaa, the daughter of generous King Alcinous. The goddess drifted through like a breath of fresh air in face and form like the shimpan Dymas daughter. Disguised, the bright-eyed goddess chided& (117).
Athena also had to pour a sea fog around Odysseus to protect him, and then she assumed the shape of a little girl and showed him the way to the palace (Homer and Johnston 111-112). Athena again used this tactic when Odysseus had safely reached his homeland. The goddess did not want the people to notice his return until he had taken revenge upon the suitors of his wife.
Zeus daughter Athena had made it a foggy day, so that people might not know of his arrival, and that she might tell him everything without either his wife or his fellow citizens and friends recognizing him until he had taken his revenge upon the wicked suitors(185).
Back in his homeland way before the Trojan War, Odysseus was a king. He had a wife and a son whom he had left an infant when he had to leave for Troy. Being transformed into a stranger, Odysseus had managed to convince Alcinous to bring him back to his homeland. He had to put away his pride to get the much-needed help in reaching home.
And there Odysseus stood, gazing at all this bounty, a man who had borne so much&Once, he had had his fill of marveling it all. (141). Athena disguised Odysseus as a beggar to get revenge against the suitors. With this, he had to cast away again his pride (Homer and Johnston 148). Athena explains to him:
First, I will transform you-no one must know you. I will shrivel the supple skin on your lithe limbs, strip the russet curls from your head, and deck you out in rags youd hate to see some other mortals wear; Ill dim the fire in your eyes, so shinning once& (253)
Once again, Odysseus displays much loss of pride when he comes across a goat herder who mocks and kicks him but was capable of rationalizing the situation. That signaled maturity in his part has been a man of inordinate self-esteem. Later on, he was able to put aside his identity and egoism even when in concealment (Homer and Johnston 235).
The use of disguise in The Odyssey was helpful as it allowed Odysseus to survey his palace and identify those who had remained loyal and those who had not. Emmaus was one of such great men who displayed loyalty to his king even in his long absence.
This is noted when he says: Not even my parents at home, where I was born and bred. I miss them less than I do him& (354). He displays further loyalty by showing a feeling of disgust toward the suitors, which moves Odysseus.
Another example of loyalty is shown by his dog, Argos, who was merely a puppy at the time when Odysseus left and was at the point of an old dog. The dog recognized his old master, wagged his tail then died. The fact that his wife, Penelope, did not remarry despite the many suitors who courted her, shows a great height of loyalty.
Other loyal people were his son Telemachus, and Eurykleia, his old nurse. The opposite case is with the suitors and, more especially, Antinous, who rudely hurled a chair at him when in disguise had announced that Odysseus would return (Homer and Johnston 367-389).
Boiling over Antinous gave him a scathing look and let fly. Now, you will not get out the hall unscarred; I swear not after such a filthy string of insults! With that, he seized the stool and hurtled it-Square in the back it struck Odysseus& (369).
Eventually, Odysseus successfully vanquished the suitors and was able to reclaim his castle.
Upon bringing back Odysseus adventures from his battle with the monsters though his landing home to his reclaiming the palace, it is noted that his wit and guise aided him to put through his hardships, of course, with the help of Athena who revealed it to him after he had landed in Ithaca. Sure enough, the role of disguise helped Odysseus character develop through humility and understanding, which eventually led the character back to Ithaca, with the aid of the goddess Athena.
Odysseus journey was much of a self-discovery. It served as a realization of what it takes to be a leader, thus, enhanced his maturity. In conclusion, the importance of disguise in the Odyssey was not only that of practical purposes (to help Odysseus on his journey back home to Ithaca), it also psychologically impacted Odysseus for the better, which helped him complete his hero-cycle.
Works Cited
Homer. Odyssey. Trans. Ian C. Johnston. New York: Richer Resources Publications, 2007. Print.
The Odyssey was written at a time when men played a key role in society. During this period of civilization, men controlled society. Women, on the other hand, were identified to hold inferior positions in the community compared to men. Women had no opportunity to comment on the daily activities of the society. It was left for men to dictate what was to be done, and women would follow.
However, according to Greek society, women were valued but were not given responsibility roles and could not make decisions. It is on this point that Homer puts women into roles that had not been expected in society. This paper discusses several roles women could take in the Ancient Greek society, as shown in The Odyssey.
Seduction
The significant role of women in the story is seduction. This can be seen in the episode when Odysseus and his men come to Circes Island and get attracted by the goddesss enchanting voice.
Although the goddess was rather dangerous and treacherous, Odysseus and his men lost their prudence and could not resist her when she invited them into the house for a feast. The story shows that the voice of the goddess was sweet and lovely. It attracted men to visit her in her house.
Men desired to be with Circe, which allowed the goddess to take advantage of their weakness to keep them under her subjection (Homer 211). She was able to trick the men, and through magical power, she was able to turn them into swine. From this information, Circe has been used to portray the power of women in manipulating men. Men fell for the sweet and lovely voice of the monster.
Women, in this epic, play seductive roles, where men are attracted by the singing of a monster which seduces them to admire the goddess (Homer line 221). The singing seduced men to admire the goddess and made them forget about the danger that lay ahead of them.
It shows the power of women in influencing men. Although men are shown to be strong in society, a little persuasion from a woman can make him change his mind. The goddess was able to trick men because of her lovely and sweet singing.
Odysseus makes the goddess swear that he did not have an evil intention against him. This reflects how an appeal by a woman can make a man lose his dominance in society. Although Odysseus had been warned of the seductive intentions of the goddess on the island, he still fell for her. He remained on the island for a year, forgetting about his home coming.
Therefore, the goddess seduced him to stay on the island and forget that his wife was waiting for him back home. Lack of desire for his wife, which would have made him go back home, was created by the goddess through her seductive ways. She influenced Odysseys disregard for his family back home. This is a clear indication that women are portrayed as seductive creatures in The Odyssey.
In the history of human civilization, women were shown as weak vessels in society. Decision making was left to men. Women were not given any responsibility in society. However, the author gives them roles that manipulate men, hence portraying them as seductive. It makes society open its eyes to see the power of women in society. Their sexuality is a power of influence that denies even the mightiest of men his dominance.
The story indicates that Odyssey lived with Kalypso on her island for seven years. According to Homer (line153), the persona indicates that the nymph was no longer pleasing to him. It suggests that Odyssey had spent enough time with the goddess and did not want her anymore. The story indicates that when Odyssey wanted to return home, the goddess convinced him to stay with her.
The process of being convinced by Kalypso shows seductress roles of women in the story. Women having control over men with the power of their sexuality describes a change of the guard in society. Those who were seen as weak and inferior have turned into powerful and superior characters in the story. Another item of seduction is shown through Penelope, who has been identified as a faithful woman to her husband (Homer 109).
Her husband is seen having affairs with other women. However, Penelope waits for her husband, even when other suitors are asking for her hand in marriage. She shows her manipulative skills when she tricks men who want to marry her in several incidents knowing well that she was not ready to marry any of them.
Power
As has been mentioned above, Ancient Greece was a patriarchal society where men ruled, and women obeyed. However, Homer shows that when there is no man, a woman can become a master who is taking care of a household or even a country and a master of peoples lives. Thus, Homer shows how powerful it can be under certain circumstances.
Penelope loses her master, and she has to become a master of the land until her son, a man, is mature enough to become the master. Circe, the bewitching queen of Aeaea, is ruling an entire island, and she is even able to rule some supernatural forces (Homer 212).
Of course, she is not a mortal woman as she is a nymph and is beyond the laws of human society. Finally, it is possible to mention the most powerful female character, Athena, daughter of Zeus whose shield is thunder tireless one (Homer 148). She helps mortals and, of course, she is a daughter of the mightiest god.
Clearly, Homer shows that women could exercise authority and be powerful in the absence of a man. Importantly, the woman has to be privileged to exercise authority. Thus, Penelope is a righteous wife. Athena and Circe are goddesses.
Insidiousness and Trouble-Making
An example of a woman who is not privileged and, hence, cannot be in power is Clytemnestra. The woman betrayed her husband and killed him. Of course, this woman could not possibly exercise any authority. Homer presents Clytemnestra as a denied voice (McDermott 2).
This woman has no right to rule or even speak as she has a stigma. She dared to break the rules of the patriarchal world, and she is regarded as a trouble-maker in The Odyssey. She reveals another behavioral pattern which is very different from that of a righteous wife, Penelope. Clytemnestra serves to show another kind of a female in Greek society.
Of course, it is impossible to omit Helen in this list of trouble-makers. Though Helen is a central character in the epic, Homer uses this female character to show what grief and suffering can be caused by a woman, What armies of us died for the sake of Helen (Homer 263).
Of course, Helen is also a kind of antipode to Penelope as the latter is always faithful and trying to bring peace while the former is the reason for the horrible war. Again, this can be regarded as an example of the way the woman was treated in the society of that time. For Ancient Greeks, women were often a cause of some trouble and, hence, they were seen as inferior. Women were to be controlled to keep them away from dangerous situations.
Loyal Partner
It is also important to mention that the characters of Helen and Penelope are also different in terms of their loyalty. Penelope is loyal to her husband in all respects while Helen ran away with another man. Penelope is a faithful partner who can be trusted and who can support her husband and their child. Odyssey is afraid of possible infidelity of Penelope, but it is clear that he believes in her chastity.
She hates her suitors and is worn with pain and sobbing, / further spells of grief and storms of tears (Homer 150). Therefore, loyalty is an assigned quality any righteous woman has to possess, according to Homer and the rest of the Ancient Greek society.
Everybody is bound to shed tears of grief while listening about the loyal wifes way when her husbands died abroad (Homer 305). Van Oenen claims that this quality is developing throughout the entire story, and each event makes Penelope stronger and more loyal (222). Ancient Greeks valued this quality above all the rest.
Devotion
Notably, Penelope loves and respects her husband. She calls him her lionhearted husband and a great man whose fame resounds through Hellas / right to the depths of Argos (Homer 88). There is only one human being she loves apart from Odyssey. This person is their son. Of course, the woman is meant to be devoted to her husband and her son.
Apparently, in Ancient Greece, it was a norm for a woman to live for a man, to be absorbed by the world of her beloved. Thus, even when Penelope has to remarry to save her son from a horrible death, she can make this sacrifice as she does not belong to herself.
She is ready to get married as she says, Whatever glow I had died long ago (Homer 381). She does not care about herself as she is concerned with her sons future. Hence, in The Odyssey, it is postulated that the woman has to live her husbands life and be ready to make sacrifices.
Women have been shown as objects of beauty that use manipulation and trickery to get what they want from men and society. The author portrays them as making use of their intelligence and female strength to achieve their desired goals. It is indeed true that the author of The Odyssey depicts all female characters in the epic as seductive creatures in society.
At the same time, the author reveals other roles assigned to women in Ancient Greek society. Thus, the woman can be a powerful leader if she is a righteous and privileged female, of course. It is also shown that the woman has to be loyal and devoted to her man. Otherwise, a woman is regarded as a trouble-maker who is to be controlled and even oppressed.
Works Cited
Homer. The Odyssey. New York, NY: Penguin, 1997. Print.
McDermott, J.R. Transgendering Clytemnestra. The McGill Journal of Classical Studies 2.1 (2002): 1-8. Print.
Van Oenen, Gijs. Fabrications of Self: Identity Formation in the Odyssey. Cultural Values 5.2 (2001): 221-244. Print.
The ancient Greeks had a worldview that established a close relationship between the world of the gods and the world of mortals, typically expressed as a close relationship between the natural world and human activity. This was because it was felt the will of the gods was expressed through the processes of nature as a means of communicating to humans. If the kingdom suffered and crops failed, it was determined that the gods were somehow unhappy with the ruler. If things were going well, it was assumed that the gods were happy. At the same time, nature was seen to assert itself if things were somehow out of harmony with what should be. A base-born individual sitting on the throne would incur hardship upon the realm while a noble individual was known by the wealth and prosperity he brought with him. These ideas and values were passed along to the people through the stories and histories of their age
These stories were carried to the people orally through the songs of the bards and were thus written in a way that would make it possible to remember the story. One of the primary ways that the poet Homer made his stories, such as the epic of The Odyssey, memorable was through the use of extended similes that reinforced these cultural beliefs. Through his use of extended similes, Homer reveals the fundamental connection between nature and mans activities as seen in the violence associated with the suitors of Penelope.
Main Body
Homer emphasizes the violence of the age in his various portrayals of Penelopes suitors. At no point are they ever compared with any of the noble creatures, or even anything considered remotely dangerous. For example, in Book 4, when Telemachus reports to King Menelaus what has been happening back at home, Menelaus erupts in a rage at what these suitors are compared with the character of Odysseus. The extended simile that emerges regarding these suitors appears in lines 374-379: Weak as the doe that beds down her fawns / in a mighty lions den her newborn sucklings / then trails off to the mountain spurs and grassy bends / to graze her fill, but back the lion comes to his own lair / and the master deals both fawns a ghastly, bloody death, / just what Odysseus will deal that mob ghastly death. In this passage, the comparison is clear. The suitors are not only helpless compared to the strength and power of Odysseus, but they are the newborn weakling children of parents who are unable to protect them. They are even worse than this because the parent herself is nearly too weak to care for herself having just given birth to twins and thus will not come should she hear their need. Even worse than this, she has not even taken the care to ensure she leaves them in a safe place but has left them alone and helpless right on the lions doorstep as if in sacrifice. The natural response of the lion, perhaps only a single deadly sweep of his giant paw that brutally drives the life out of both fawns, is all the effort a man such as Odysseus would need to expend to overcome such base creatures as the suitors are thus revealed to be.
While the suitors are demonstrated to be weaklings compared to the nobility of Odysseus, Odysseus and his men are portrayed as the noblest of men in Homers choice of natural comparison for them. Upon Odysseus final return home, he discovers the suitors have overrun his home and are attempting to force his wife, who seems to have been faithful to her husbands memory, into marriage with one of them. As he takes up the defense of his home, his stature is again compared to that of the suitors in a way that establishes him as noble and them as pests. One extended simile that brings out this difference in character appears in Book 22. Odysseus and his men are described as the attackers who struck like eagles, crook-clawed, hook-beaked (316) while the suitors are given only the status of unnamed birds that skim across the flatland cringing under the clouds (318). Although Odysseus is bold and challenging, screaming out of the sky like an eagle, the suitors cringe under the clouds in hiding, attempting to escape Odysseus anger by simply escaping his attention. However, Odysseus is such a strong defender of his home that he and his men plunge in fury, rip their lives out hopeless, / never a chance of flight or rescue (319-320). The violence of the scene is emphasized with the last few lines of the simile as Homer emphasizes the grisly screams that broke from skulls cracked open / the whole floor awash with blood (323-324). As in the depiction of the suitors earlier in the story, the comparison between the character of Odysseus and that of the suitors is seen in terms of a slaughter rather than a competition among men.
With the suitors dead, Homer still uses violent natural similes to emphasize the fitness of Odysseus as ruler as compared to the others in his ability to provide for his household. This is not given in terms of the prosaic bringing home of treasure or a bountiful hunt. Instead, Homer chooses to again use extended simile to describe the scene of the dead suitors in terms that remind the listener that Odysseus had provided his family with enough wealth to retain their position in society even after all his years of absence and the plague of the suitors within the court. In the extended simile that describes the battleground courtyard following Odysseus fight with the suitors, the hero is portrayed as a noble fisherman who hauls in such a prodigious catch that his house will eat well for some time to come. Describing the bodies littering the ground, Homer says there were great hauls of them down and out like fish that fishermen / drag from the churning gray surf in looped and coiling nets / and fling ashore on a sweeping hook of beach some noble catch / heaped on the sand, twitching, lusting for fresh salt sea (Book 22, 409-412). Within this description, there is also a suggestion of the noble provider in terms of children as well in the imagery of the fish lusting for the sea. This entire passage reminds the listener that the court of Odysseus was only just beginning to feel the strain of the suitors that would not leave Penelope alone, meaning that Odysseus was a great provider as compared to the suitors who did nothing but drain the resources of the kingdom they hoped to win.
Conclusion
Through his use of extended simile and nature imagery, Homer is able to convey a strong sense of violence and dominance associated with Odysseus as compared to the weakness and baseness of the suitors that invade his court. This is done first as he conveys the extreme base nature of the suitors in his comparison of them to the most helpless and weak creatures on earth newly born fawns hidden within the den of a hungry lion and includes the violence that would ensue when the lion returns home. He emphasizes the difference between Odysseus as lord and these base suitors as he conveys the high degree to which Odysseus is the protector of his home, as a fierce eagle compared to smaller birds that have no choice but to hide in the clouds. Finally, Homer conveys a strong sense of violence even as he illustrates the degree to which Odysseus is the provider for his home as the dead suitors are described in terms that make them sound as if they are part of a tremendous catch of fish that will feed his people. Better than any other catch, it is described as a noble catch even as the floors are described to be flowing in blood.
In the researched source titled The Cyclops in the Odyssey, Ulysses, and Asterias Polyp: How Allusions Affect Modern Narratives and their Hypotexts by Dellen Miller, the author raises the topic of the use of allusions in relation to the famous Greek character Polypheus in various works. To begin with, it is worth noting that allusions are an effective tool for giving depth to the main storyline. This enhancement is achieved by comparing and referring to other similar literary works that are also widely familiar to readers.
Thus, allusion often manifests itself in cases when one of the characters mentions another work. This move contributes to a better understanding of the nature and motives of the character and his or her role in the plot. The main such references, for example, in the Odyssey are constant references to the Iliad, combining these literary works. Thus, the Trojan War described in the Iliad has Odysseus himself as one of its participants and tells about the confrontations that the protagonist had to overcome.
The main interest for this study is the hero Polypheus. He is described as the Greek god Cyclops, the son of Poseidon. His basic and most outstanding characteristic is the presence of only one eye and the blindness he received from Odysseus (Aguirre and Buxton 5). Applying the theory of traditional literature, one can immediately see a parallel in the work with the Trojan War, which took place at the time of writing the literary work.
The central work that lends itself to analysis in the chosen scientific work is the Odyssey, which is known all over the world. The author notes that it becomes even more popular when mentioned and referred to in other works (Miller 6). As already noted, the main function of allusions or references is to deepen the central thought, give meaning and complicate the source text. Texts that are characterized by this kind of interweaving are called hypertexts in the scientific literature.
The allusion is especially interesting in the context of consideration from the point of view of traditional literary theory, since this merger contributes to the preservation of the historicity of literary work at the present stage of its development. Furthermore, the author analyzes how Polyphemus from the Odyssey is mentioned in such works as Ulysses and Asterios Polyp. The use of this technology helps to bring a new perspective on the nature of the work. Various symbols can be used as tools, as in comics, and visual linguistic allusions in ordinary literary works. There is also a stylistic reference, which implies an association with the work in the form of, for example, a set of events.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the Miller article is a valuable source for the study of allusions in literary works. Moreover, he provides sufficient evidence and examples to substantiate the deduced point of view. Exploring such works as Odyssey, Asterios Polyp and Ulysses, it effectively proves how referring to a particular character can effectively convey the main idea of the work. Moreover, this tool helps to maintain the fame of literary work and spread knowledge about events that took place many centuries ago.
Works Cited
Aguirre, Mercedes, and Richard Buxton. Cyclops: The Myth and Its Cultural History. Oxford University Press, USA, 2020.
Miller, Dellen N. The Cyclops in the Odyssey, Ulysses, and Asterias Polyp: How Allusions Affect Modern Narratives and their Hypotexts. 2016. Dissertation. University of Oregon.
Odyssey is a Greek poem attributed to Homer; and is an essential aspect within the contemporary western principle. In this epic Odysseus had traveled to fight the Trojan War and due to his return, suitors tried to convince his wife Penelope that he had died in the war so that she could marry them. During this time, a spirit of his mother told him about the plan of the insatiable suitors and then he decided to go back home and kill all of them. The objective that made Odysseus lie to Eumaeos, Penelope and Athena through deceit and disguise include the following reasons. He needed to know the character of the suitors, discover the character of the servant girl; discover which of the hand-maidens were loyal and to test Penelopes love for him.
Penelope seems somehow attracted to the beggar who is in the real sense her husband; as she invites him to her personal room to hear his story and later orders that he be bathed and his clothes changed. The intimate attraction she feels for the husband in disguise raises the concern and interest as to if; she was attracted to him for the fact he was really her husband. Another interesting issue is the utterance she makes to him as a beggar; saying she would confront the suitors to string her husbands bow, then shoot through twelve axe heads. The offer she utters to him was that whichever of the suitors did that would marry her. The most interested aspect in this part was that she was offering to tell the stranger her secrets and planned moves, which gives the idea that maybe she had found out who he really was or had feelings about it.
The wife seems to react so positively to the stranger who happens to be her husband; as she appears to like his brevity, and his utterances for example that the suitors were generous because they were not giving out their own food. The reason she shows a positive attitude towards the stranger is because she noticed positive traits in him, and possibly had a feeling that he was her husband. The other reason for the positive dealings was the hospital nature she is portrayed to have, as there was even another beggar at her house.
The strategy Odysseus uses against the suitors was planning his disguise so that they would not know him, and that he would learn everything about them. The strategy he used upon them was appropriate for the situation, as he would not have encountered them if he had revealed himself right from the start. However he uses the strategy to murder them therefore making it not to qualify to be ethical.
The next morning after he had killed the suitors he portrays his guilt by instructing everyone to pretend that there was a wedding party, so that nobody would come looking for the suitors. Odysseus punishment to the house servants was not justified, as they had only showed signs of dishonesty and lack of loyalty which were not worth having them killed.
The fact that the wife does not believe that it was him, makes him take her through a conversation of secret proofs. This seems interesting because it portrays the doubtful character of the wife towards Odysseus, but is helpful in that it helps her get convinced that he was the one. The doubtful character of the wife seems surprising, as it does not even allow the wife to accept that it was Odysseus that had come back home.
The town people are enraged at Odysseus but after being told that he had been helped by a god, they calmed down. This shows that the herald uses the religious nature of the people as a weakness, to help him cool them down. The godly attachment to the deeds of Odysseus further makes the people believe that he was a hero. From the epic, he can be considered a hero as he was the only one who was able to deceive so many people, bow his bow, and shoot through the twelve axe heads. The fact that he was capable of influencing so many people to lie for him, campaign for him to become the king and walking out of the rage of the people qualifies him to be a hero too.
Work cited
Martin, Richard. The Odyssey . The Johns Hopkins University Press. (2004): 200-460.
The Rig Veda focuses on various human ideals to show how they are related to spiritualism. In Veda texts, the concept of Dhyana influences human thinking processes and guides people to be more rational in their actions. Human beings need to meditate from time to time to find out specific modes of behaviour they need to observe.
They also need to understand various social systems that influence how they attain specific goals they have set for themselves. A person who is willing to build and sustain strong communal relations with other people easily attains inner peace (Doniger 67). As a result, he is able to get rewarding experiences from different people who reciprocate benevolent actions he shows them.
The Rig Veda asserts that human potential is limitless because every person is born free. Human beings are gifted creatures because they have a conscience which makes them distinguish right actions from wrong ones. As a result, they need to make rational choices to enable them attain good results in different activities they take part in. The concept of Dhyana encourages human beings to overcome various environmental constraints that limit them from achieving their goals (Doniger 72).
Therefore, they need to engage in activities that strengthen their conviction and commitment. Humanity has an important role to play because it encourages all people to treat other people with respect and love to strengthen emotional connections that define their relationships. As a result, human beings need to prepare themselves for various challenges by being more interested in various activities that happen around them.
The concept of consciousness allows human beings to express their solidarity with other people to help them live more fulfilling lives. Human beings are a mirror of the universe because of social, emotional and physical ties that bind them together. As a result, they are able to understand their own failings and those of other people, to find out how they affect their happiness.
They use their own judgment to find out if they are capable of attaining their personal goals and if need be, they build alliances to help them achieve their objectives. The Rig Veda argues that both inward and outward expressions of human emotions help people to understand themselves better. As a result, they are able to understand their purpose and responsibilities they are expected to perform to attain inner fulfilment (Doniger 76).
Human behaviour and personality determine whether a person realizes his potential or not. Since humans need to have strong beliefs, they need to use their knowledge to engage with others to improve their overall understanding. Humans have discerning instincts which make them more curious about different issues around them. As a result, this curiosity makes humans to become more interested in exploring ideas to discover new solutions to various problems that exist.
There are different thinking processes which human beings need to follow to become more enlightened (Doniger 79). Every individual needs to have some form of self-discovery to find out more about his true purpose in life. The Rig Veda argues that every person needs to have a vision and he or she should be motivated by a strong drive to achieve it. Human beings need to engage in positive actions that help them achieve their full potential in different locations they live in.
Homer’s Odyssey uses the concept of heroism to explain how human determination enables human beings to succeed in different activities they do. The concept of heroism is accurately presented by Odyssey, who overcomes various challenges he encounters to succeed.
Odyssey’s travels make him experience a myriad of problems which strengthen his ability to endure various problems to achieve his goal. The value of hard work is used to explain how human beings need to be prepared to make sacrifices to succeed in different engagements they take part in.
Human beings as exemplified in the text have the capability to be whatever they want to be as long as they are willing to invest time and energy in different activities. Heroism manifests itself during difficult times when everyone has lost hope for a better tomorrow (Doherty 82). As a result, human beings need to have strong personal discipline to enable them achieve their personal objectives.
In the Odyssey, heroism is used as a benchmark that measures whether a person is willing to do all he can to realize his full potential. Homer’s epic narrative demonstrates that collective values and responsibilities define human character and they determine the level of success a person gets out of various activities.
The concepts of time and virtue are treasured by Homer in all his writings (Doherty 88). An individual needs to carry out specific actions when the time is right to achieve good outcomes. Virtue guides a person morally making him more committed to various ethical principles that are important for his success. The Odyssey emphasizes that virtue makes human beings set high moral standards that encourage them to attain their personal as well as collective societal goals.
Odyssey turned down pleasure and riches to focus on his mission. He used deceptive means to triumph over his enemies on several occasions. His individual acts of humanity made him take part in dangerous activities, without taking time to think about his personal happiness and comfort. Odyssey’s story exemplifies all experiences people go through as they seek to accomplish various goals in their lives (Doherty 95).
The story confirms that the inner feeling of personal success is immeasurable. The concepts of devotion and commitment bind all human beings together because morally upright people are interested in the welfare of others. Therefore, every person needs to gain recognition from other people for his accomplishments to understand himself better. The story also reveals that every human being needs to understand how he can contribute positively to the society he lives in, to follow a path that guarantees him inner fulfilment.
The social ties a person has with people in the community determine whether he has what it takes to achieve his full potential. Odyssey managed to overcome his troubles by reuniting with his family. Even though he faced many obstacles, he was able to build beneficial relationships with people wherever he went and this made him gain favour and respect. The story confirms that the mind, body and soul have to be in good condition to enable a person gain inner happiness.
All human beings need to have the right balance in their lives to make them more contented. The Odyssey story manages to show that human potential is a trait that is inborn and every person needs to tap into it to realize his true destiny (Doherty 98). During times of hardships, human beings are able to unite to forge ahead because they are able to come together to tackle different problems they are facing.
The book of Genesis in the Holy Bible explains the importance of human origins and development. The values that are advanced through the book explain why human beings hold a special place in the world. The story of Adam and Eve, the first human beings on earth and their encounter with Satan who appeared to them in form of a serpent, offer crucial lessons on human nature.
The curious nature of Eve and Adam after getting tempted to eat the forbidden fruit exposed them to a world they never knew existed (Turner 18). Humans as shown through Genesis are very intelligent yet they do not always live up to common expectations. The story reveals that patience helps human beings to be more focused after experiencing different incidents that increase their wisdom.
Therefore, it is easy for human beings to make mistakes in their lives by making bad choices. The story of Lot and his wife shows that in some instances, focusing too much on the past can lead to self destruction. In some instances, a person has to undergo a transformational phase to make a fresh start in life. The story also reveals that human beings should be wary of destructive influences that are likely to lead them astray from their true purpose in life.
Every individual needs to find out what he lives for to understand what he needs to do to attain personal fulfilment (Turner 26). It is important for every person to open up his mind to more positive influences that are likely to change the way he lives to help him build positive relationships with other people. Genesis encourages every human being to be guided by good intentions in all activities he takes part in to ensure he does not deviate from his true purpose in life.
The concept of punishment as used in Genesis demonstrates that whenever people go astray, they need to get reprimanded to make them more responsible. For instance, the punishment meted out by God against people who failed to heed Noah’s advice, shows the true value of obedience and humility.
This punishment makes people understand that all actions have consequences and there is always a price to pay for every choice a person makes (Turner 37). The book shows that for a person to achieve full potential, he needs to adopt positive habits that make him live a righteous life. This understanding helps a person to exercise good judgment in every activity he does to avoid compromising his personal values.
Human beings have been blessed with knowledge that makes them distinguish good actions from bad ones. This influences the concept of humanity and encourages people to set codes and high standards of behaviour which everyone must conform to. The concepts of obedience, respect and trust are all based on interactions human beings have with each other (Turner 42).
As a result, people who build strong relationships with other people are able to realize their full potential in different societies they live in. Since they are the most intelligent creatures, they need to make sure that they do not harm other people as they pursue their individual aspirations. This will enable them have positive interactions with other people in different societies they live in.
Works Cited
Doherty, Lillian Eileen. Homer’s Odyssey. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print.
Doniger, Wendy. The Rig Veda. London: Penguin Books, 2005. Print.
Turner, Laurence A. Genesis. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2009. Print.
Homer is regarded as a legendary Greek due to his great works of literature such as “The journey to the Land of the Dead.” This epic poem focuses on Odysseus, a Greek hero who makes his long journey back home to Hades after the fall of Troy. It also focuses on Aeneas heading out to Orcas as well Dante going out to the Christian Hell in the famous Inferno.
This essay will focus on the reasons why Odysseus and Aeneas make the journeys to Dante and Orcas respectively as well as their findings and the lessons learnt from the people that they did converse with.
Observing the Greek hero Odysseus, he is returning to his home in the island of Ithaca after the Trojan War ended after a decade. He had a son called Telemachus who lived with his mother Penelope. Odysseus had stayed so long from his home and his wife Penelope. Subsequently, numerous suitors came to Ithaca Island to persuade and get Penelope’s hand in marriage as well as misusing the wealth of Odysseus that he had left behind.
During Odysseus journey, he met a couple of people on the way such as the goddess Athena who agrees to inform his son Telemachus of his pre-arrival using her supernatural powers. Athena visits Telemachus who is overjoyed to hear of his father’s final return home.
Odysseus also meets calypso who provides clothing, food, and clothing to him. A vicious storm attacks his raft, wrecks it and he has to seek shelter among a pile of leaves. The next morning, he meets Nausicaa who is the daughter of Arete and Alcinous. She besieges him to plea for assistance from her parents who welcome him. During his stay with Nausicaa’s parents, he encounters a blind singer Demodocus narrating two poems.
The first poem was about the obscure Trojan War known as “Quarrel of Odysseus and Achilles” while the second poem was about a love affair between the two gods, Ares and Aphrodite. After he is through, Odysseus begs him to recite the Trojan War poem once more and this result in Odysseus revealing to his hosts that he led the Trojan War.
Odysseus’s return to Ithaca is assisted by several comrades for example Phaeacians who are skilled mariners that delivered him to one of Ithaca’s hidden harbor. He is also assisted by Athena who disguises him as a beggar, reason being to learn the lifestyle of the people of the place he had left a decade ago.
Meanwhile Odysseus finds shelter among one of his former slaves Eumaeus as Telemachus and arrives at Eumaeus’ hut as goddess Athena pre-arranges the re-uniting of father and son. Meanwhile the suitors are still pursuing Penelope while wasting Odysseus property. Odysseus and his son plan to eradicate the suitors with the help of Athena the following day. On the day of nemesis, all the suitors are slain with the help of Athena, Telemachus, Eumaeus and Philoteus, who is a cow herder (Oswarld and Homer 1).
Finally, Odysseus identifies himself to Penelope as they both re-ignite their lost relationship. Odysseus’ adventure did teach him several lessons one being the importance of a family as a unit of the society. Odysseus never looses hope of re-uniting with his family despite a decade of being apart. He also learns the value of friendship and courtesy as he is assisted along the way by several strangers for example Nausicaa, Phaeacians and Athena. Aeneas is portrayed as a hero in the poem.
The Aeneid displays Aeneas as a Trojan who is destined to have a found a new civilization in Italy and had to run away to Orcas with his father and son after the demise of his wife when their city burned down.
The reason why Aeneas and his family run away is because of the domestic affair between their king and his concubines which turns into a war of vengeance. One of the Trojan citizens had apparently stolen one of the most beautiful concubines in the land belonging to the king which in turn led to the king slaying all the Trojans in the land.
Along the way, they met several semi-gods for example Venus, who is Aeneas mother who appears to him disguised directing him to travel to Carthage. A city believed to have been built by one beautiful Dido. Dido is a goddess who had chosen to ignore the marriage requests of her family members. However, Dido welcomes Aeneas and his crew warmly going as far as ordering a sumptuous banquet.
The latter months that follow, Dido apparently falls in love with Aeneas however, their epic love story is ended when the messenger god Mercury to remind Aeneas of his great destiny (Ed 1). Aeneas also encounters the ghost of his late father who guides him to travel to Cumae, Italy, to reconnect with him. This is the place where he meets a prophetess known as Sybil who informs him of his destiny to establish a new city of Troy along the west coast of central Italy.
Subsequently, Sybil also escorts Aeneas into Hades where he is supposed to meet his father. As seen in the context above, Aeneas learnt very vital lessons from the few people he met. His ghostly parents did direct him on the way to go claiming he is to revolutionize Italy as a nation. His encounter with the prophetess led to him knowing the exact place he was to build his new empire called Latium.
Observing the question why Ulysses in Dante’s Medieval Christian is hell, one major reason is about a certain soul known as ‘Tuscan Vanni Fucci’ who identified Dante from earth.
Dante and Virgil are on their way to the seventh pouch of the Eighth Circle of Hell. Christianity in the context is observed when Fucci curses God with an obscene gesture in absolute anger which leads to him being overwhelmed by serpents. In the second part of the question, how does the inferno compare, in the Dante’s inferno there are serpents who are chasing the lost and cursed souls in hell.
The serpents would also engulf the souls after capturing them. Aeneid compares them in rise and fall of troy when he is giving the sad tale of their journeys to Dido. The high priest in Troy warned the people not to receive any gifts from the Greeks. However, the Trojans were adamant and instantly, two serpents suddenly rose from the sea seizing the high priest Lacoon and his two sons. Afterwards the Greek army invaded the land of troy destroying everything.
Observing the structure of the Dante’s Hell, it is divided into several sections depending on the type of sin committed by a person while on earth. Each sinner is placed in his or her own category for example Fucci explains clearly that he is placed on there for the sin of robbing a sacristy.
Thieves were placed under the seventh pouch category. Finally, the legend of Odysseus in the Greek history is regarded as an epic narrative in Italy. The journeys made by these great heroes have been elaborated fully in line with the great destinies of these heroes. The changes that some of them met after staying for decades are elaborated fully above as well as how they adapted to these changes.
Works Cited
Lawall, Sarah. The Norton Anthology of Western Literature. New York; W.W. Norton, 2005.Print.
Wily Odysseus emerged as a hero in the poem, “Odysseus Strings His Bow”. He fought in many battles that cost him separation from his family. He did not give up until he was re-united with his family. At first, he was the king of Ithaca, an implication that he possessed excellent leadership skills.
In the course of his life at one time Odysseus fell in love with Helen’s cousin Penelope. Penelope bore him a son whom they named Telemachus. He was afraid that this would be known and to cover for the same he pretended to be insane. His scheme was discovered by Palamedes who placed his child (Palamedes’) to find out if really Odysseus was insane. It was expected that he (Odysseus), being insane, could harm the child but he did not. This led to a conclusion by the others that he was not insane (Historylink 1).
Odysseus was also a brave and clever warrior. He formulated the trick of the great wooden horse to give victory to the Greeks. This idea brought an end to the war of Trojans and Greeks which had taken a period of ten years (Historylink 1).
Odysseus had left his wife Penelope who had faithfully waited for him till he came back. She had made promises to him that she would wait for him. Penelope had made all efforts to avoid marrying another man. At the time of his return, many people believed that Odysseus was dead (McIlvain 1). He was a hero because he had for himself a very faithful wife.
The long away stay of Odysseus made people think that he was dead. A group of men took over his palace and had even tried to date his wife. One of the suitors, Antinous wanted to kill Odysseus’s son who was meant to be the next prince. Telemachus had made efforts to get these people out of the palace but they overpowered him (Notes 1).
On his way home, Odysseus encountered many gods on the way. Some of the gods such as Poseidon had issues with Odysseus. Athena was the one who pleaded with Poseidon to let him go to his home Ithaca. Odysseus was famous even to the gods who had heard of his victories: “When he identifies himself as Odysseus, his hosts, who have heard of his exploits at Troy are stunned” (Notes 1).
Odysseus finally made it to his home. Surprisingly, not even his wife could recognize him, apart from his nurse, Eurycleia. Odysseus was angered by the condition of his palace. Maids went to sleep with suitors at night. Athena a god asked him to stop his anger and appreciate what he had: wife Penelope, son Telemachus and the palace (McIlvain 20).
Odysseus made a long conversation with his wife Penelope who could not recognize him. She told him of how much she missed her husband. This was where the nurse recognized him as he cleaned his feet. The nurse recognized a scar that was on his feet but Odysseus’ look stopped her from telling Penelope (McIlvain 19). He was a hero because he made it to have a long conversation with his wife ensuring that she did not recognize him.
Penelope then decided to put up a contest. She said that the man who would be able to string Odysseus’ great bow and fire it through a row of twelve axes would become his husband. She chose this contest because only his husband Odysseus had been able to do it. Odysseus had not revealed his identity. He looked like a beggar all this time. The beggar, Odysseus asked for the bow to try. Antinous mocked him. Surprisingly, he effortlessly stringed the bow and sent it through the axes (McIlvain 21). This skill was a character of a hero as well as outdoing all other men.
Odysseus in anger turned against Antinous and the maids and killed them. Finally, Penelope was reunited with her husband after revealing to her that he was Odysseus. He was a hero because he could do anything to achieve his goal (McIlvain 22). He was re-united with his wife because of one special skill of using a bow. He convinced his wife Penelope that he was Odysseus by telling her about the bed he had made from a still rooted olive tree which was only known to him (McIlvain 24).
Faith and Religion in “The Wife of Bath”
This poem was based on Christian values in marriage. The poem was derived from the Bible; 1Corinthaians 7:1-9. Behaviour of women was described and outlined by Christian traditions. Christianity guided morals in the society. The speaker told of how marriage was for her. Since she was 12 years of age she had been married five times in church. All the men she married were well up and had inherited wealth (McIlvain 1).
Marriage in this context was based on Christian values. One was only supposed to wed once: “That since Christ went never but once, to a wedding, in the Cana of Galilee, that by that same example he taught me, that I should be wedded but once” (Benson 1).
The tale teller also used the Bible to justify her multiple marriages. She used some examples like that of Jacob, and Abraham and claimed that they were saints but never had more than one wife. She said this in a tone of persuasion. The tale teller narrated her experiences using Biblical quotes:
Lo, here the wise king, dan Solomon, I believe he had wives more than one, As would God it were lawful unto me, To be refreshed half so often as he! What a gift of God had he because of all his wives! (Benson 1)
Christianity was the basis of morality. Those who were able to uphold the moral standards were very few. There were two characters that played different roles in the church, the pardoner and the Summoner. They were corrupt. The pardoner was the one received those who had sinned while the summoner was responsible bringing the sinner to the church. The summoner had committed a crime that he accused others for.
The poem was made of instances of preaching so it could teach on faith. The preaching was made of rules and texts from the Bible. The preacher could explain the Biblical principles to the audience who had little knowledge about the scriptures. These teachings could thus explain the moral theories of this society.
In this story, the pilgrims were knowledgeable in that they knew the basic rules that are laid by the Bible from the sermons they heard in church. The pardoner used many supporting scriptures to justify immoral behaviours of the drunks. He quoted people from the Bible such as Herod, Lot and the sins they committed in their drunkenness. The pardoner was very corrupt in that he used scriptures to justify his immoral actions.
The tale described faith in Christianity. It said that those who lived in chastity were following Christian teachings. Those people would always sing a new hymn. This was a call to perseverance in whatever one went through. The most important thing was to obey God’s commands so as to make it to heaven.
The Prince: Machiavellian Philosophy
“The Prince” story was written by Niccolo Machiavelli. He dedicated his writings to his grandson on how to maintain power as a leader. His advice was his philosophy. He had previously been a leader of Florence in Italy. His experiences with Politician Cesare Borgia were ruthless.
He drew his writings from his leadership skills. This was because the tactics he used in to rule people at that time worked out for them. His message was on how his grandson could protect himself as a Prince. Maintenance of power was his main interest. Machiavelli had been accused of conspiracy which led to his imprisonment. This was when he wrote this story, “The Prince” (Amazon 1).
Firstly, Machiavellian offered his philosophies on how to retain power as a prince. In the first chapter, he recommended imitation of the style and techniques of rulers who had previously made it to rule over their territories (Amazon 1). He described two types of states, Republics or Principalities.
Principalities included new and hereditary principalities. His perspective was that it was easier to govern hereditary states because those who were ruled by the state family were familiar with the ruling of the prince family and the subjects would always love the ruling family unless they misbehaved (Notes 1).
Secondly, as a Prince one was supposed to limit the freedom of citizens (Amazon 1). Princes were supposed to have dominion over weak surrounding states. The prince was also supposed to weaken the strong states. He believed that the weaker states would always naturally support the stronger side and thus the prince power would not be at threat (Notes 1).
The prince was supposed to have a strong military force that was made of local people and not foreigners. He thought that foreigners could not be trusted. Skills in leading the troops were very essential for the prince (Amazon 1). This would secure the Prince’s power.
He also believed that a prince was supposed to use violence, trickery and insincerity to gain his political interests. On this, he recommended that a prince was not supposed to use these tactics unnecessarily (Amazon 1): “It makes him (ruler) hated above all things, as I have said, to be rapacious, and to be a violator of the property and women of his subjects, from both of which he must abstain” (Amazon 1).
He said that a prince was supposed to increase the wealth of the state by whichever means whether good or bad. The reason for this was so as to ease the burden of paying taxes to his citizens (Amazon 1). Plundering of enemy’s money or treasury was one of the tactics if an opportunity presented itself to him. However, his advice to the prince was to increase taxes if need arose to maintain his state.
The prince was also supposed to strike a balance of generosity to the citizens. Doing according to the will of citizens was an important tactic of maintaining ruler ship; but the prince was not supposed to always follow their wish (Amazon 1). To guard against crime in his state, the prince was supposed to have punishments which could suit the criminals fairly.
Very harsh punishments were not recommended because they could trigger hatred of citizens to the prince. On the other hand, if little punishment was given to great criminals, people would complain and probably overthrow his kingdom. He put it that it was better for people to hate the prince other than to love him, but his actions was supposed to avoid people’s hatred (Amazon 1).
The Prince was supposed to appoint court officials who were trustworthy and able to tell the truth without fear of offending the ruler. However, they were supposed to serve for the ruler’s interest (Amazon 1).
Similarities between Quran and Analects
The Quran and The Analects are used to guide moral principles in societies. Quran is used as a holy book for the Muslims and Analects of Confucius are used by the Chinese. The two books guide the believers on how to live a good fulfilling life.
The two books uphold good morals. Everyone who follows the rules and guidelines set by them gets a reward. The Qur’an recommends moral values including “genuineness, sincerity, modesty, peacefulness, compassion, justness, tolerance and forgiveness” (Yahya 1). Analects of Confucius have moral teachings. The Analects encourage people to love each other. People are not supposed to mistreat each other. Leaders are not allowed to show selfishness to other people (Ross 1).
The two books encourage people to treat each other in a fair manner. People are supposed to treat others as they would like to be treated. The Analects advocates for the following:
If what you don’t want for yourself, you shouldn’t do to others, and then you would like others to do for you what you would indeed like for yourself…If you desire to establish yourself, then establish others. (Ross 1)
In Qur’an, righteousness demands one to spend for the sake of love of other people. The Qur’an encourages that people should treat each other with respect irrespective of their social standing (Ipaki 1).
Good things follow those who obey the rules and laws set by the two books. In Analects, a good leader was easily obeyed even without having to use force on the people. The bad leader without good morals could not be obeyed even if he gave orders to the people (Ross 1).
Both books honour human life. Violence is discouraged in both the Quran and Analects. Killing of the innocent is prohibited in the Quran.
If someone kills another person, unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth- it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind. (Ipaki 1)
Confucius said that a good government does not need to kill. Having good example in leadership would help people to obey the rules (Ross 1).
The two books uphold morality above all other things. The conditions and situations in which one is subjected to should never corrupt his moral values. In Analects, “The Gentleman doesn’t worry about pay, profit, or poverty in comparison to Morality” (Ross 1). In Quran the emphasis is on avoiding the wrong, “A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with something better” (Ipaki 1).
Goodness is connected to ritual in Analects (Ross 1). In Quran, if any deed is not for Gods pleasure, the deed becomes unrighteous. All good things done for other people should have their intensions in pleasing God (Ipaki 1).
The two books condemn stealing and support acquisition of wealth in the right way. Analects say, “Everyone wants wealth and rank, but can only get them in the right way” (Ross 1). Violence was never supposed to be the means of wealth acquisition. The Quran condemns mischief and the corrupt people are subject to a curse (Ipaki 1).