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Thursday, June 24, 2010
How do I know anything you've said to me is the truth?
Use the comment button to post summaries of articles that deal with Odysseus as a man "skilled in all ways of contending " (disguise, story telling, improvisation/fabrication, and so on).
Richardson, Scott. “The Devious Narrator of the ‘Odyssey.’” The Classical Journal 101.4 (2006): 337-359. JSTOR. WEB. 23 June 2010.
Summary of “The Devious Narrator of the “Odyssey”
Concealment is frequently a form of disguise. The Devious Narrator of the “Odyssey” begins by stating “The hero of the Odyssey is not noted for his plain dealing. His words conceal more than they communicate, and he is not in the habit of introducing himself in a straightforward fashion. Among epic heroes, Odysseus is a con artist” (Richardson 337). In addition Scott Richardson opens up other elements of disguise and concealment—deviousness, double-dealing, untruthfulness, distrustfulness, manipulation—than one of physical disguise by Odysseus and Athena. Furthermore Scott Richardson considers Homer, the narrator of the Odyssey, an unreliable guide. Let’s explore this.
The narrator is often as wily as Odysseus. Homer is also very crafty in his use of impersonations and fictional stories. In fact the narrator cannot be trusted to give a straight up story when describing Odysseus or Athena. Homer disguises Odysseus as a beggar, the protégé of the goddess of cunning, the brilliant improviser, and Athena as Mentes. Many of the tales in the Odyssey are presented as fact, but turn out to be false, or the tale is never concluded. No doubt deception is the name of Homer’s game. As a result the reader must be very attentive to what the narrator is saying or he might be deceived by false expectations, unexpected moves, concealment, inaccuracies, or ambiguity. Early on in the Odyssey the reader pretty much knows the outcome—Odysseus returns to Ithaca, reunites with his son Telemachus, vanquishes the suitors, and he and Penelope live happily ever after—but the narrator has the guile of Odysseus to lead the reader on a “wild goose chase” when narrating the epic poem.
Work Cited: The Rhetoric of the Victim: Odysseus in the Swineherd's Hut Ben King Classical Antiquity, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Apr., 1999), pp. 74-93 Published by: University of California Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25011093
The article that I chose to go along with my previous entry is entitled “The Rhetoric of the Victim: Odysseus in the Swinherd's hut” by Ben King. The Odyssey depicts Odysseus as a man “skilled in all ways of contending.” One of the main parts of the poem where he fabricates a very long and elaborate lie I when he is staying in the Swineherd's hut. In his article, King concludes that Odysseus's ability to successfully lie is part of his actual heroic identity. He also states that there are two basic aspects of this section that are key: the ethical stance Odysseus takes while telling his story, as well as the Iliadic background of the identity he creates. King points out that the ethical stance that Odysseus takes is purposely supposed to validate the Swineherd's moral outlook. Also, even though the story he tells is a lie, it has many similarities to the actual past of Odysseus, especially in his life during Homer's The Iliad. King expands on how the Cretan identity Odysseus creates is in fact very similar to his actual life as a hero, warrior, and wanderer.
Odysseus is a man of great brawn, but also of great "brains" as analyzed further in M.E. Heatherington's article "Chaos, Order, and Cunning in the Odyssey." The author goes on to describe Odysseus as one who has control over the universe with his "unaided strengths, skills, and cunning" (Heatherington 226). Odysseus always escapes the numerous obstacles faced before him within the epic poem which can express this idea of how he has control over the universe and his fate. Odysseus relies more on his mind than his brain within the epic poem as seen when escaping the Cyclops and dealing with Eumaios. Heatherington goes on to talk about how it's not coincidental that Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is one of the most prominent gods found in the poem. Her placement provides more proof that the Odyssey is more about wisdom, cunning, and guile then about strength, muscles, and brawn. The author continues with how Odysseus must deal with not only the angry suitors when he reaches Ithaca, but also his own emotions of pride, anger, and sorrow. To do this, Odysseus uses "his brain: his ability to out-think, out-talk, and out-sneak virtually all the traps and tests he must confront"(Heatherington 227). His brain is his greatest strength within the Odyssey as it helps him in countless situations and is vital to the plot. Heatherington's article is another source providing evidence that in the Odyssey, Odysseus is a man full of guile. WORKS CITED Heatherington, M.E. "Chaos, Order, and Cunning in the Odyssey."Studies in Physiology 73.3 (1976): 225-238. JSTOR. WEB. 23 Jun. 2010.
In the narrative of Odysseus he is very cunning and is full of disguises that can conceal his identity. Especially when he was disguise as a beggar in the Swineherd’s Hut and how he was able to keep his identity a secret. He assumes the role of the victim of fortune and his tale is full with fictitious experiences. Odysseus consummate skill is a central feature of his heroic identity and false tales of the epic story tells in detail of Odysseus talents. The Egyptian king knew about Odysseus secret for seven years and kept it concealed. On this journey that Odysseus goes through he has to be skill in all way contending in order to insure his safe return back home. Odysseus skillfully adapts details from his own adventures, from the remarks of his addressee, and from the life of the swineherd to construct a moral parable. The thing about Odysseus is that he thinks things through to help turn situations around that would help him in what he is facing at the moment. Odysseus is a fictional heroic persona is constructed so as to be, in some sense Odysseus antithesis. Works Cited The Rhetoric of the Victim:Odysseus in the Swineherd's Hut Ben King Classical Antiquity, Vol. 18,No. 1 (Apr.,1999),pp. 74-93 Publised by: University of California Press
WORKS CITED
ReplyDeleteRichardson, Scott. “The Devious Narrator of the ‘Odyssey.’” The Classical Journal 101.4 (2006): 337-359. JSTOR. WEB. 23 June 2010.
Summary of “The Devious Narrator of the “Odyssey”
Concealment is frequently a form of disguise. The Devious Narrator of the “Odyssey” begins by stating “The hero of the Odyssey is not noted for his plain dealing. His words conceal more than they communicate, and he is not in the habit of introducing himself in a straightforward fashion. Among epic heroes, Odysseus is a con artist” (Richardson 337). In addition Scott Richardson opens up other elements of disguise and concealment—deviousness, double-dealing, untruthfulness, distrustfulness, manipulation—than one of physical disguise by Odysseus and Athena. Furthermore Scott Richardson considers Homer, the narrator of the Odyssey, an unreliable guide. Let’s explore this.
The narrator is often as wily as Odysseus. Homer is also very crafty in his use of impersonations and fictional stories. In fact the narrator cannot be trusted to give a straight up story when describing Odysseus or Athena. Homer disguises Odysseus as a beggar, the protégé of the goddess of cunning, the brilliant improviser, and Athena as Mentes. Many of the tales in the Odyssey are presented as fact, but turn out to be false, or the tale is never concluded. No doubt deception is the name of Homer’s game. As a result the reader must be very attentive to what the narrator is saying or he might be deceived by false expectations, unexpected moves, concealment, inaccuracies, or ambiguity. Early on in the Odyssey the reader pretty much knows the outcome—Odysseus returns to Ithaca, reunites with his son Telemachus, vanquishes the suitors, and he and Penelope live happily ever after—but the narrator has the guile of Odysseus to lead the reader on a “wild goose chase” when narrating the epic poem.
Work Cited:
ReplyDeleteThe Rhetoric of the Victim: Odysseus in the Swineherd's Hut
Ben King
Classical Antiquity, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Apr., 1999), pp. 74-93
Published by: University of California Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25011093
The article that I chose to go along with my previous entry is entitled “The Rhetoric of the Victim: Odysseus in the Swinherd's hut” by Ben King. The Odyssey depicts Odysseus as a man “skilled in all ways of contending.” One of the main parts of the poem where he fabricates a very long and elaborate lie I when he is staying in the Swineherd's hut. In his article, King concludes that Odysseus's ability to successfully lie is part of his actual heroic identity. He also states that there are two basic aspects of this section that are key: the ethical stance Odysseus takes while telling his story, as well as the Iliadic background of the identity he creates. King points out that the ethical stance that Odysseus takes is purposely supposed to validate the Swineherd's moral outlook. Also, even though the story he tells is a lie, it has many similarities to the actual past of Odysseus, especially in his life during Homer's The Iliad. King expands on how the Cretan identity Odysseus creates is in fact very similar to his actual life as a hero, warrior, and wanderer.
Odysseus is a man of great brawn, but also of great "brains" as analyzed further in M.E. Heatherington's article "Chaos, Order, and Cunning in the Odyssey." The author goes on to describe Odysseus as one who has control over the universe with his "unaided strengths, skills, and cunning" (Heatherington 226). Odysseus always escapes the numerous obstacles faced before him within the epic poem which can express this idea of how he has control over the universe and his fate. Odysseus relies more on his mind than his brain within the epic poem as seen when escaping the Cyclops and dealing with Eumaios. Heatherington goes on to talk about how it's not coincidental that Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is one of the most prominent gods found in the poem. Her placement provides more proof that the Odyssey is more about wisdom, cunning, and guile then about strength, muscles, and brawn. The author continues with how Odysseus must deal with not only the angry suitors when he reaches Ithaca, but also his own emotions of pride, anger, and sorrow. To do this, Odysseus uses "his brain: his ability to out-think, out-talk, and out-sneak virtually all the traps and tests he must confront"(Heatherington 227). His brain is his greatest strength within the Odyssey as it helps him in countless situations and is vital to the plot. Heatherington's article is another source providing evidence that in the Odyssey, Odysseus is a man full of guile.
ReplyDeleteWORKS CITED
Heatherington, M.E. "Chaos, Order, and Cunning in the Odyssey."Studies in Physiology 73.3 (1976): 225-238. JSTOR. WEB. 23 Jun. 2010.
In the narrative of Odysseus he is very cunning and is full of disguises that can conceal his identity. Especially when he was disguise as a beggar in the Swineherd’s Hut and how he was able to keep his identity a secret. He assumes the role of the victim of fortune and his tale is full with fictitious experiences. Odysseus consummate skill is a central feature of his heroic identity and false tales of the epic story tells in detail of Odysseus talents. The Egyptian king knew about Odysseus secret for seven years and kept it concealed. On this journey that Odysseus goes through he has to be skill in all way contending in order to insure his safe return back home. Odysseus skillfully adapts details from his own adventures, from the remarks of his addressee, and from the life of the swineherd to construct a moral parable. The thing about Odysseus is that he thinks things through to help turn situations around that would help him in what he is facing at the moment. Odysseus is a fictional heroic persona is constructed so as to be, in some sense Odysseus antithesis.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
The Rhetoric of the Victim:Odysseus in the Swineherd's Hut
Ben King
Classical Antiquity, Vol. 18,No. 1 (Apr.,1999),pp. 74-93
Publised by: University of California Press