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[[Image:Circe Offering the Cup to Odysseus.jpg|thumb|right|340px|alt=Picture of a woman holding a cup.|The [[hero]] Odysseus was constantly tempted by the allure of beautiful women throughout his ten-year travels, including [[Circe]], who wanted the Greek hero to remain on her island with her. <sub>Painting (1891) by John William Waterhouse.</sub>]]
[[Image:Circe Offering the Cup to Odysseus.jpg|thumb|right|200px|alt=Picture of a woman holding a cup.|A Victorian representation of [[Circe]], who inveigled Odysseus into a prolonged stay on her island. <sub>Painting (1891) by John William Waterhouse.</sub>]]
The '''Odyssey''' is an [[epic]] [[poetry|poem]] believed to have been written by the [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] poet [[Homer]] probably around the seventh century BCE. It is an important work in the [[literature]] of [[Western civilization]], and sequel to the ''[[Iliad]]'', which describes the sea-faring adventures of the [[hero]] [[Odysseus]] in his ten-year struggle to return home to [[Ithaca (Greece)|Ithaca]] and rejoin his wife [[Penelope (Odyssey)|Penelope]]. Odysseus was a Greek warrior in the [[Trojan War]] whose clever [[strategy]] of the [[Trojan War]] meant victory for the warring Greek armies led by [[Agamemnon]] and doom for the [[Troy|Trojans]]. But bad Greek behavior during the [[sack of Troy]] caused the Greeks to fall out of favor with the [[Greek god|gods and goddesses]] from [[Mount Olympus]], and they made homecomings difficult for most of the Greek warriors.
The '''Odyssey''' is an [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greek]] [[epic]] [[Homer]]ic poem narrating the struggles of [[Odysseus]] to return to his island home of [[Ithaca (Greece)|Ithaca]] after the [[Trojan War]].  It is thought to have been composed around the seventh century BCE and is an important work in the [[literature]] of [[Western civilization]]


The Odyssey was a vital narrative, initially sung by poets perhaps accompanied by a [[lyre]], and was written in a [[meter (poetry)|metric]] style called [[dactylic hexameter]] characterized by a tension between the spoken sounds of the words, their respective meanings, and rhythm, for the purpose of heightening the effect and impact of the poem. It highlights the shrewd and steadfast character of Odysseus as a cunning master of strategy who must use his wits on repeated occasions to survive and return home. The word ''odyssey'' has become [[synonym|synonymous]] with a long adventure travel, sometimes by sea. Odysseus had many adventures on different islands and places along the [[Mediterranean Sea]], and had to contend with forces both human and [[divine]]. In the story, he returns home to find that a crowd of suitors has moved into his house to [[romantic love|court]] his wife Penelope, since his disappearance after twenty years (ten during the Trojan war, and ten returning home) led most to suspect that Odysseus was [[death|dead]]. He kills the suitors, rejoins his son [[Telemachus]].
== Themes ==
Odysseus, the man of many wiles, having incurred the enmity of the sea-god [[Poseidon]] was constantly thwarted by him in his return voyage to Ithaca and his wife [[Penelope (Odyssey)|Penelope]].  Poseidon had supported the Trojans in the war, and was further antagonised by the blinding of the Cyclops [[Polyphemus]].  Odysseus was, however, supported by the goddess [[Athene]] who after ten years enabled him to return home, where he found that a crowd of suitors had moved into his house to [[romantic love|court]] Penelope.  He had been absent twenty years (ten for the war, ten for his return) but Penelope had refused to accept that he was dead. Aided by his son [[Telemachus]] he killed the suitors and eventually resumed his kingdom.


The ''Odyssey'' helped define for the [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] the important parts of their civilization, clarified beliefs in their [[religion]] concerning their gods and goddesses, and also served as entertainment and a way to share common beliefs. It was an educational tool as well. The epic has had substantial impact on later poetry throughout Western civilization and influenced later writers such as the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] [[Virgil]] who wrote the ''[[Aeneid]]'' based largely on the combined works of the ''Iliad'' and ''Odyssey''. The ''Odyssey'' has been translated repeatedly throughout history and has been the subject of much [[literary criticism]] and speculation, and it serves as a historical reference for [[scholarship|scholars]] of [[history]].
The form of the poem is unlike the [[Iliad]] in that it starts with Telemachus leaving Ithaca to get news of his father and then proceeds to Odysseus, through divine intervention, leaving the island of [[Calypso]].  Only later does he tell his previous adventures, so that much of the narration is by the hero himself.  Unlike the Iliad, the poem is episodic.
== The poetry ==
The Odyssey stemmed from an oral culture and was initially sung or recited by poets, perhaps accompanied by a [[lyre]]. It was composed in a [[meter (poetry)|metric]] style called [[dactylic hexameter]] characterized by a tension between the spoken sounds of the words, their respective meanings, and rhythm, for the purpose of heightening the effect and impact of the poem.
 
== Later influence ==
The ''Odyssey'' helped define for the [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greeks]] the important parts of their civilization, clarified beliefs in their [[religion]] concerning their gods and goddesses, and also served as entertainment.
 
Many of the episodes form part of the cultural heritage of Western civilization.
 
The [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] poet [[Virgil]], in his ''[[Aeneid]]'', borrowed matter from the Iliad but followed the form of the Odyssey in that he started well into the story and had the hero narrate previous events. This form has been followed by others.

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Picture of a woman holding a cup.
A Victorian representation of Circe, who inveigled Odysseus into a prolonged stay on her island. Painting (1891) by John William Waterhouse.

The Odyssey is an Ancient Greek epic Homeric poem narrating the struggles of Odysseus to return to his island home of Ithaca after the Trojan War. It is thought to have been composed around the seventh century BCE and is an important work in the literature of Western civilization

Themes

Odysseus, the man of many wiles, having incurred the enmity of the sea-god Poseidon was constantly thwarted by him in his return voyage to Ithaca and his wife Penelope. Poseidon had supported the Trojans in the war, and was further antagonised by the blinding of the Cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus was, however, supported by the goddess Athene who after ten years enabled him to return home, where he found that a crowd of suitors had moved into his house to court Penelope. He had been absent twenty years (ten for the war, ten for his return) but Penelope had refused to accept that he was dead. Aided by his son Telemachus he killed the suitors and eventually resumed his kingdom.

The form of the poem is unlike the Iliad in that it starts with Telemachus leaving Ithaca to get news of his father and then proceeds to Odysseus, through divine intervention, leaving the island of Calypso. Only later does he tell his previous adventures, so that much of the narration is by the hero himself. Unlike the Iliad, the poem is episodic.

The poetry

The Odyssey stemmed from an oral culture and was initially sung or recited by poets, perhaps accompanied by a lyre. It was composed in a metric style called dactylic hexameter characterized by a tension between the spoken sounds of the words, their respective meanings, and rhythm, for the purpose of heightening the effect and impact of the poem.

Later influence

The Odyssey helped define for the ancient Greeks the important parts of their civilization, clarified beliefs in their religion concerning their gods and goddesses, and also served as entertainment.

Many of the episodes form part of the cultural heritage of Western civilization.

The Roman poet Virgil, in his Aeneid, borrowed matter from the Iliad but followed the form of the Odyssey in that he started well into the story and had the hero narrate previous events. This form has been followed by others.

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