trojan war essay questions

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By: History.com Editors

Updated: May 31, 2023 | Original: December 18, 2009

The story of the Trojan War—the Bronze Age conflict between the kingdoms of Troy and Mycenaean Greece–straddles the history and mythology of ancient Greece and inspired the greatest writers of antiquity, from Homer, Herodotus and Sophocles to Virgil. Since the 19th-century rediscovery of the site of Troy in what is now western Turkey, archaeologists have uncovered increasing evidence of a kingdom that peaked and may have been destroyed around 1,180 B.C.—perhaps forming the basis for the tales recounted by Homer some 400 years later in the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey.”

The Narrative of the Trojan War

According to classical sources, the war began after the abduction (or elopement) of Queen Helen of Sparta by the Trojan prince Paris. Helen’s jilted husband Menelaus convinced his brother Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, to lead an expedition to retrieve her. Agamemnon was joined by the Greek heroes Achilles , Odysseus, Nestor and Ajax, and accompanied by a fleet of more than a thousand ships from throughout the Hellenic world. They crossed the Aegean Sea to Asia Minor to lay siege to Troy and demand Helen’s return by Priam, the Trojan king.

Did you know? Some traditions portray Homer as a blind poet, because the name Homer sounds like a word for "blind" in some Greek dialects. In the “Odyssey,” a blind bard appears telling stories of the war, which some interpret as a cameo by the poem's author.

The siege, punctuated by battles and skirmishes including the storied deaths of the Trojan prince Hector and the nearly-invincible Achilles, lasted more than 10 years until the morning the Greek armies retreated from their camp, leaving a large wooden horse outside the gates of Troy. After much debate (and unheeded warnings by Priam’s daughter Cassandra), the Trojans pulled the mysterious gift into the city. When night fell, the horse opened up and a group of Greek warriors, led by Odysseus, climbed out and sacked the Troy from within.

After the Trojan defeat, the Greeks heroes slowly made their way home. Odysseus took 10 years to make the arduous and often-interrupted journey home to Ithaca recounted in the “Odyssey.” Helen, whose two successive Trojan husbands were killed during the war, returned to Sparta to reign with Menelaus. After his death, some sources say she was exiled to the island of Rhodes, where a vengeful war widow had her hanged.

The Trojan War Epics

Little is known about the historical Homer. Historians date the completion of the “Iliad” to about 750 B.C., and the “Odyssey” to about 725. Both began within the oral tradition, and were first transcribed decades or centuries after their composition. Many of the most familiar episodes of the war, from the abduction of Helen to the Trojan Horse and the sack of Troy, come from the so-called “Epic Cycle” of narratives assembled in the sixth century B.C. from older oral traditions.

In the first century B.C. the Roman poet Virgil composed the “Aeneid,” the third great classical epic inspired by the Trojan War. It follows a group of Trojans led by the hero Aeneas who leave their destroyed city to travel to Carthage before founding the city of Rome. Virgil’s aim was in part to give Rome’s first imperial dynasty an origin story as impressive as that of the Greeks.

Is the Trojan War a Real War?

Many portions of the Trojan War epics are difficult to read historically. Several of the main characters are direct offspring of the Greek gods (Helen was fathered by Zeus, who disguised himself as a swan and raped her mother Leda), and much of the action is guided (or interfered with) by the various competing gods. For example, Paris supposedly won Helen’s love after awarding the Goddess Aphrodite the golden apple for her beauty (“The Judgment of Paris” tells the story of how Paris was asked to select the most beautiful goddess between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite by granting the winner a golden apple). Lengthy sieges were recorded in the era, but the strongest cities could only hold out for a few months, not 10 full years.

Major excavations at the site of Troy in 1870 under the direction of German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann revealed a small citadel mound and layers of debris 25 meters deep. Later studies have document more than 46 building phases grouped into nine bands representing the site’s inhabitation from 3,000 B.C. until its final abandonment in A.D. 1350. Recent excavations have shown an inhabited area 10 times the size of the citadel, making Troy a significant Bronze Age city. Layer VIIa of the excavations, dated to about 1180 B.C., reveals charred debris and scattered skeletons—evidence of a wartime destruction of the city that may have inspired portions of the story of the Trojan War. In Homer’s day, 400 years later, its ruins would have still been visible.

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The Trojan War Essay

The Trojan War was a pivotal event in ancient Greek history. The war began as a conflict between the city of Troy and the surrounding region, but soon escalated into a full-blown war involving many of the major city-states in Greece. The war lasted for many years, and resulted in the destruction of Troy and the death of many famous warriors.

The Trojan War has been the subject of many works of literature over the centuries. It is often seen as a symbol of human folly, and its story has been used to explore various themes and ideas. The Trojan War is still studied by historians today, and its impact on ancient Greece is still felt to this day.

In about the 13th century, the Trojan War occurred. The city of Troy was conquered by the ancient Greeks. The war began when Eris, the goddess of discord, snubbed King Peleus and Queen Thetis’ wedding banquet. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite were among those who had been invited to the banquet but not Eris, the goddess of discord.

Zeus, the king of the gods, ordered a contest to be held to determine who should have the apple. He appointed Paris, a Trojan prince, to judge the contest. Each goddess offered him a bribe. Athena offered him wisdom and power. Hera offered him supreme power over all mortals. Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful woman in the world as his wife.

Paris awarded the apple to Aphrodite, and she gave him Helen, the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. When Menelaus found out about his wife’s infidelity, he called on his brother Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae, to help him get her back. Agamemnon gathered an army of Greek warriors and set sail for Troy. The Trojan War lasted 10 years and ended with the Greeks destroying the City of Troy.

Paris was so taken by the beauty of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, that he awarded her the apple to Aphrodite. Helen was already married to Kin Menelaus of Sparta when she met Paris, but she fled with him to Troy after being visited by Paris.

In an effort to reclaim his wife, Menelaus organized a war among the Greeks for ten years. The Greeks tried unsuccessfully to take down Troy for 10 years. When a huge hollow horse was constructed outside of Troy’s walls and left there as a trophy, the Trojans took it inside and believed they had won the battle and were given credit for it.

In the night, the Greeks emerged from the horse and opened the gates of Troy, thus allowing their army to enter and conquer the city. The Trojan War was a conflict that took place in ancient Greece between the Trojans and the Greeks. The war started when Paris, a Trojan prince, awarded a golden apple to Aphrodite, goddess of love, instead of to Hera or Athena.

The prize was for the most beautiful woman in the world. Helen, who was married to Menelaus of Sparta, ran away with Paris to Troy. Menelaus then organized a Greek war against Troy to get Helen back. The war lasted ten years but could not be won by either side.

The Greeks stormed from the horse and opened the city’s gates to let their fellow troops in, and the Greek army conquered Troy. Around 2500 years ago, Ancient Greece was home to Western civilization. The primary feature of Greek culture was a number of tiny city-states.

A city-state was a collection of cities and settlements in addition to the surrounding countryside. The Greek city-states were self-reliant and frequently fought with one another. These city states established the world’s first democratic government, according to the Greeks. They thought that various gods and goddesses watched over them and guided their daily activities.

The Trojan War was a legendary conflict between the city-state of Troy and the Greeks. The war began when the Trojan prince, Paris, abducted Helen, the wife of Menelaus, the King of Sparta. Menelaus gathered an alliance of Greek city-states to march against Troy and win back his wife.

The Trojan War lasted for 10 years and ended with the Greeks destroying Troy. The Trojan War is one of the most famous stories from ancient Greece and has been told in poems, plays, and movies. Troy was a real city located in what is now Turkey. The Trojan War is thought to have actually occurred around 1200 BC.

The war was fought over a woman and lasted for 10 years, but the Greeks were successful in destroying Troy. The Trojan War is a significant event in ancient Greek history because it showed that the city-states could unite against a common enemy and win. It also demonstrated the power of the newly developed Greek hoplite phalanx formation which helped the Greeks to conquer Troy.

The gods were thought to be terrible and frightening, especially the ones who were brutal. Families gladly provided sacrifices, presents, and rituals in order to please them. People flocked to oracles in Greece to consult priests and priestesses who answered queries and foretold the future.

Greek males liked drinking, conversing, and dancing at parties. Religious festivals such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are three of the most significant Greek thinkers. Socrates taught by methodically prying into his pupils’ ideas and arguments to expose their flaws. Beauty, justice, and good government are all subjects studied by Plato.

Aristotle was interested in nearly everything and developed theories about the natural world, mathematics, morals, and politics. The Trojan War took place around 1250 BC and lasted for 10 years. It was a devastating war that changed the course of history. The Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans.

The Trojan War started when Paris, a Trojan prince, kidnapped Helen, the wife of Menelaus, the king of Sparta. When Menelaus found out about his wife being kidnapped he asked his brother Agamemnon to help him get her back. Agamemnon gathered all the Greek kings together to form an army to invade Troy and get Helen back.

The Trojan War ended with the Greeks winning and destroying Troy. The Trojan War was a very important war because it showed that the Greeks were a powerful force to be reckoned with. It also showed that they were willing to fight and die for what they believed in. The Trojan War is one of the most famous wars in history and is still studied today.

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108 Iliad Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best iliad topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 simple & easy iliad essay titles, 👍 good essay topics on iliad, ❓ iliad essay questions.

• The Epic Elements of Homer’s “The Iliad” Although the plot mostly narrates several weeks in the last year of the war, The Iliad has various allusions to the many Greek legends about the siege and the astonishing exploits of ancient heroes.
• Homer’s “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”: Main Themes 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 […] We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Literature Studies: “The Iliad” by Homer It is devoted to the period of the Greek-Trojan War and narrates about the heroic battles between the Greeks and the Trojans.
• Remembering Humanity: Priam and Achilles at the End of “The Iliad” Priam reminds Achilles that he is still a human, and Achilles urges the Trojan king not to give up under the misfortunes of war because that is also a part of human nature.
• Achilles as a Human Hero From the Poem “The Iliad” One of the qualities that distinguish Achilles from the heroes and make him a human is his quick temper and touchiness.
• Hector’ and Achilles Clash in The Iliad by Homer As the poem begins, Achilles is not ready to take orders from Agamemnon, the king of the Greeks, and he is agitated at losing argument to the king.
• Homer’s The Iliad and John Milton’s Lost Paradise It was written after the Restoration, but the powerful voice of the poet declared that the spirit of the Revolution was not broken, that it still lived in the hearts of the people.
• War Justification in The Iliad and The Bhagavad-Gita The current paper observes two ancient texts, The Iliad and The Bhagavad-gita, to investigate the arguments of what the virtues of wars are.
• Women’s Roles: 1001 Nights and The Iliad Both of the works serve as detailed and deep reflections of the histories and cultures of the countries they came from and elaborately portrayed the relationships between men and women, religions and spirituality, and the […]
• The Most Realistic Character in “The Iliad” by Homer The author uses Achilles as a bold character for building all the major themes in the poem; hence he is the most realistic character in The Iliad.
• The Iliad: Religion and Beliefs Homer offers a variety of shades of religious consciousness, and many of the plot elements used by the author indicate a social interpretation of the divine cult and the introduction of human beliefs into the […]
• Gilgamesh, The Iliad and Aeneid: On the Similarities in the Works In contrast, the villains are made to capture the fears, and challenges of the societies represented by these epics. The import of these three epics lies in their historicism.
• Traditional Epic Hero in Homer’s “The Iliad” The ideals of a given culture are determined by the social cultural conditions of a society or can also be greatly influenced by the views and the perceptions of the author.
• Why Homer’s “The Iliad” Can Be Called an Epic The overall scale of the conflict and the involvement of gods are the key characteristics making the “Iliad” an epic in its traditional sense.
• Ancient Greece Heroes: The Iliad and The Knight’s Tale It is rather tempting to see the later work as a reflection of the ancient Greek story, but Chaucer’s work is rather a re-evaluation of the old story.
• The Plays “The Iliad,” “The Odyssey,” and “Agamemnon”: Understanding of Leadership Finally, the story of Agamemnon told in The Iliad and Agamemnon taught us that a capable leader must remain humble and self-aware.
• Achilles’ Moral Ambiguity in “The Iliad” by Homer Achilles begs his mother to approach Zeus and request that the deity punish the Greeks unless they accord him the respect he merits. Achilles then urged the remainder of the Greeks to leave Troy and […]
• The Poem “The Iliad” by Homer However, one of the dominant themes of the Iliad is the balance of fate and free will. During the Axial age, when the Iliad was written, people in all cultures began comprehending the human position […]
• Abuse of Power in “The Iliad” and “The Metamorphoses” Portraying the lives of gods and depicting relationships between them, as well as their interactions with humans, both “Iliad” and “Metamorphosis” elaborate on the theme of power abuse by those at the helm.
• Homer: The Theme of Men at War in “The Iliad” Patroclus is always beside Achilles to support him in the saddest moments and the moments of his rage. This loyalty shows that the friendship of Achilles and Patroclus was a perfect relationship as seen by […]
• The Power of “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” Nowadays The significance of Iliad and Odyssey in the modern world can be explained by the fact that they are the first ancient epics, which have survived to this day.
• The Figure of Hector in Homer’s “The Iliad” Hector’s behavior is often contradictory since the motives for his actions are either a thirst for glory, which is typical of an epic hero), or an understanding of the duty to the fatherland and the […]
• Humans & Gods: Gilgamesh, Genesis, The Iliad, Nicomachean Ethics The narrative in the book of Genesis is constructed to depict that God created the society of people. It is seen in multiple appeals of the characters in the legend to gods.
• ”The Iliad of Homer” by Homer: A Reflection of the Culture and Moral Principles That Existed at That Time Themes of Self-Sacrifice and Love in the Iliad Easily seen is the strength that is given from Zeus to mortals either in those into whose hands he gives the surpassing glory, or those he diminishes […]
• Characters of Homer’s The Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid: A Model of Leadership Anthemed in the Literature of the Ancient World Odysseus along with Aeneas is known all over the world as one of the most outstanding models of leadership anthemed in the literature of the ancient world.
• Homer’s The Iliad Literary Review Sometimes it is immense fun to read other’s writings.”The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write, a man will turn over half a library to make one book”.
• Comparing Stylistic Features of “Epic of Gilgamesh”, “The Iliad”, “One Thousand and One Nights” In the “Epic of Gilgamesh” Ninsun serves as a mother figure; she is devoted to her son Gilgamesh and is ready to help him in his endeavors.
• “The Iliad” a Greek Epic Poem by Homer One of the most famous arming scenes in the Iliad is the description of Achilles’ arming, in particular, shield. It could be supposed that Homer tried to highlight the horror of the war and focused […]
• Epic Poems: “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, “The Iliad”, and “One Thousand and One Nights” On the other hand, in the epic poem “The Iliad” the author is concerned with the heroic exploits of Achilles in the contexts of death and immortality.
• Reality of Achilles in “The Iliad” The character of Achilles is real as it is presented in the poem although most of the powers that are portrayed through this character are mere fantasies.
• Homer’s “The Iliad” History and Content The review will take the form of an in depth analysis of part one of the whole poem before that, most imperatively, presents the plot of the poem including shading light into the flow.
• Achilles Is One of the Major Characters in “The Iliad” In the texts of the Iliad Achilles is depicted as a great warrior possessing all the marks of a grand fighter by proving his might it the Achaean army. Patroclus death puts Achilles in a […]
• Narrating the Poetry: “The Iliad” by Homer The poem seeks to illustrate on the battles between Agamemnon the King and the warriors Achilles. The Iliad story begins at almost the end of the Trojan War during besiege by the Greeks.
• The Sympathetic Character of Achilles in an Ancient Greek Epic Poem “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Presentation of Inequality of Women in “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Struggles of Diomedes and Pylaimenes in “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”
• An Analysis of the Importance of the Rituals of Mourning to the Greeks in “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Metamorphosis of Achilles in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• The Gods and Their Role in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• Warfare Ideology in “The Aeneid” by Virgil and “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Tragedies of Patroclus and Hektor in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• The Themes of War and Rage in the Epic Poem “The Iliad” by Homer
• The World-Views of “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”
• An Analysis of the Heroic Code of Homeric Heroes Hector and Achilles in “The Iliad”
• The Views of Society Regarding “The Odyssey” and “The Iliad”
• The Role of Women in Homer’s “The Odyssey” and “The Iliad”
• The Paradox of Heroism in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• The Relationship Between the Gods and Mortals as Portrayed in “The Iliad”
• Use of Epithets in Homer’s “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”
• Understanding Similar Concepts in Literary Work: “Beowulf” vs. “The Iliad”
• Manifestation of Free Will in “The Iliad” by Homer
• An Analysis of the Passage About the Making of Achilleus’ Shield in “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Theme of Family in Books 6 and 24 in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• War in Homer’s “The Iliad” and Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried”
• The Similarities and Differences Between “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”
• A Character Analysis of Agamemnon in “The Iliad”
• Comparison of the Women in “The Iliad” and “The Thousand and One Nights”
• The Types of Love Homer Describes in “The Iliad”
• The Moral Lessons Taught in “The Iliad”
• The Image of the Best Warrior in the Eyes of an Ancient Greek in “The Iliad”
• Character Analysis of Andromache in “The Iliad”
• The Interpretation and Adaptation of “The Bible” and “The Iliad”
• Violence and How It Is Glorified in “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Trojan War Myth: Fact and Fiction of Homer’s “The Iliad”
• The Transformation of the Character of Achilles in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• The Understanding and Concern of the Character of Telemonian Aias in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• Tragic Heroes of “The Iliad” and “Oedipus Rex”
• The Similarities Between “Troy” by Wolfgang Petersen and Homer’s “The Iliad”
• Theme of Revenge in “The Godfather” and “The Iliad”
• The Portrayal of Hector as a Mere Man in “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Qualities of Homeric Hero in “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Use of Imagery, Dialogue, and Similes in “The Iliad” by Homer
• The Tragedy of the Trojans in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• Various Perspectives on War in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• The Main Topic of Vengeance, Fairness and Fate as Described in “The Iliad” by Homer
• Honour as an Important Theme in Homer’s “The Iliad”
• The Myth of the Matador and Theseus and “The Iliad” by Homer
• A Comparison of Achilles’ and Hector’s Honor and Pride in “The Iliad”
• How Does “The Iliad” Reveal the Issues of Gods and Fate?
• How Do Homer’s “The Iliad” War Tactics” Differ From War Tactics Today?
• Is Achilles Interested in Wealth in “The Iliad”?
• How Does “The Iliad” Portray the Ideal Epic World in Terms of Ancient Greek Values?
• What Can “The Iliad” Teach Us About Humanity in War?
• What Does the Image of a Predator Mean in “The Iliad”?
• What Makes Achilleus and Hektor the Heroes of “The Iliad”?
• Why Do Priam and Achilles Cry in “The Iliad”?
• Whether the Olympians Prefer War or Peace in “The Iliad” and the “The Odyssey”?
• Who Killed Paris in “The Iliad”?
• Which Warrior Best Encompasses the Idea of Kleos in “The Iliad”?
• Who Was the Real Hero in Homer’s “The Iliad”?
• Why Does “The Iliad” Conclude With the Funeral of Hektor?
• Where Does Achilles Strike Hector in “The Iliad”?
• Why Was Arête (‘Virtue’) an Important Theme in Homer’s “The Iliad”?
• How Does Homer Depict War in “The Iliad”?
• Why Are the Gods in Bliss When the Men Go to War in Homer’s “The Iliad”?
• How Does “The Iliad” Comment on Human Suffering?
• What Is the Human and Divine Relationship in Homer’s “The Iliad” and “Herodotus”?
• What Caused the Trojan War in “The Iliad”?
• What Are the Roles Women Play in “The Iliad”?
• How Did Ancient People Perceive Death in “The Iliad”?
• What Is the Purpose of Theomachy in “The Iliad”?
• How Is the Truce Broken in “The Iliad”?
• What Language Was “The Iliad” Written in?
• What Does “The Iliad” Suggest to Be the Nature of the Relations Between City-States in Homer’s Time?
• How Many Different Versions of “The Iliad” Exist?
• Does Achilles Demonstrate Sight Blindness in “The Iliad”?
• How Ethical Are the Gods in “The Iliad”?
• What Does Achilles Ask His Mother Thetis to Do in “The Iliad”?
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Summary and Analysis: Greek Mythology The Trojan War — Odysseus' Adventures

Of the Greeks who made it back to their homes Odysseus was fated to wander the longest — a full ten years — and he knew it. Among the Trojan women Hecuba fell to him, an old harridan now who could not forgive the way Odysseus had thrown her grandson Astyanax from the walls of Troy. Odysseus' ships were hit by the storm raised by Athena and were blown to Thrace. Sick of Hecuba's insults, he and his men stoned her to death.

In Thrace Odysseus sacked the city of the Cicones, sparing only a priest of Apollo, who rewarded him with a skin of potent wine. The Cicones that neighbored the city then attacked, killing many of Odysseus' men and driving the rest back to their ships. Storms blew the ships to Libya and the land of the Lotus-eaters, where an exploring party accepted the Lotus fruit from the natives and lost all memories of home. Odysseus had to recover these sailors forcibly.

Setting sail again they came to the island of the Cyclopes, a huge race of monsters with one eye in the middle of their foreheads. Unwittingly Odysseus and a scouting party feasted in the cave of Polyphemus, a son of Poseidon. The Cyclops returned, shut the Greeks in with a huge boulder, and ate two men apiece at each meal. Finally Odysseus devised a plan of escape. He and his remaining men blinded the giant in a drunken sleep with a sharpened pole. Then as Polyphemus was letting his sheep out of the cave to pasture, counting each one by touch, Odysseus and his men got out by clinging to the underbellies of the sheep. Returning to their ship, Odysseus jeered at Polyphemus, telling him that he, Odysseus, had blinded him. In a rage the giant hurled two great boulders at the ship that nearly swamped it. Then Polyphemus prayed to his father Poseidon to cause Odysseus as much trouble as possible.

Odysseus and his men then came to the island of Aeolus, the keeper of the winds. Aeolus entertained them for a month and presented Odysseus with a skin containing all the winds but the west wind, which would blow him home. Odysseus arrived within sight of his home, Ithaca, but he fell asleep from exhaustion. His men opened the sack of winds, thinking it held wine, and all the ships were blown back to Aeolus, who refused them further help.

Next Odysseus and his ships arrived at the land of the Laestrygonians, a savage race of cannibals. All but Odysseus put their vessels into the harbor lined with cliffs. The scouting party was attacked by the Laestrygonians, who bombarded the ships with boulders and sank them. Only Odysseus and his crew survived. The rest of the Greeks were eaten.

With but one ship left Odysseus sailed east and arrived at the Island of Dawn, which was inhabited by Circe, the sorceress. The group of men sent to explore the place were feasted by Circe and then were turned into swine. Learning of this, Odysseus went after Circe, and on his way the god Hermes gave him the herb moly to resist her enchantment. Circe invited him to eat, but her spell was ineffective, and Odysseus compelled her to restore the swine to human shape. He remained with her long enough to father three sons on her. Homesick, Odysseus was advised by Circe to journey to the world's end, enter Hades, and consult the seer Teiresias about his future and how he might appease Poseidon. In Hades, Teiresias told Odysseus of the difficulties he faced and of what he must do to placate Poseidon. Odysseus saw many dead notables there, including many of his companions at Troy. With his new knowledge he returned to Circe, who showed him how to get safely past the Sirens.

When Odysseus neared the island of the Sirens he had his men fill their ears with wax, for the singing of the Sirens lured sailors to their deaths on the rocks. He had himself tied to the mast so that he might hear their singing and still survive. Once that danger was over, the .ship had to pass between two cliffs in a strait that had the whirlpool of Charybdis. In trying to avoid the maelstrom Odysseus came too close to the cliff of the monster Scylla, who seized six of Odysseus' sailors. The next stop was the island of the sun god Helios, which nourished the god's sacred cattle. When Odysseus fell asleep his men, who were starving, slaughtered a number of the cattle. For this impiety Zeus struck Odysseus' ship with a thunderbolt, and only Odysseus escaped alive. Clinging to a piece of the ship, Odysseus was borne toward the whirlpool of Charybdis, but he grabbed a tree branch hanging over the water, waited till the timbers re-emerged, and floated off to nearby Ogygia.

Ogygia was inhabited by the nymph Calypso, who welcomed Odysseus and made him her lover. He remained with her seven years and grew increasingly homesick, sitting on the beach each day in a desolate mood. While Poseidon was off visiting the Ethiopians, Zeus arranged for Odysseus to depart, sending Hermes to bid Calypso release him. Calypso gave Odysseus an axe with which he fashioned a raft.

Poseidon returned from his Ethiopian junket to find Odysseus sailing along on a raft. The god washed him overboard and almost drowned him, but Odysseus was spared by the goddess Ino, who gave him her magic veil to tie around his waist. And after two days of swimming Odysseus found a beach on which to sleep. He was awakened by maidens who were playing ball after doing the washing. Odysseus gently addressed Nausicaä, the daughter of King Alcinoüs. She led him to her father. At first the Phaeacians, who lived on the island, were cool to Odysseus, but he bested them in a stone-throwing contest and they accepted him. King Alcinoüs listened to the story of Odysseus' wanderings, presented him with rich gifts, and furnished him a ship to get to Ithaca, his home. The Phaeacian sailors, seeing that Odysseus was sleeping, left him on the Ithacan shore and departed. But Poseidon resented the way they had helped Odysseus and changed the ship and crew to stone.

In the twenty years that Odysseus had been absent his wife Penelope had been besieged with suitors who had moved into the palace and proceeded to devour Odysseus' wealth. Penelope had promised to choose one of them as king when she finished a tapestry on which she was working, but what she did by day she would unravel at night. Things on the island had become risky for Odysseus' teenage son Telemachus, so Athena had guided him to Nestor's court and then to Sparta and the court of Menelaus, where he sought word of his father. Menelaus received the young man royally and assured Telemachus that his father was alive. Telemachus then returned home, where Athena gave him the idea of visiting the hut of the swineherd Eumaeus. There he found an old beggar who suddenly revealed himself to be Odysseus. Father and son embraced and wept. Then they made plans for ridding the palace of the arrogant suitors.

Still disguised as a beggar, Odysseus went to the palace. An old dog of his — named Argos — recognized him and died. The leader of the suitors, Antinoiis, struck the beggar. Then Penelope came to receive bridal gifts from the suitors and requested that the beggar come to her room. Odysseus kept his disguise, telling Penelope a pack of lies about his adventures. But while bathing him his old nurse, Eurycleia, recognized him by a hunting scar he had acquired years before, so he made her keep silent. Odysseus had Telemachus remove the weapons from the great banquet hall. The next day Penelope announced that she would marry the man who could string Odysseus' great bow and shoot an arrow through twelve rings in a line. After all the suitors had tried and failed the beggar asked to try. The suitors protested, but Telemachus stood up for the beggar, who then strung the bow and fired the arrow through the rings.

Giving a shout of triumph the beggar showed himself to be Odysseus and fired arrow after arrow into the host of suitors. The suitors sought their weapons and began to put up some resistance, but when Odysseus ran out of arrows Telemachus brought him armor, spears, and swords. The father and son, who had stationed themselves in the doorway, cut the suitors down as they tried to escape. And at last the suitors were all dead. Only a poet and a priest were left. Odysseus killed the priest and spared the poet. Then he made the palace maids who had slept with the suitors clean up the mess, and after that he hanged them. Having set his house in order, Odysseus then revealed himself to Penelope, who had kept to her chamber. The two were happily reunited.

Odysseus' wanderings, however, were not at an end. He had to battle the relatives of the suitors. Athena proposed a truce and submitted the dispute to the king of the Epirot Islands, who decided that Odysseus should go into exile from Ithaca for ten years, that Telemachus should rule in his stead, and that the relatives should repay the losses that the suitors had caused. Odysseus undertook to placate Poseidon as Teiresias had advised. He marched inland on Epirus to a place where the natives had never seen an oar and mistook the one he carried for a winnowing-bat. There he sacrificed to Poseidon, who forgave him for blinding Polyphemus.

When ten years were up he returned to Ithaca, where he died at sea in a fight with his own son by Circe, Telegonus.

Most of the legends here have their source in Homer's Odyssey. An interesting thing about these stories is that two of the gods who were of the greatest assistance to the Greeks at Troy, Athena and Poseidon, proved their greatest enemies as they returned to their homes. The gods, of course, were just as concerned with their personal honor as the heroes themselves, and to offend their pride or harm their favorites was to court disaster.

Nevertheless, a hero like Odysseus proves his mettle when faced with the opposition of the gods. Odysseus is shrewd, tough, clear-sighted, experienced, a man very well equipped to brave adversity. Like a few other heroes he is intensely self-reliant, confident of his own powers against the buffetings of fate.

Odysseus lives about sixty years roughly, and of these he spends thirty abroad — the years of his maturity. He leaves Ithaca as a hardy young man to take part in the Trojan War, which lasts ten years. Moreover, he goes very reluctantly. After another ten years of wandering, which had been ordained by the gods, he returns home, now a man in his forties. But then he is exiled shortly thereafter for a further ten years and comes back a man verging on old age. To be sure, Odysseus thrives on adventure, for that is how a man tests his prowess. But when he has time to reflect, as he does on Calypso's island, he is lacerated by homesickness. The gods could scarcely find a better way to punish a man whose heart is attached to home.

The Greeks felt a special affection for Odysseus because he reflected a number of Greek qualities. A wanderer living by his wits, taking part in a great national war, traveling far and wide, meeting emergencies with a cool head, and longing for his native home, Odysseus is a recognizable Greek type. But beyond that he is the survivor, the man who comes through at all hazards by his brains, his brawn, and his fortitude, plus an ounce of luck. Odysseus embodies the stubborn will of the ancient Greeks to overcome fate and create a culture that centered on man. The Romans, who called him Ulysses, disliked him for his treachery and cunning. He had these traits too, but they are far less important than those which enabled him to endure with his human dignity intact.

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Trojan War, Homer and The Other Historical Embracements of Iliad

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Trojan War - List of Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

The Trojan War is a legendary war in Greek mythology, waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. Essays could explore the historicity of the Trojan War, its representation in ancient literature and art, and its significance in the cultural memory of Greece and the Western world. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Trojan War you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Gender Relations in Iliad and Odyssey

"In classic Greek literature, the underlying characteristics of gender relations and view of women at the time are uncovered. In works done by Homer, such as the Odyssey and the Iliad, interactions between the characters display women in a subservient, objective manner used for war bounty and perfect home-keeping common at the time. Particularly, this representation of gender relations is one of inferiority because of the use of language or force towards the goddesses and women and their deceptive plots […]

Religion Impact on Many Civilizations

Throughout the course of human history, many civilizations have risen to prominence as well as having collapsed into nothingness. One commonality that each civilization has had, regardless of the respective outcome, was the impact that religion had on them. Democracies such as Greece, empires and kingdoms like Rome and Egypt, and even the many great dynasties of China all had religious beliefs in some form or another that greatly impacted their ways of life. Religion played an essential role in […]

Examples of Odysseus being a Good Leader

DO's Of Being a Good Leader DO USE INGENUITY WHEN FIGHTING YOUR ENEMIES: Odysseus showed good leadership when he saved the remaining men from his crew from the cyclops. In order to do this, he hid his men in cattle to escape from the cyclops. In the Odyssey, Odysseus states, I tied them [rams] silently together then slung a man under each middle one to ride there safely, shielded left and right. This shows how Odysseus came up with a […]

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Strengths and Weaknesses of Odysseus in Homer’s Poem

What qualifies men to be heroes? If a man who uses his wits to trick, not only women, but other men into doing exactly what he wants, is this man not a player? Heroes are presumed to overcome a great evil for the better of everyone and not just himself/herself. Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey believes that he is almost untouchable and unbeatable. Odysseus is a selfish man who failed his men, cheated on his wife and still managed to […]

Greek and Roman Mythology

Aeneas is an important part of Greek and Roman Mythology, along with Jason, Odysseus, and Achilles. They are all partially similar, but what similarities and differences do they have? What happened to some women in their lives? What are some weaknesses they have? Who are their parents? What challenges do they each face? What events occured to the women in each hero’s lives? Aeneas had two wives in his life. Creusa of troy who vanished after she asked Aeneas to […]

God Vs Humans in the Iliad and the Odyssey

Perhaps the two most prominent Greek Epics of all time are The Iliad and The Odyssey. Both were written by Homer and both detail the lives of Greek heroes. The Iliad showcases Achilles-- the strongest soldier fighting for the Achaean army in the Trojan War. The Odyssey follows the King Odysseus, who only wishes to return home after fighting in that same war. One commonality in both pieces of literature are the gods who often intervene on behalf of the […]

“Great War Hero” in the Odyssey by Homer

Being too prideful will only incite consequences for oneself. The Odyssey, by Homer, tells of the “great war hero” Odysseus and his quest to return home from Troy. On his journey, he encounters countless hardships and makes many mistakes. When he is finally able to return home to Ithaka, he has become a new man with different morals and perceptions. Throughout Odysseus’ journey, the trials and temptations he faces teaches him the importance of piety and the ramifications of being […]

The Odyssey Vs Seafarer

The Odyssey tells the story of a heroic but far from perfect protagonist who is known by the name Odysseus, he faces many challengers, including his own stubbornness when it comes to listening to the gods' warnings, on his drawn-out journey home from war. Along the way the epic poem explores ideas on fate, retribution, and the importance of host-guest hospitality in ancient Greece. While the Odyssey is not told in order in which the events occur, or from a […]

Odyssey Books Three and Four Summary

Book Three Summary: Book three start with Telemachus arriving in Pylos. The first thing he sees is people worshiping the god Posidean. Telemachus is nervous because he has to give a speech to the people of Plyos. Athena, (who is disguised as Mentor) encourages him because he is favored by the Gods. Before Telemachus can give his speech all the Ithakans are invited to have a feast. Hestor gives Athena/Mentor wine and asks him/her to pray to Posidean. After the […]

Achilles and Odysseus

"Even the other characters realize it and point it out. For example Menelaos says ""no one of the Achaians labored as much as Odysseus labored and achieved"" (4.106). His men definitely may feel overworked but he always does what he says he’s going to do and beyond. So they can’t complain because he’s doing what they’re doing and more. His strength is unmatched which causes amazement by everyone. Due to Achilles being born a Demigod, he acquired many skills. He […]

Women in Greek Mythology

Aphrodite, Artemis, Sappho, Persephone, Medusa, and Helen of Troy. These are only a few examples of the notorious female figures that were once established in ancient Greece. When I was in elementary school, my friends and I were obsessed with Greek mythology. During recess, we would go to the playground and pretend to be Greek goddesses living on Mount Olympus and saving the lives of mortals. We did this every day, barely being able to wait until we could go […]

Legendary Hero in Greek Mythology – Odysseus

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The Iliad and the Odyssey of Homer – Structural Aspects

Iliad and Odyssey are epic poems, and while the authorship remains disputed, both poems are generally attributed to Homer (Myrsiades, 1987, 1). Iliad follows Achilles and tells the story of the ten-year Trojan War, and the taking of Troy by a group of other Greek cities after Paris kidnaps Hellen from the brother of the Greek king, Agamemnon. On the other hand, Odyssey is a poem about the ten-year journey of king Odysseus back to his home in Ithaca after […]

Odysseus: the Complex Hero of Homer’s Odyssey

As I read Homer's Odyssey the main character, Odysseus is the person that only tries to please himself. Even though Odysseus obtains the trust of his men, he fails his risk of the journey home. Multiple times in the epic Odysseus handles others, perpetrate in immoral acts and brimful of hubris. He was the kind of person tries to take accelerated way because of that men were murdered and his boats demolished. Odysseus was the man that would only satisfy […]

A Study on the Heroic Traits of Odysseus

His men have died from weather and some monsters from Poseidon. The longest journey home emulates that he is a brave but a heard leader to work for. This lets his men make it farther than some old beggar. The collapse of Odysseus was when he stabbed the son of Poseidon after finding a cave which was the resting place of a cyclops. He was cursed by Poseidon by his pride getting in the way. He will never make it […]

Literary Works : Odysseus

There are certain literary works that throughout time have influenced how modern day stories are being told and written. When you think of iconic literary pieces one always comes to mind, The Odyssey by Homer. This story will has captivated the minds of many readers for hundreds of years; it is the quintessential example of a hero’s tale. Odysseus is considered an epic hero; he bears all the traits a hero would. Odysseus was strong, mentally and physically, he was […]

The Odyssey Books Writing Assignment

Process Analysis: Odysseus returns to Aeaea, where he buries Elpenor and spends one last night with Circe. She describes the obstacles that he will face on his voyage home and tells him how to avoid them. As he sets sail, Odysseus and his men approach the island of the lovely Sirens, and Odysseus, as instructed by Circe, plugs his men's ears with beeswax and has them tie him to the mast of the ship. The Sirens' song is so captivating […]

Evan Almighty: an Unexpected Hero’s Journey

Odysseus is an ancient Grecian hero who fought in the Trojan War. After the war ends, he goes on a lengthy twenty-year journey that keeps him from returning to his home, Ithaca. His adventures are transcribed into The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer during the eight century. In The Odyssey, Odysseus follows a twelve-step method of heroism penned by mythologist Joseph Campbell. The 'Hero’s Journey’ is the basic outline of a story in which the hero faces trials […]

Order of Events in the Odyssey

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Achilles Hero or Zero

Greece has provided the world with many stories and legends. Legends like Hercules and his twelve labors and Odysseus and his Odyssey. But one legend is more well known than most and that is the story of the invincible Achilles and the Trojan War. Everyone knows who Achilles is and regards him as a hero, but if you really look into the legend you can begin to ask is Achilles truly worthy of the title of Hero?There is no denying […]

Odysseus: the Embodiment of Heroism through Courage, Wisdom, and Strength

Being a hero requires a lot of abilities and capabilities,it requires being brave,smart,strong and have courage.Odysseus is a character from Homer’s Greek mythology story. Ten years passed since the fall of Troy, and Odysseus the Greek hero has yet to return to his kingdom in Ithaca. An anxious crowd of suitors have swarmed his palace and destroyed his land, they attempt to court his wife, Penelope, who remains loyal to her absent husband. Odysseus has all of the characteristics of […]

Poseidon: the Cruel Creator God of Greek Mythology

My claim is that Poseidon was actually a pretty bad god, You might be thinking Why would a god be mean? I mean he wasn’t like a bully or anything, but Poseidon was cruel. I mean after Athens and the many more things, how could he be nice? One reason I believe Poseidon was a bad God is that he did take advantage of many females. How many of you know the story of Medusa? Okay, when I thought of […]

Odyssey: Greek Poem Analysis

The Odyssey is a Greek poem from the 8th century B.C. This peace of literature is about a Greek hero, who is king of Ithaca and his journey home after the fall of Troy. Odysseus took ten years to get back home. When Odysseus went to fight the battle of Troy, the same day was when his son was born. Years go by and his father still is not back and none of his crew. Suitors came in and ruined […]

Odysseus, Master of Schemes

If one looks at much of the Ancient world’s literature, there are many epics that are based on the Trojan War. It has a special place in the echelons of the Greek literature and the key thing that must be seen in the work is that how Homer is selective in terms of the way selection of the choice material was being carried out. The focus of Iliad was just a few weeks of the action. The other important thing […]

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