I've read it once but I don't understand the 'point' of i, if there is one.
>>25422568There is none. It's folklore, just like the Torah.
>>25422568the point is kino
>>25422568I just reread it a few weeks ago so I'll give it a shot: I think the point of it is that man each have their own fates and cursing the gods is never the answer. It may be telling that more titillating stories came out of anti-heroes cursing the gods and claiming themselves masters of their own fate, but Odysseus is a hero who does not do that and is rewarded in spite of his fate. The greater man can bear more trouble and continue not to break. Society needs those men to stay virtuous. When those who curse the gods or their standards reign, it causes terrible decline and savagery. In fact, the great are remembered by the others who will miss them (see the beginning with Telemachus' journey).
>>25422568i don't understand what you mean by point
>>25422664plenty of scenes from the odyssey get used as metaphors but what am I supposed to make of the whole? Why does this story exist? I get the Iliad being some cultural record of the Greeks involved in a massive war event but why should I care about the odyssey?
>>25422694It's a story passed down through the ages. Why wouldn't you care about it?
>>25422568>the pointNot everything needs to make a point. Enjoy the book for what it is.
>>25422694For me, the point of the Odyssey is in the very first word: man. Man is the subject, and the epic shows a man from all sides. James Joyce explains it best in picrel: Ulysses is the only complete man in all literature (save his own hero, Leopold Bloom.)
It sounds a lot like some tales greek could connect with because it sounds a lot like what men could feel when going to military campaign You go full of dreams,you live aventures and loose your friends,at one point you want to go back home finding your loved ones.The adventure of the son would have been some kind of Moral story for youngers like dad before all.Also morale. Morale is everywhere. Bad things happen if you do bad things.
>>25422882More of Joyce's thoughts on the Odyssey.
>>25422568We actually needed a fifth Homer thread.
>>25422956better than another frogshit thread
>>25422568allegories
>>25422898interesting and strange how he refers to Odysseus by his Greek name, but titled his book Ulysses after his Roman name
>>25422988He was in Zurich, so I imagine he was speaking German, and the translator translated it to Odysseus. See >>25422882, where he uses Ulysses.
>>25422568The point was popular entertainment.Unruly crowds would gather for the recital. There would be wine and food on sale. The poet would play the audience so that they cheered every heroic moment, and wept at every tragic one. At the end of the evening the audience would go home stimulated, drunk and happy, having had a rousing good time.
>>25422699sunk cost
>>25422568>honor the gods or be cursed>treat the misfortunate with kindness, they may be Athena in diguise >honor your parents >don't sleep around while your husband is at war or he has the right to kill you>don't disrespect your king by disrespecting his wife >end blood feuds and uphold the law HMMMMMMM WHAT WAS THE POINT OF ALL THAT?!
>>25423424>honor the gods or be cursedZeus opens the poem complaining that mortals blame the gods for troubles they bring on themselves
>>25422988I remember reading that Joyce learned the odyssey in Latin in school, and so always thought of him as Ulysses. He was always a bit annoyed they hadn't taught him ancient Greek in school.
>>25422568Unfortunately, if I told you what the point is, you wouldn't believe me, you'd ask for an authoritative source. Ask the Ai.
>>25422956Hey at least they're decent threads.
