Homer's The Odyssey

Dear Philosophers,

Homer’s poem about Odysseus’s 10-year journey home after the Trojan War, which entails battling mythical monsters and facing the wrath of gods, is considered one of the greatest stories in Western literature. I haven’t read it, but intend to for this May meetup. If you would like to join me for a conversation about the poem you can access a copy for free here: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1727

And this short video is a nice summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z9FQxcCAZ0&t=20s

Hope to see some of you there, still aways off on the other side of the winter season!
Cheers,
Colin

PS- please be sure to bring lawn chairs, we will be sitting by a tree past the sheltered area where the bathrooms are located.

**Update summary **

This is an epic tale covering many themes— the importance of oral tradition and sharing stories, vengeance and justice, the supernatural (gods and mortals), ego/pride, loyalty, etc.
The following YouTube channel provides a helpful 3 mins summary of each book, which I found helpful in trying to piece together some thoughts about all the various parts of the story :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV-a_AtlilM&list=PLz_ZtyOWL9BTT6cHpSFM3HnK9ongAYDBl

Over the course of 24 books, the reader encounters many different characters and aspects of Greek history. My summary cannot do justice to the depth of this Tale. But I highlight a few things that stood out to me that may help focus some of our discussions:
#1. What is the function of such a tale, of an “epic journey”? How do such tales speak to the issues of what constitutes human nature, or justice or history and culture?

#2. Penelope, Odysseus’s wife, waits 20 years for her husband’s report- 10 years while he fights in Troy, and another 10 years for him to return (when it is most likely he is dead). She remains faithful in waiting for me, rebuffing all suitors. Is this a compelling love story? Or is it an unhealthy portrayal of idealized love?

#3. Odysseus’s pride/ego gets him in trouble at least a few times. A great example, and my favourite part of the tale, is in book 9 when Odysseus and his crew are prisoners to the cyclops Polyphemus (son of the sea god Poseidon). First tricking, by telling him his name is “Nobody”, and then blinding his one eye, Odysseus and his men escape. But, when they are free to make their getaway, Odysseus tells Polyphemus his real name so he knows who tricked him. This boastful act results in them receiving more fury from Poseidon.

#4. Book 12 tells the tale of the sirens, and is a great example of what the social scientist Jon Elster calls a “precommitment device”. This is a device we can deploy to help guard against our weakness of the will. In Odysseus’s case, he has his crew put wax in their ears so they cannot hear the songs of the sirens. Odysseus binds himself to the ship’s mask, knowing that, after hearing the songs, he would give in to temptation. By taking the step of binding himself to the ship’s mask, Odysseus is able to ensure his prior conviction (not steering the ship towards the sirens) wins the day. An example of a real-life “precommitment device” is a constitution, which binds a democracy to basic rights and liberties, guarding against the “tyranny of the majority”. What are your thoughts on this issue? Can you think of other examples of precommitment devices?

#5. The epic tale ends with a lot of bloodshed. The suitors are slaughtered by Odysseus and his son (Telemachus). Is this just? Did they get what they deserved? Did you find Odysseus a compelling hero character? What did you think the role of the gods were in the story? What are the central messages you think the tale tries to convey?