How can I improve my essay on the Odyssey? I will include my essay and list the main points and the theme?

Question

I am in an Honors freshman English class. My class only read what was in our reading books, which was about forty pages of the actual book The Odyssey (that explains the reference pg. #s in 800's).

Topic: I chose to defend that Odysseus changed from his journey.

Theme: I chose to incorporate in my discussion that "experience shapes us and forces us to reconsider our perceptions of the world."

Main points of 3 body paragraphs:
1. Changed qualities of Odysseus
2. Lessons Odysseus learned
3. Rewards Odysseus receives and earns from the gods

I will introduce my essay in paragraphs, and a new paragraph starts when I state it does.

By the way, my essay is about three pages long when double-spaced on Microsoft Word with a size 12 Times New Roman Font.

Thank you very much for reading my following essay and answering the questions that follow that essay.

Introduction:

In The Odyssey, Homer revealed qualities of Odysseus, such as his conceit and arrogance, through the decisions he made in his adventures. Some of these characteristics were already in possession of Odysseus, but they were confined by his personality. As Odysseus ventured farther in his journey, he learned the lessons that he was an imperfect human and that the passion of a strong relationship was more powerful than the passion a hero had for adventure. He was also rewarded by the gods by being allowed to return to his homeland and reunite with his son and wife. Odysseus has qualities that changed, lessons he learned, and rewards he earned from the gods; thus, his overall experience has changed his critical perceptions of the world.

Body Paragraph I:

Odysseus’ prominent qualities of conceit and arrogance, which comprised a primary portion of his personality, changed throughout his journey. In the beginning of the poem, Odysseus thought of himself as having the high status of a divinity. His conceit was demonstrated in his style of wording when he said, “Men hold me formidable for guile in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim” (Homer 863). The hero had spoken of himself as if he was superior to everyone, even though he had not completely been engaged in his upcoming view-changing experience. Another changed quality of Odysseus was when he lacked the willpower to restrain his thoughts when it was necessary, and at the end of his expedition the master of sea and land had this ability of tolerance.

Body Paragraph I continued:

When Odysseus exclaimed, “Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes’ son, whose home is on Ithaca!”, his arrogance was portrayed as he was unable to keep quiet about his new infamy among the Cyclopes (874). This inordinate pride was an absent characteristic of Odysseus at the end of the story because he contained his anger with a solemn expression when he walked into his own home and was insulted. The episodes through which Odysseus endured in his long adventure changed his qualities, and with this set of new qualities came a new set of viewpoints.

Body Paragraph II:

After having his qualities changed, the son of Laertes had applied to his actions and decisions the realized lesson that he was an imperfect human and the unknown lesson that the passion of a relationship was more powerful than the passion a hero has for adventures. Toward the end of the poem, Odysseus did not give mercy to or forgive the beggars because of his thirst for vengeance, which was not a divine quality. After the suitors asked to be forgiven and spared, Odysseus replied, “There will be killing till the score is paid” (911). With this statement and controlled decision, the hero became aware that he was prone to imperfect qualities and that he was human. Also, Odysseus chose the passion of the relationship with his wife over the passion for adventure with Calypso. Without the strong bonds of his relationship, the raider of cities may have been diverted from the course of his journey home.

Body Paragraph II continued:

The strength of his relationship was tested when Calypso tried to tempt Odysseus with immortality and power, but he cleverly answered that he must go back to the human wife who he loved so much. Without the strong passion for his wife to influence his actions, obstructions such as Calypso and Circe could have easily caused Odysseus to stray from his journey home. The lessons which Odysseus learned, realized or unknown by him, affected the method he used to absorb the concepts of why different events happened.

Body Paragraph III:

The gods rewarded Odysseus by letting him return home and reunite with his son at the end of the poem since the master of land and sea appreciated the lessons he learned by allowing them to influence him in his decisions. Because the raider of cities was pressured to make the best decisions throughout his journey from instructions from the gods and sincere reasons in his heart, the gods permitted him to return home. For instance, when Odysseus was at the land of the dead, he sacrificed the lamb and ewe not only because Circe gave him instructions, but also because he wanted to “assuage the nations of the dead”, a reason he would not have even thought of before this journey (878). With his newfound humility came a different understanding of the world. The gods again rewarded him by allowing him to reunite with his son and wife because of his genuine reasons.

Body Paragraph III continued:

These reasons were only to have the chance to fulfill his role as a father to his son and to love and support his wife. When it was stated, “Held back too long, the tears came down his cheeks as he embraced his son”, this was an example of the pure and direct reasons he desired to become reunited (896). Odysseus had finally realized that in order to succeed in life he had to start to change his attitude by following the depths of his heart and mind.

Conclusion:

This adventure changed the ways and reasons of why Odysseus thought and acted the way he did. His actions and thoughts were different because of his changed qualities and learnt lessons by the end of the poem. The gods accepted these changes in Odysseus; they let him return home and see his son. With all that Odysseus has learned and changed from, his personality and thinking does change from this journey.


What do you people think of this essay?

Is it well-structured, well developed, have good transitions from paragraph to paragraph and from a significant point to another significant point?

Where is it strong and where is it lacking?

Thank you again for reading my essay and giving me suggestions to improve it.

Answer 1

Essays On The Odyssey

Answer 2

So far the answers given are mostly "run of the mill" types.

Be bold! Write an essay that is different. State in your essay how you hate "Odyssey"! Of course, defending and elucidating your position still requires all the elements of good essay writing - introduction, theme, main points, details, closing, no misspellings, correct punctuation use, etc.

Good luck!