Ulysses

A Classic Greek
Hero

Student: Nicolas E. Roman Gonzalez

Professor: Summer West

Hero of the Troyan War

Ulysses is the translation of the greek name Odysseus into Latin.

Ulysses is a classic hero, he is the main

character of The Odyssey written by the
greek poet Homer. Even thogh, is difficult
to know the real author of this work, by
this reason is attributed to Homer. In other
hand, Ulysses is one of the characters of
The Iliad, in this epic poem are narrated
in a fictional way the events of the Troyan
War.

The Troyan War was caused by the kidnapping of Helen, wife of Menelao the king of Sparta.
Helen was the most beautiful woman in the greek world. She was kidnapped from Sparta by
Paris, prince of Troy. This was a war between brothers of culture, who lived in both coast of
Aegean Sea.

The Odyssey is an epic greek poem, it was

composed near the end of the 8th century BC.
This work describes the life of Ulysses after 10
years finished the Trojan War. In this 10 years
Ulysses try to going back to his home in the
Ithaka Island. He couldn't back to his
homecountry after the war due to the opposition
of Poseidon. The God of the Sea it was against
Ulysses destiny because He blind Polyphemus
with a wooden stick. Polyphemus was son of
Poseidon and he was a cyclops who lives alone in
an island
Ciclops: an one-eye giant.

The Odyssey: the long trip of a Hero.

Ulysses, king of Ithaka, was husband of Penelope and

father of Telemaco. His family suffered during twenty
years his abscense: ten years fighting in the war and ten
years sailing without direction in the Mediterranean Sea.
He tried to come back, but he has to confront a lot of
obstacles and mythological entities.
This narration concentrates and represents the life, values
and believes of a the Greek and Western Culture.
Likewise Ulysses represents a Greek Culture, he is a
western Hero because his characteristics and features
embodies the main concerns and challenges of Human
Race.
The Odyssey becomes a classic book by these reasons. His
importance is registered till nowadays and his readers are
surprised by his cultural richness.
The Odissey is a fundamental book of the Western Culture
and the oldest literary treasure.

Main Episodes and Features

Cleverness of Ulysses
Trough his skills Ulysses can overcomes obstacles
and adverstities, with help of his intelligence and
trincking his enemies, Ulysses propose attack Troy
with an woodden horse full of warriors, presented
as gift at the doors of the city. This was the Trojan
Horse.

 Polyphemus and his blindess

In this Chapter Ulysses is punished by Poseydon.
Also, Polyphemus represents a pre-political world,
he was a sheperd who lives alone without contact
with any kind of society.
Oblivion and Lotus-eater/ Lotophagi
Circe's Island

The Sirens. This picture shows Ulysses tied in the mast of

his boat. In this way He heards the pleasants songs of T
Sirens but at the same time he avoids be enchanted
under their voices.

Scila and Charybdis

Two explanation about the role of Ulysses in western

culture
Theodor W. Adorno: The sirens, the opposition between
work and pleasure.

Auerbach: Ulysses and the conflinct of self counciense

Legacy and Influence

Ulysses (1922), James Joyces novel.
Movies
2001: a space odissey (1968), Stanley Kubrick's film.
Latin American Literature
Ulises Lima, main character of the novel Wild
Detectives.
Ulysses syndrome, title of the novel of Santiago Gamboa,
colombian writer.
Problems and challenges about Ulysses syndrome

Ithaka
Constantine Kavafis
Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you are destined for.
But do not hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you are old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.
Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you would not have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
And if you find her poor, Ithaka wont have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean
(C.P. Cavafy, Collected Poems. Translated by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard. Edited by
George Savidis. Revised Edition. Princeton University Press, 1992)