Reading Notes: Part A for Week 4: The Odyssey - Prisoners of the Cyclops
Of all the stories from this section of the reading, I found the section about the Prisoners of the Cyclops to be my favorite. The description of the cyclops illustrates an unearthly creature that will frighten even the bravest of men. His gigantic size dwarfs the men, and the story truly captures the feelings of helplessness that the men feel from the presence of the cyclops.
The story begins with Odysseus and his men landing upon the island with a ship. From the ship, he retrieves a goatskin filled with the wine that Maron, son of Euanthes, priest of Apollo guardian god that given him. This will be important in later tales.
The men venture to the cave of the cyclops and find the home to be absent. The giant creature was found to be tending to his animals in the nearby fields. As such, the men venture into the cave, in awe of the abundance of baskets of cheeses, pens of animals, and pails for milking. The men begged to simply take some of the cheese and leave, yet Odysseus stayed, yearning to see the giant creature and test his hospitality.
The men help themselves to the plentiful foods found in the cave and patiently wait for the creature's return. Upon the giant's return, he flung a huge portion of firewood for supper preparations, frightening the men into hiding. The giant then lifted a giant stone of massive proportions into its position in front of his cave, serving as his door and trapping the men. Eventually, he spots the men with his large, gazing eye.
Once Odysseus introduces himself and his men to the giant creature, the cyclops, devoid of pity towards the strangers in his cave, ponders about the men. Without a word, he seizes two of the men and proceeds to make a feast of them, all whilst the others watched in horror.
This story captures the feelings of awe and horror that possesses the men as they catch a glimpse of the massive cyclops. The vibrant description of the cyclops helped illustrate to readers a creature of massive proportions. The feelings expressed by the men accurately captured how they would've felt in they witnessed their fellow man be eaten by such a massive creature.
Bibliography: Prisoners of the Cyclops from Homer's Odyssey, translated into English by Tony Kline (2004)
The story begins with Odysseus and his men landing upon the island with a ship. From the ship, he retrieves a goatskin filled with the wine that Maron, son of Euanthes, priest of Apollo guardian god that given him. This will be important in later tales.
The men venture to the cave of the cyclops and find the home to be absent. The giant creature was found to be tending to his animals in the nearby fields. As such, the men venture into the cave, in awe of the abundance of baskets of cheeses, pens of animals, and pails for milking. The men begged to simply take some of the cheese and leave, yet Odysseus stayed, yearning to see the giant creature and test his hospitality.
The men help themselves to the plentiful foods found in the cave and patiently wait for the creature's return. Upon the giant's return, he flung a huge portion of firewood for supper preparations, frightening the men into hiding. The giant then lifted a giant stone of massive proportions into its position in front of his cave, serving as his door and trapping the men. Eventually, he spots the men with his large, gazing eye.
Once Odysseus introduces himself and his men to the giant creature, the cyclops, devoid of pity towards the strangers in his cave, ponders about the men. Without a word, he seizes two of the men and proceeds to make a feast of them, all whilst the others watched in horror.
This story captures the feelings of awe and horror that possesses the men as they catch a glimpse of the massive cyclops. The vibrant description of the cyclops helped illustrate to readers a creature of massive proportions. The feelings expressed by the men accurately captured how they would've felt in they witnessed their fellow man be eaten by such a massive creature.
Polyphemus the Cyclops - Courtesy of The Vintage News
Bibliography: Prisoners of the Cyclops from Homer's Odyssey, translated into English by Tony Kline (2004)
Comments
Post a Comment