The Gods in Homers The Iliad and The Odyssey Essay

The Gods in Homers The Iliad and The Odyssey The stories told in the Iliad and Odyssey are based on stories handed down over several generations, for they preserve (as we have seen) memories of an already quiet far distant past. The two pomes show clear connection in their language and style, in the manner in which their incidents presented, and in the combination of agreement with level, which distinguish their creation. The work was written by one author but gave two diverse views on the nature of the Olympian Gods, their relationship to humankind, and the general lot of mortals throughout their all too brief lives. For the reason that of these differences, both novels end up sending, different messages about life in general. In†¦show more content†¦Not anything like this event can be found in the Odyssey. The role of the Gods in the affairs of humanity is much greater in the Iliad then in the Odyssey. In the Iliad, the Olympians are continually interfering in the conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans. At best, they view mortals as hilarious pets to be cared for, played with, and loved. At worst, humans are just trade in to be dragging your feet around, sacrificed, and set against each other in order to resolve inter-Olympian ego-clashes. When Zeus wants the Trojans to win, he will turn nature against the Greeks, slay one of their heroes, or send one of their loyal immortals down to turn the tide of battle. If Hera wants to get back at him, she will do the same thing against Zeuss people, the Trojans. In the Odyssey, things are very different. The Gods of Olympus generally will not interfere unless they are asked to such as when the Cyclopes pray to the wrath of Poseidon after he is blinded by Odysseys. The Gods do not automatically view all humans as simple as supplicant whelps, whichever. Athenas conversation with Odysseys are remarkably free of the aloofness and strict affectation that so spread through the discourse between the Gods of the Iliad. They do not have a greater respect for human life in general (witness the casual slaying of Odysseys companions, and the Athena backed bloodbath which occurs when Odysseys returns home) but they have a greater respectShow MoreRelatedHomer s Epic Poems, The Iliad And The O dyssey1254 Words   |  6 Pagesmust go through. Homer’s epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, are thousands of years old. Yet, whoever reads these pieces of literature today can somehow relate to its characters and events. This is because of the author’s ability to form a connection between the reader and what it is they are analyzing/reading. This paper will identify the values, conflicts, and parallels within Homer’s text. Religion was a strong value for the early Greek society. 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