The Odyssey The Role Of Prophecy Essays - Epic Cycle,

The Odyssey: The Role Of Prophecy When one ponders the Greek mythology and literature, powerful images invariably come to mind. One relives the heroes' struggles against innumerable odds, their battles against magical monsters, and the gods' periodic intervention in mortal affairs. Yet, a common and often essential portion of a heroic epic is the hero's consultation with an oracle or divinity. This prophecy is usually critical to the plot line, and also to the well being of the main characters. Could Priam have survived in the Achaean camp if not at the gods' instruction (200-201)? Could the Argos have run the gauntlet of the Prowling Rocks if not for the gods' advice of using a sacrificial bird (349). Moreover, prophecy can be negative as well as positive. Achilles was prophesied to die gloriously in battle if he chose his life's way as a warrior. Oedipus was exiled and condemned by his own words, after he slew his sire and wed his mother. This type of prophesy can blind even the gods themselves; Chronos was fated to be defeated and his throne stolen by his son. Demeter loses Persephone periodically every year because her daughter ate Hades' pomegranates. Prophecy plays an important role in the whole of Greek folklore. Something this ever-present bears further examination. In The Odyssey, prophecy in its myriad forms affects nearly every aspect of the epic. Prophecies are seen in the forms of omens, signs, strict prediction of the future, divine condemnation, and divine instruction. Though conceptually these forms are hard to distinguish, they are clearly separate in the Odyssey. Moreover, prophecies can be interpreted not only on the plot device level, but also on the level of characterization. Whether a character accepts or denies the gods' prophecies tells the reader something about the character himself. Omens are brief prophecies intimately connected to the action at hand, which must be interpreted in terms of that action. Halitherses comments on the eagle attack after Telemakhos condemns the suitors (463-464); he correctly interests it to mean that if the suitors keep feeding off Odysseus's possessions they will be destroyed. Yet the suitors ignore the omen, inviting their eventual destruction. This haughty treatment of a divine omen is a justification for their deaths. When Penelope says if Odysseus had returned he would, with his son, surely slay the suitors, Telemakhos let loose a great sneeze (429). This omen reinforces the previous one, and simultaneously prepares the reader for the carnage to follow. However, not all omens are effective. In the case of Telemakhos we see many bird omens signaling for him to do something about the suitors. Whether it was his immaturity to interpret the bird omens or blind arrogance Telemakhos does not act on them. In fact, it's not until Athena comes to him that he thinks to take action against the suitors in his house. Signs are similar to omens, but differ in one crucial aspect; the prophesee is looking for a specific omen in order to decide whether he should or should not take some action. There is only one good example of a sign in the Odyssey; on page 460, Odysseus asks Zeus for two divine signs to decide if it is time to slay the suitors. Zeus answers with a thunderclap from a cloudless sky and allows Odysseus to overhear a maid's prayer for vengeance. Because of these signs, Odysseus begins his plan to slay the suitors. Later on, with a thunderclap Zeus actually signals for the precise time to strike. Signs are helpful devices; they allow not only a rationalization for when an event occurs but also shows the approval of the gods on such an action. Not only are signs and omens plentiful in the Odyssey, but also the type one usually associates with prophesying, strict prediction of the future, abounds as well. Penelope states that she will marry the man who can string Odysseus's bow and perform his famous feat (469). Since Odysseus is the only one to do so, the prophecy is fulfilled. This prophesy is just a statement of the future; it contains no judgmental quality whatsoever. Theoklymenos's prophesies to Penelope that Odysseus is at hand on the island and plotting vengeance on the suitors (417)

SAT Sample Essay Questions

SAT Sample Essay QuestionsThe SAT is a very difficult exam that almost every student is going to have to take. But, if you do not know how to write SAT sample essays, you are likely to fail this exam. Now, when you are trying to understand why students tend to fail in taking the SAT, they are mostly not sure how to write a good essay.The SAT sample essay questions should be approached from different angles and must be adapted to suit each individual. One of the key areas where many people get confused is about the format of the essay. Here, I will discuss what you should do when you want to start writing an essay.First, the first thing you should know is that there are no standard formats for the SAT sample essay questions. If you think about it, this could actually save you from writing an essay that is not up to par. For example, if your essay is structured with questions such as 'What is your favorite color?' or 'Why did you pick your career?' you may be asking yourself why your e ssay is not formatted the way it should be.The answer is that the SAT sample essay questions should be easily understood by any person who reads them. In fact, it should be a puzzle. That means that the questions are not left unanswered, but you should have to figure out a way to respond to each question. The good news is that you do not have to write an essay about what you are thinking about what you have learned about the subject.As I mentioned before, the key here is to break the questions down into basic paragraphs. The key to doing this is to break down the content of your essay by the answer choices and then use the sentence structure to break down the content.The best way to organize your SAT sample essay questions is to use the 'O' form. This format breaks the essay down into three parts. The first part will break down the essay into the main topic. The second part will contain the answers to the questions, and the third part will contain the conclusion.To answer the questi on above, if you are struggling with writing the SAT sample essay questions, you can always break down the content by answer choices and then use the sentence's structure to break down the content. Writing SAT questions is a challenge, but you do not have to go overboard. Just make sure that your essay is not confusing and that you have provided the correct and specific information in order to answer the question.