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Name: Aadit Siwakoti Course: CMLIT 101W Professor: Michael Skafidas

The Odyssey in its Entirety(Ithaca)

Introduction The poem Ithaca is based on Homer Odysseus' account of his journey home. It focuses on the different complexities of life, both on setbacks and positive memories that became inevitable. The poem attracted ancient and modern attention due to its precise depiction of life; the whole set of the Odysseus is divided into 24 books, all showing different time periods of Homer's life. The poem is viewed by many as a self-help book since it mainly motivates people to live their lives based on their journey rather than live based on an expected end-point. According to Cavafy (1975), a life based on day to day life experiences is more flourishing and fulfilling. As Ithaca suggests, we should not wish away our time, but "ask that (our) way belong." We might have financial issues, family trouble, sicknesses, and diseases, or have lost people around us; we have to overcome all these troubles since there is always a solution to every trouble, no matter how long it might be. Based on the poem's analysis, challenging life experiences strengthen a person's ability to handle future issues or problems that might face them.

The poem was incredibly significant in ancient times since it represented the aim that every man tries to fulfill his life, his sweet homeland, eternal calm, and satisfaction. Gender roles in ancient times were taken very seriously, and the fact that the poem looked at some of

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these roles, most people were drawn to learn something from it, especially on how to survive different life predicaments. The poem's modern relevance is mainly focused on the appreciation of ancient art that people can relate to. The art of poetry was used to convey hidden messages meant to help people in society, and others used to criticize authority indirectly. Contemporary art representation has significantly been diversified as people today can paint, draw, sculpt, create music, and take photos. Literature art was more common in ancient times since only a few people understood it. Although all other art forms except photography were already being used in ancient times, the art of poetry was common among political activists and life analysts. Based on the poem "Ithaca ," the author indicates that people should be mindful of their lives and ensure that they appreciate any type or form of art since art represents a hidden form of communication that can be used to educate only a few. The poem's message is highly relevant to the modern lifestyle as people often visit galleries and listen to music, which helps them relax. Issues like family appreciation can only be recognized better when one is separated from their family for a certain time. According to Cavafy (1975), people's happiness is dependent on their own enthusiasm and attitude to live positively"As long as you keep your thoughts raised, as long as a rare excitement stirs your spirit and body." Over the years, the Odyssey has been used as a classical narrative that aggressively conveys its message against other life forms or factors. Various modern monographs have attempted to engage with the Odyssey revisionary epic such as Homer in the 20th century: Between World Literature and Western Canon (2007) by Barbara Graziosi and Emily Greenwood. The review not only explores the use of the Odyssey literature to explore the need for more diffuse and heterogeneous models of reception. The "exile from Ithaca'' is part of Odyssey's poems that focus on Odysseus' return. He struggles with undignified behaviors that keep him unwanted by many people; Polyphemus calls on his father (Poseidon) to come

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to punish Odysseus and prevent him from going back to Ithaka. The analysis of Odysseus' struggles in his life journey due to his lack of power, in the poem, develops the right motivation for people living in modern society (Zerba and Russo, 2015). Odysseys main conflict in the whole narrative was his desire to live a good life and return back home, where he felt comfortable. The general concept of the whole Odyssey narrative is to encourage people to seek to satisfy their desires despite the many numbers of obstacles they might face on the way; it is essential to stand on your ground and accept things as they come. Solutions to problems are best created by an individual who has gone through the problem; the author in Ithaka decides to address various issues he faced during his political and social journeys. Conclusion The art of poetry creates a certain level of mystery on each event the author describes, and it is up to the reader's intuition to know what exactly the writer meant with each line. When Odyssey began his journey, his personal supreme was the focus of his journey; however, by the end of the poem, he indicates that the journey is what made him wise enough about the world by filling him with good experience, knowledge, and maturity on different issues. A person's journey is unpredictable, and instead of guiding the journey, it is essential to let the journey guide you. According to Zerba and Russo (2015), each obstacle in a person represents new knowledge and a stronger perspective on global issues.

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References Cavafy, C. P. (1975). Ithaka by C. P. Cavafy. Poetry Foundation. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51296/ithaka-56d22eef917ec Zerba, M., & Russo, A. (2015). Introduction to Odyssey, Exile, Return....