Epic Characteristics in The Odyssey

There are many characteristics present in Homer’s “The Odyssey” that clearly define the poem as an epic. The basic definition of an epic is that of a very lengthy poem that has an elevated style with a heroic figure present who faces many challenges during the course of the story. In “The Odyssey,” these characteristics are clearly visible in the heroic figure of Odysseus, a man struggling to return to his home in Ithaca after attaining hero-status in the Trojan War. Along the way, Odysseus faces many trials and tribulations which hinder his journey home and bring him face to face with danger and temptation, and also spiritual growth. The fate of Ithaca also rests in the hands of Odysseus, yet another epic characteristic. Because of these elements, “The Odyssey” is truly the epitome of an epic.

In the very first line of “The Odyssey,” a muse is invoked by the Homer: “Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story” (1) which is then followed by an explanation of the theme. The invocation of a muse and the theme statement are both major characteristics of an epic. Homer also begins “The Odyssey” in the middle of the story, which is characteristic of an epic as well. Another epic characteristic that can be found in “The Odyssey,” is the largeness of the setting. “The Odyssey’s” setting spans out in great distances, and Odysseus travels to many different places on his way back to Ithaca.

Odysseus is the main character of the poem and is typical of an epic hero. He is a war hero, greatly revered, he is even referred to as “Odysseus, master mariner and soldier” (435) by Circe. Odysseus is faced with many challenges, but always seems to come out of these skirmishes even
more larger than life than before. When he is faced with the Cyclops, Odysseus blinds him in his one eye with a lance, and then sneaks away with his men by riding underneath the Cyclops’ own rams. In another adventure, Odysseus lands on the island of the Greek goddess Circe who turns his men into pigs. Odysseus once again devises a way to cleverly defeat her, save his men, and return to the sea. After his encounter with Circe, Odysseus must journey into the underworld where he meets with his mother and some of his comrades from the Trojan War. These, and many other adventures like them found in “The Odyssey,” are characteristic of an epic.

Supernatural forces are also present in an epic poem, and “The Odyssey” is filled with references to, and appearances by gods and goddesses. These figures are part of the plot of an epic, both helping and hindering the hero. In “The Odyssey,” the gods and goddesses play a major part in the story. Athena is responsible for Odysseus’ ability to escape from Calypso’s island, while the god Poseidon is responsible for putting him there in the first place. Two of the females that Odysseus encounters on his journey who directly impede his trip home are the goddesses Circe and Calypso, while the god Hermes appears and aids Odysseus in his departure off of Calypso and Circe’s islands. These examples of divine intervention further exemplify the poem’s epic stature.

Works Cited
Homer. “The Odyssey.” Trans. Robert Fiztgerald. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces: the Western Tradition-7th Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1999.