Saint John’s Preparatory School Student Work

Document Type

Paper

Publication Date

11-1-2024

Advisor

Kelly Fitch and Sarah Pasela

Abstract

Since Odysseus’ first appearance in Homer’s epics, he has been featured in a wide variety of works across history. In the hands of Sophocles, Virgil, Dante Alighieri, William Shakespeare, and Jorge Rivera-Herrans, he has acted as both protagonist and antagonist. However, Odysseus remains the same ingenious and deceptive warrior king of Ithaca throughout every work. While Odysseus’ identity remains largely the same since his creation, the shifting societal values change the role in which he plays in each subsequent story. Therefore, one can discern overall morals of the time from how the mythical king is portrayed. The two oldest pieces, Philoktetes and the Aeneid, take great offense to how Odysseus’ preferred method to success is through deception and underhanded tactics. However, though Sophocles still acknowledges the warrior’s effectiveness, Virgil would concede him little more than an evil cleverness. When the Renaissance kicks off in the late thirteenth century, two brilliant minds decide to put their own spin on Odysseus’ story: Dante Alighieri and William Shakespeare. Dante takes a lot of his inspiration from Virgil's works and responds by placing Odysseus in hell. Shakespeare, on the other hand, saw himself reflected in the character’s incredible intellect. In response, Odysseus became the perfect mastermind. The newest of the works, Epic: The Musical by Jorge Rivera- Herrans, handles the character differently than its predecessors. Instead, Herrans allows Odysseus to be a complex individual, leaving audiences to draw their own conclusions. Overall, Odysseus’ identity as a character changes with the societal values of the age.

Download

Share

COinS