Odysseus is seen falling short in many ways. I would like to focus specifically upon his "encounters" with Calypso and Circe. Odysseus says in lines 33-38 that Calypso and Circe had held him back. This is somewhat true, but we all know he is human, and it wasn't like he was suffering a painful and demeaning imprisonment like his men later in the story who are made to be like swine. (Lines 261-268). I will commend Odysseus on the fact that he did push past these temptations of living his life carefree and he chose to continue to return to his family. People usually argue that people are inherently bad on the inside. I disagree with that. Obviously this story is fiction, yet if we are to look at that statement in a real life situation, it doesn't make sense. How can someone who is made in the image of God, by God, be evil at the source. I am not saying we can't blatantly go against what is good. We are more than capable of that, and most of the time it's knowingly. I do think that the true values Odysseus holds are set in a way of honor and valor, he just made many mistakes. We all do. We all hold truth and love in our hearts, but we have a choice whether to follow it or not. Sometimes we fall,sometimes we don't.
Romans 7:15-20New International Version (NIV)
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
P.S. I commented on Daniel Stephen's and Natalie Schuler's posts.
I agree completely. Odysseus chose the harder path in order to do the right thing and return to his family. We also face temptations very similar to those that Odysseus faced. Being a Christian in this world is not always the easier route, but we push through and trust God for the end goal of eternal life with Christ. In Odysseus' case, he fights through the rough for his return to his family and home.
ReplyDeleteThis is a thought provoking way to look at this story. However, I do wonder about the faith you put in Odysseus. Time and again, he proves to be a proud sort of fellow, always looking out for number one (himself) and doing what will always further him, his wealth, his status, etc. We see this with his men, disposing of their lives as if they amounted to nothing, keeping wealth and prosperity to himself, and even seeming to long for home simply because it was his homeland and kingdom, no mentions of longings for wife and child.
ReplyDeleteHis heart brews self.
I think we are the same way. Yes indeed, made in the Imago Dei, and for His glory, but with freewill, which is key. Because God chose to give us freewill (and not simply make us His self-glorifying puppets), the door of evil is opened (as evil and wickedness are the absence of God). Thus, God did not create evil but was a consequence of making us free willed beings. And how like it is that the creation-very likeness of God- ends wanting to BE God. Therefore, we were MEANT to be good, chose the absence of God, and are now broken with a waging war forever in us trying to reconcile our desire to worship God and longing to BE God. (Thanks be for Jesus Christ!)
The Odyssey was written by a man affected by the Fall of Humanity. Whether he was aware of it or not, I think he wrote his character Odysseus to be affected by this same brokenness.