Ulysses

Ulysses-Tina Evans:

Aim- Along with many other Greek or Roman mythologies, the purpose of the story of Ulysses is to teach morals and give stories of brave heroes. Ulysses, his Greek name being Odysseus, went throughout the myths slaying beast, protecting maidens in need, and alluding to the wars and life of that day and age. “The Greeks fought the Trojans for ten years, but Ulysses came up with a plan to burn down Troy and save Helen, the wife of Melanos, the Spartan king” (Ellingson). The purpose of him in the myths was to be the heroic protagonist running throughout the stories. “Odysseus was involved in several important episodes and his intelligence, wise counsel, and wits proved crucial to the eventual Greek success in the war” (Cartwright). Ulysses’ grand trials tested him and the people around him throughout the myths. The stories also pushed readers into a developed tale of adventure with allusions throughout the whole story. Although at first glance, the story of Ulysses seems along the lines of a trivial heroic tale, however the allusion to real life and the detail stories entice readers and encourage deeper level thinking.

Audience- The group of readers that the mythology of Ulysses was targeted to was a large group of people. Not only the the Romans read of his legend, but the Greeks started his stories with the stories of Odysseus (his Greek name). “His resourcefulness and oratory skills were instrumental in the Greek victory in the Trojan War and following the conflict, he was the protagonist in many fantastic adventures on his long voyage back home to Ithaka (or Ithaca)” (Cartwright). These stories impacted countless people and continue to do so to this day and schools across the country. The history in the mythology also involved many areas, such as describing both sides of the story between Troy and Greece. “The Greeks burned down Troy and saved Helen, but Ulysses still had a long journey ahead of him” (Ellingson). Due to the wide array of people told about within the tales themselves, the stories reach out to a wide array of readers. Both in a historical and modern tense, the stories of Ulysses effects people from all times and walks of life.

Cultural-

A huge part of culture that has been impacted by Ulysses would be religion, particularly for the Greeks and Romans. Although Homer’s mythological story can be read and interpreted by anyone, it particularly affected those of whom follow Hellenic religions. “During his journey he had many incredible adventures, but his renowned intelligence helped him to survive the numerous difficulties” (“Ulysses”). The stories were believed and followed by these religions, thereby greatly impacted them. The stories could help one determine proper morals and find strength and happiness in even everyday life. “One unfortunate consequence of the Greek’s ungallant behaviour at Troy was that the gods punished them by ensuring many of their ships met with disaster on the return voyage home” (Cartwright). The stories would also impact the culture of life around it at the time. Much of the story takes place in relation to the Trojan war and various other conflicts in the area therefore impacting their surrounding cultures.

Historical-

Due to where the stories took place, the stories of Ulysses took a grand impact on the Romans and Greeks. Originally a Greek story, Odysseus (otherwise known by his popularized Roman name, Ulysses) went through a heroic journey after helping to try to win the Trojan war. “The first rich source of information on Odysseus was Homer’s account of the Trojan War in the Iliad in which our hero is a protagonist” (Cartwright). He had a huge impact by not only creating the idea of the Trojan horse, which is widely known even today, but by then being a heroic leader and fighter throughout the stories. Although there were troubles along his path to reach his wife, he pushed through and showed his heroics in all kinds of different situations. “He also excelled as a military commander and ruler, as is evident from the role he played in ensuring to the Greeks the victory over Troy, giving thus an end to the long Trojan War” (“The legendary story…”). For the Greeks, telling stories about “excelling” heroes was important, and an important part of their mythology. The history of Ulysses has impacted cultures and Greek history for centuries, and will continue to do so for decades more.

Works Cited:

Cartwright, Mark. “Odysseus.” // Ancient History Encyclopedia //. N.p., 31 Dec 2012. Web. 1 April 2015. Ellingson, Leif. “Ulysses.” // Encyclopedia Mythica //. Encyclopedia Mythica, 03 March 1997. Web. 1 April 2015. “The legendary story of Odysseus.” // Greeka //. Greeka, n.d.. Web. 1 April 2015. “Ulysses.” // Windows to the Universe //. NESTA, 2012. Web. 1 April 2015.