Reading Notes: Odyssey Part B

The next set of readings that I did delved mainly into Odysseus dealing with the ghosts of those who are found in Hades after dying. He needed to deal with them in these stories in order to gain a prophesy from Teiresias. This type of thing within a story (an oracle) can lead to some great plot points, especially if they’re crafted in a way as to not give away the entire story, but add some tension to it, dreading what is going to happen in the future.

I felt sorry for multiple of the ghosts, mainly Elpenor, who died because he got too drunk to remember where he fell asleep, leading him to plunge to his death from a roof, breaking his neck. This death just seemed pointless except for the fact that now Odysseus had to go back to Circe and gather his body to burn it. The idea of communicating with the dead from our past has some importance, especially when it’s a beloved friend or family member. The emotional significance for the hero of the story when he meets his mother’s ghost is extremely important. Seeing a dead parent will shake anyone to their core, especially if they realized that they were the sole cause of it, as is the case with Odysseus.


Mother figures play important roles within tons of stories, so something along the lines of seeing the ghost of your mother could play into a fun story. Odysseus then saw quite a few ghosts of famous women, who sons (often from gods) had done great deeds, or had perished in some unique way. By meeting ghosts of famous women, the reader is able to gather information about the surrounding world and what they are dealing with at the time. Having a backstory/world building is integral to any story, which is why I’ll keep on trying to use it in the future.

File:Pénélope, Laërte et Télémaque BnF Français 874 fol. 8v.jpg
Unknown artist, made in the 16th Century

"Homer's Odyssey" translated into English by Tony Kline

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