Odysseus and the Bhagavad Gita in literature

Odyssey & Bhagavad Gita

Odysseus loses control of his men when they tear open Aeolus' bag, which contained the wind that brought them within sight of Ithaca. Another instance was when his crew were turned to pigs by Circe after gorging themselves. Homer allows Odysseus to be seen as an ineffectual leader at times so that he can be seen as the Greek everyman.

Penelope was meant to serve as a role model. One problem that could occur from following this model is that whereas Penelope was a king's wife and could afford to remain faithful for such a long time, the average Greek wife may not have that luxury.

Two incidents that force Odysseus to come to terms with who he is are on Circe's isle when he realizes that although Circe is a superior mate, his life is with Penelope.

Another instance is at the house of Alcinous when Odysseus, still in disguise, asks the bard Demodocus to sing of the fall of Troy, at which time Odysseus breaks down uncontrollably and must reveal himself to his hosts.

4) Athena guides Odysseus and Telemachus through these books, both directly and indirectly. Athena, having set up the two for success, joins the battle towards the end. The goddess' relationship with Odysseus and Telemachus is similar, though she takes more of a parental role with Telemachus, who lacks the maturity of his father. With Penelope, Athena only interacts to the extent that it helps her objectives regarding Odysseus.

5) the Odyssey is more about Telemachus because Odysseus is fully-formed but Telemachus comes of age. Much of Odysseus' tale is more for entertainment while Telemachus' tale is richer in morals and insight.