Comparisson Between Odyssey and Sympothy for Cyclops

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of Odysseus men, barbarically and in front of Odysseus making him inhumane. Odysseus is trying to reference back to how the monster ate his men so he can feel responsible for their deaths like a good leader, letting him pay the beast back in full for the horrible wrongs and murders the Cyclops has committed. In the epic poem Odysseus depicts Polyphemus to be the villain but in Sympathy for Cyclops the story is told differently. The two poems are intended to make the other be characterized as a monster and inhumane by sharing the opposite perspectives of both, Polyphemus and Odysseus.

The overriding thematic idea in Homer’s, The Odyssey, and Holmes, Sympathy for Cyclops is conflict. In Sympathy for Cyclops the conflict is demonstrated in the way the Cyclops regards Odysseus and his men as wretched beings that are invading his home, taking everything and leaving nothing behind as well as blinding him. In The Odyssey, the Cyclops is a demon from hell, ferociously murdering Odysseus’ men. The perspective of the two poems differs greatly from each other. In the Sympathy for Cyclops Polyphemus only perspective is that he’s the victim. Odysseus is no better than an invader that plunders his home of his grapes, his sheep, and even his cheese. Also they kept him awake at night not letting him sleep and finally they stabbed him in the eye with a stake. While in The Odyssey, Odysseus’ perspective is that Odysseus first came looking for hospitality, seeing an abundance of food and shelter. However, their perspective changes from finding relief to the terrible fiend killed and ate his men, who are considered the same as family.

In Homer’s, The Odyssey, and Holmes, Sympathy for Cyclops, the authors create two very different encounters and perspectives between Odysseus and Polyphemus through the poetic devices such as Simile and tone to convey the other as beastly and monstrous. I originally read The Odyssey and could only see Polyphemus as a cruel monster ripping up Odysseus’ men and savagely killing them. From the Sympathy for Cyclops I now have a different perspective understanding where Polyphemus is coming from and why he acted like he did. Odysseus came and invaded his home stealing his food and valuables and it is only right the Cyclops defended his home. I now know I cannot just make assumptions about people with understanding their point of view.

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