What "The Odyssey" can Teach Us About Life

The new movie of the year, "The Odyssey," starring Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway (among other famous actors), is based on an old classic.

The movie adaptation by film maker Christopher Nolan has sparked a renewed enthusiasm for the stories and paved the way for podcasts, translations, and audiobooks.

The Odyssey movie has brought Greek Mythology into the 21st century. It's incredible to see new generations enjoying the stories that have entertained people for centuries.

The movie is based on Homer's famous epic poem from Greek Mythology. The original "Odyssey" was made up of twenty-four books, which chronicled Odyssey's ten-year journey back to Ithaca after the fall of Troy.

Odysseus' journey home is far from easy. It takes him across wild oceans where he battles natural and supernatural threats like monsters, nymphs, a sorceress and a cyclops. He suffers several shipwrecks and mortal disasters of his crew.

During his travels, Odysseus manages to anger Poseidon, the God of the sea, who prevents him from returning to Ithaca.

Meanwhile, Odysseus' wife and son are at home fighting off rude men who try to take Odysseus place as king.

Odysseus must draw deep to use his wit and cunning plans to reach his homeland safely. Then once he finally gets home, he must fight again to claim his throne, and his wife.

The Odyssey is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern readers.

Today, the stories are still taught in high schools and College English programs all over the world, where students learn about Odysseus' famous journey home.

The new movie is bringing the old stories to a wider audience.

Homer's version of The Odyssey is notoriously difficult to read and even the most arduous academic can struggle with the translations of Homeric formula of written phrases and repetitions.

Picking the right translation is key to being able to access this epic work.

Somehow, the books that are the hardest to read stay with us the most. Our curiosity to read on is stronger than the choice to give up.

What can The Odyssey teach us about Life?

The story is in essence about a transition from one place to another. Odysseus wants to go home to his family in Ithaca, but his journey is not straightforward.

Have you ever wanted something in your life that you had to work hard to get?

You might have had a dream to become a famous basketball player, a lawyer, or a veterinarian.

Those professions all take hard work and resilience to achieve and there's bound to be obstacles in the way in some form or other. Like fitness tests for the athlete, the bar exam for the lawyer and years of study and practice medicine for the veterinarian.

Each part of Odysseus' journey shows his determination to find a way to get home, just like someone who is working towards a goal.

You are propelled through life's ups and downs as you try reach your dreams and goals. The journey is often not easy.

In The Odyssey, Odysseus must journey through:

Storms

Battles that bring huge losses out of Odysseus control.

Temptations

Detours that make him and his crew lost.

Situations that are out of his control.

Times when he must make choices that are not good for him and his men.

We suffer through many problems during our lifetime, and we don't always make the right choices.

All these shows are transitioning.

Every path that we take in life teaches us a new lesson. Our experiences and interactions make us who we are.

In the Odyssey, every part of the journey teaches us something about Odysseus' character.

When Odysseus' crew meet the cyclops called Polyphemus, they accidentally get trapped in his cave. They must get past Polyphemus who is asleep by the entrance. It doesn't help that the entrance is a large stone only Polyphemus can move.

Odysseus decides to cover his men in straw to pretend that they are sheep. For the plan to work, Odysseus blinds the cyclops with a burning stick and the crew escapes.

Before they leave, Odysseus tells the cyclops who defeated him, which carries consequences since the monster is Poseidon's son.

Sometimes when we are transitioning towards our goals, we feel proud and want to show off. Our egos get in the way.

During the part of Odysseus' encounter with the Lotus-Eaters, he becomes forgetful of his desire to get home to his family.

In real life, we can understand what the Lotus flower represents:

Distractions, workload, and stress.

All the things that stand in your way when you are trying to do something productive. Your cell phone is an excellent distraction tool.

When Odysseus comes across the Sirens, he knows that their song is irresistible. He tells his men to put wax in their ears to protect them, but instead of using the wax himself, Odysseus has his crew tie him tight to the mast.

In life, we often get tempted by situations and decisions that are bad for us. This gets easier if you have someone tell you in advance so that you can better plan to protect yourself from threats.

The Odyssey isn't a story about coming home. It's all about the journey, and the lessons that Odysseus and his crew learn along the way.

Just like you do in life.

You are in charge of your transitions to reach your goals and dreams. Your journey to get there won't always be an easy straight road, and like the Odyssey, you will encounter many obstacles along the way.

Each obstacle is a life lesson that teaches you something about yourself that you need when you reach your goal.

Once you get there, you won't be the same person as you were when you set off. You will be better and ready for the new chapter in your life, whatever that may be.

Keep dreaming your dreams and know that you can realize them. You must believe in yourself long enough for it to become true.

I was once a young girl, who was abused, and had to live through horrific trauma. But I had a dream of being free and living my own life away from the shackles of those who hurt me.

I kept dreaming and pushing. I kept asking the questions until I found the right answers. Eventually I made it. I was an eighteen-year-old standing with one suitcase in one of the busiest airports in the world with the widest smile a human being can smile.

I broke free.

My name is Lizzy. I’m a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.

If you like reading my posts, then please follow me.

For more about me: www.elizabethwoodsauthor.com

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