Homer's Odyssey A Commentary

"Homer's Odyssey: A Commentary" by Denton Jaques Snider presents a late 19th-century analysis of the epic poem, "The Odyssey," examining Ulysses' challenging journey home post-Trojan War. Snider's work inspects themes of wisdom, suffering, and gods affecting mortal lives. The analysis also looks at how the structure and meaning are shown in Homer's storytelling. The interpretation highlights the contrast between human struggle and divine powers, as well as the difficulties of personal development. Snider's commentary starts by pointing out how "The Odyssey" uniquely begins, using a formal introduction unlike "The Iliad". The initial focus is on Ulysses facing many problems, such as the enchantress Calypso and the angry god Poseidon, while his companions ignore his wise guidance, introducing the main conflicts and starting a thought-provoking investigation into freedom, justice, and what it means to be human when gods are involved.