Wednesday, June 23, 2010

What is the conflict and resolution for the Calypso episode in Homer's The Odyssey?

Calypso is a powerful nymph living on the island of Ogygia in The Odyssey. After the last of his companions die, Odysseus washes ashore on Calypso's island. The main conflict of this portion of the epic poem is Odysseus' imprisonment. Calypso mandates that Odysseus should be her lover/husband, and so Odysseus stays on the island in this role for seven years. In fact, it's on Ogygia that we first meet Odysseus, and it appears as if the king of Ithaca is longing for his home and for his wife, Penelope. The resolution of this episode occurs when Zeus (after much cajoling from Athena) sends Hermes to order Calypso to set Odysseus free, which she reluctantly does. Furthermore, Calypso helps Odysseus to build a raft for his voyage and even aids him with a helpful wind to set him on his way.


The conflict here is interesting, as Calypso doesn't necessarily treat Odysseus badly, but she does imprison him and prevent him from returning home. As such, this part of the poem is a great example of the ways in which literary conflict is not always entirely antagonistic (or, at least, it doesn't always appear antagonistic at first glance).  

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