Odyssey Essay

Adrielle Massey
Odyssey Essay
Sophomore English
20 May 2008

"ITHICANS! Lay down your arms now, And go your ways with no more bloodshed" (381). The Odyssey, what a book, what a legacy for Homer to have left behind. Although this book may be an epic story of good versus evil, it is, however, not for everyone. The Odyssey should be taught in school, but at the same time it should not. Do not worry though, there is a way to fix the problem at hand.

Odysseus is the archetype of heroes and The Odyssey is the archetype of heroic journeys. This is a very good story to be taught in school with the beautiful writings of how "Dawn spread her roselight over the sky," (106) but may to a more advanced crowd. The epic story of Odysseus is a very challenging read, after having finished, it gives the reader a sense of pride in oneself and their reading abilities. It also exposes the reader to new vocabulary that would be very beneficial to the reader later down the road of their life. As The Odyssey is set in Greece, very far into the past, the book pushes the reader into a whole new world of different cultures and times. These are a few reasons why The Odyssey should be read in school by a more elite group of students.

Now, as wonderful as The Odyssey is with its articulate writing, it is not meant for everyone. Some students find the book much too difficult and get frustrated. For example, the epithets in the book can prove most confusing, such as, "Menelaus, the red-haired king" (48). If the student does not understand the book at hand, then they are getting nothing out of the literature and may as well be staying at home. To some people, The Odyssey means nothing to them, and will never help them in their later life. For many, in this world which is already hard to succeed in, and forcing The Odyssey, just exacerbates the struggle.

But have no fear! There is an answer to the question of how to make the English room behoove every student that sits within the constricting seats within the walls they dwell. First, the teacher needs to not worry about hurting a student’s feelings. Teachers give students assignments and make them learn "for their own good,” so why not come to reality and "for the good of the child" be honest with them. Split the class into two sub-classes. That feeble reason of not wanting to offend students needs to be eradicated, for the educators are truly only hurting the students more by not meeting the child’s standards. With the spilt class have one being the more advanced group, and the other the less advanced. Have the more elect pupils read pieces of literature like The Odyssey, and the other students read something a little easier that will help them then build upon the skills that they already have. The middle ground is ineffective and unfair. Why are the elite students being denied the approbation to be challenged? By reading an easy book the teacher is holding back the students that excel, and equally important, the other students reading a difficult book get nothing out of it. Students may feel indignant due of this injustice.

So, in conclusion, The Odyssey should be read by high school students, but also the teacher needs to think more carefully of which students. We could fix this problem by splitting the class into two sub-classes. Although The Odyssey is a grand piece of literature, it only needs to be endured by the more prominent English students, because it is pivotal for each student to be challenged within their own limits. Only then does true valuable learning occur.