Odyssey and Oedipus Poem (Essay Sample)

The comparison and contrast of Odyssey and Oedipus poems
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The comparison and contrast of Odyssey and Oedipus poems
In literature, there are many similarities and contrasts between each of them and it is due to these similarities and differences that readers are able to learn and gain thorough comprehension. In the literature of the two epic poems of Odyssey and Oedipus, the King we find may similarities in them. These two epic poems were written by two Greek poet Sophocles who wrote the Oedipus the King and Homer who wrote Odyssey. In both poems, significant similarity is portrayed because in both epic poems there is conflict involved when we first encounter them. In the Odyssey we learn that the main character Odyssey was held captive by the nymph Calypso for twenty years after winning a battle while his family waited for his return. While in Oedipus, we see King Oedipus having to solve the conflict of a wild plague that has been killing a big population of the Thebes city and people turned to Oedipus for solution. We can also see the similarity of both main characters in the poems King Oedipus and Odyssey were both well respected leaders of their cities. In Odyssey respect is shown when Zeus commanded his daughter Athene to go inform Odyssey’s family that Odyssey was alive and in Oedipus respect is shown when the people of Thebes crowned him their king after solving the Sphinx riddle. Both showed responsibility when Odyssey fought in the Trojan War and when king Oedipus solved the problem of the city plague. Another similarity is seen as both the wives of the two characters were strong women as Penelope (Odyssey’s wife) was faithful to her husband and never remarried even when she did not know her husband’s whereabouts. Jocasta (Oedipus’ wife) calmed Oedipus down when he became enraged after accusations of murder.
In both poems, they were also similar in the fact that gods ruled the people below them and they controlled humans’ every move and their fate. This can be seen in Odyssey where Zeus was in charge of everything and he tested Odyssey by using the Poseidon sea-god to make him undergo variety of torments so as to make him king. In the case of Oedipus, he was living out the prophesy put up by gods to his family that led to Oedipus’ banishment from his very own kingdom. There is also irony portrayed in both poems as in the case of Odyssey whereby the gods knew the whereabouts of Odyssey and what was expected of him in future whereas he Odyssey and the whole of Ithaca city did not know. In Oedipus the gods knew that all the problems were because Oedipus was living through the prophesy hence the suffering of the people while Oedipus know nothing of that and was in puzzlement of the whole situation.
Differences are also present in any form of literature and in this two works of literature, we find that both authors who wrote these poems were living in different eras or time periods. Homer who wrote The Odyssey lived during 850-750 BC and Sophocles lived and wrote Oedipus the king during 496-406 BC. Another difference was how conflict was shown in the poems like in Odyssey he was captured and detained for many years after blinding Poseidon’s so...