Hadi Jassar 201704453

Exam 1: Literature

a- The historical approach aims at understanding a literary work by investigating cultural,

social, and intellectual context that produced it and it includes the biography of the author and

examines the literary work and how it affects the readers.

In the Odyssey, the gods are critical to human’s lives, everyone seeks their help: Fortune,

guidance, mercy, power. At that time, in Greek mythology, This is valid because in the first

chapters of the book, Athena who is a goddess speaks to Zeus, the champion of hospitality and

the strongest God of them all, about Telemachus, son of Odysseus, and demands to help reunite

the two. Telemachus is different from his father in terms of courage and combat, he is weak, not

having a father to teach him the ways of a well-respected soldier. Before the help of Athena, he

could not speak his mind, he did not have the courage to defend himself, his family and home

from the suitors. After Athena’s help, he became more responsible, he had more confidence and

could defend himself. After their encounter Telemachus’ character changed, he was “blessed” by

a God. It is known in the odyssey that Odysseus always had the gods on his side until he

butchered the eye of a Giant, Polyphemus, son of the God Poseidon. This is seen as a betrayal

which angered Poseidon and doomed him far away from his land, friends, and family. This

portrays that the Gods are indeed all powerful since they had the power to change human fate.

Moreover, sacrifices show that nothing comes from love, it is an exchange. For the Gods to have

mercy on someone and to help them on their journey’s sacrifices must be held to express

gratitude. Similarly, this portrayal of Gods is seen in the poems of Sappho where she prays to

Aphrodite, goddess of love and pleasure (Sappho poems, page 17) for the purpose of wanting

someone who does not feel anything for her, as a lover. Sappho is also asking for mercy:
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“Queen, crush not my heart…” (page 18). Therefore, the Gods in both the Odyssey and Sappho

are seen as the all-powerful, the wish granters and those who accompany the most fortunate.

On the Other hand, in Sappho’s first poem Rich Throned Aphrodite, it is said: “Though

she refuses gifts, she’ll be giving…” (page 19). This shows contradiction to the gods present in

the Odyssey where the relationship between humans and Gods are validated through sacrifices,

also known as gifts at the time. Aphrodite will respond to Sappho because she wants to, not

because of a gift or sacrifice. This is in relation to Aphrodite’s God title: “Goddess of love”

where love is present in the act of the self and not on terms of gifts and exchanges. Moreover, in

the Odyssey, Gods do not trick humans, they simply have authority over everything, but

Aphrodite in Sappho’s poem is a trickster that fooled Sappho by making her think she has

granted her love wish. Sappho ends up heartbroken despite her many prayers for that not to

happen. Therefore, the God in the poem is a deceiver, a God that cannot be trusted who used

malice on a mere human. This is the opposite of how Gods act in the Odyssey since they act on

exchange and not betrayal. When gratitude and prayer is expressed by humans, Gods grant

wishes and blesses them, if not then they shall receive nothing, and Gods may not answer their

future wishes. Moreover, in the Odyssey Telemachus is blessed by Athene who accompanies and

mentors him, giving him confidence throughout his journey. This relationship is not seen in

Sappho’s poems as she prayed and offered gifts for Aphrodite, the God is planning on deceiving

her and not granting her wish but the opposite, destroying her hopes and dreams.

In conclusion, Although Aphrodite deceived Sappho after her many prayers and declined

gifts, Gods in ancient Greek mythology were portrayed as the rulers of humanity where their

authority is respected and valued. In both the Odyssey and Sappho’s poems, humans are

portrayed as weak creatures filled with emotions, looking for mercy and additional strength. The
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biggest difference was that Aphrodite tricked Sapho and broke her, while Athene fixed

Telemachus and gave him hope. From a historical perspective, it is valid that the most feared and

most loved of all were the Gods.