Fate in Homer’s Odyssey
by Barry Wright
Essay: Fate in Homer’s Odyssey
Pages: 10
Rating: 3 stars
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Humans, and sometimes immortals, blame gods for the ill fate of men until kleos is introduced to be a factor in
the direction of fate, which leads to the realization by some that the individual’s intentions cause fate when given
the ability to make their own choices.
Humans and gods accuse dieties of causing bad luck in the beginning of the novel. When Odysseus meets Elpenor
in the Underworld, the shade tells him:
“‘Son of great Laertes,
Odysseus, master mariner and soldier,
bad luck shadowed me, and no kindly power,
ignoble death I drank with so much wine’” (XI, 64-67)
Elpenor blames his shameful death on “bad luck” and “no kindly power”, which means he died because he had no
control over the harsh gods. The shade holds the gods accountable, which shows that he, like other humans, often
blames the gods. Elpenor’s misfortune, however, occured after he intoxicated himself with wine. Odysseus blames
the gods for fate when he tells Polyphemos who he is.
“‘We are from Troy, Akhaians, blown off course
by shifting gales on the Great South Sea,
homeward bound, but taking routes and ways
uncommon, so the will of Zeus would have it’” (IX, 281-284).
Odysseus clearly blames his current misfortunes on Zeus, that reminds the reader how Zeus complained in the first
book how mortals always blamed the gods. The way Odysseus says “so the will of Zeus would have it” has a
cynical tone, as if Odysseus is annoyed by the god’s will. Zeus blames Poseidon for the fate of Odysseus when he
talks to Athena.
“‘Naturally, the god, after the blindingmind you, he does not kill the man,
he only buffets him away from home.
But come now, we are all at leisure here,
let us take up this matter of his return,
that he may sail. Posei...
let us take up this matter of his return,
that he may sail. Posei...
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