Homer’s Odyssey has made an indisputable contribution to all Western civilization’s development and remains relevant in the modern world. In addition, the protagonist’s personal qualities, such as courage and strength, make him famous and reflect the spirit of the society of Ancient Greece. These stories are an excellent illustration of the ancient Greek social structure, which later became the basis for the development of democracy and its influence on the modern world’s development, including the United States.
In the context of the globalization of society and increasing global integration, civilizational identification and cultural values are exacerbated. Moreover, some authors do not exclude the possibility of a clash of civilizations and cautiously speak of a bright and peaceful future (Harper and Leicht 366). However, both local and global civilizations are the heirs to the culture of the ancient Greeks. On the one hand, ancient Greek civilization was created at a particular stage in humankind’s development as a regional civilization, which was limited by territorial borders, including conquered and colonized territories. On the other hand, Ancient Greece is the first universal civilization, since it was here that the idea of universalism first arose.
The epics of Homer — The Illiad and The Odyssey — talk about the period of the Trojan War and after its end. The stories presented in Gochberg’s books reflect the background and the Trojan war between the Greeks and the Trojans. Homer, in The Illiad and The Odyssey, describes the heroism of the main characters: Achilles and Odyssey (Gochberg 2), Sophocles, in turn, reflects the relationship between the main character and fate. These stories allow us to better understand the ancient Greeks’ beliefs, material, and social norms.
In The Illiad, the Trojan prince steals Helen, wife of the great Achaean king, leading to a war between the two kingdoms. Menelaus, the Achaean king, and his brother Agamemnon unite the Greek kings, persuading them to participate in the campaign against Troy. Despite the many difficulties on the way to Troy —nine years of the war, the lack of favor of the gods to the Greeks — do not detract Greeks from the determination to defeat the Trojans. Greeks and Troyans consider victory as the only way to demonstrate the strength of both the army itself and society.
In his epics, Homer describes the process of democracy in ancient Greece. The power of kings is not absolute compared with the Byzantine or British monarchy (Desmond 39). In his stories, Homer describes the kings as tribal elders with the heredity of power, subject to the royal son’s outstanding qualities. Mostly, the king’s power is exercised in the war but is criticized. In The Illiad, Agamemnon is the supreme commander of the Greek kings. However, he is criticized by Achilles, “You shameless screwer, always aiming at a profitable deal” (Gochberg 6). Such a statement would hardly be possible in an absolute monarchy and a rigid hierarchical system, which means, in turn, testifies to the democratic relationship of the military council in Ancient Greece.
The Odyssey talks about Odysseus returning to Ithaca after defeating the Trojans. Initially, cunning Odysseus tried to avoid participating in the war, but after being exposed, joined other allies to restore justice and return Elena to her husband. Setbacks and many problems harass the Greeks, but Odysseus, portrayed as a brave and intelligent commander, fights to victory, after which he is coming home with the news of victory.
The events described by Homer are reflected in the modern world. In the twentieth century, the Greeks were the first to defeat fascism, defeating the Italian army in 1940, and this victory had a significant influence on the entire course of World War II. This victory gave occasion to Winston Churchill to utter his famous words that flew around the world – “Not the Greeks are fighting like heroes, but the heroes are fighting like Greeks” (Krontiris 34), referring to the great mythological heroes of Ancient Greece like Hercules, Achilles, Patroclus, Odysseus, Hector. Another example is the engagement of the United States in armed conflicts. Thus, only in the twenty-first century, the US military troops actively participate in wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, North-West Pakistan, Yemeni, Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa, American-led intervention in Libya, and so on. Similar to Greece, the US seeks to extend its influence to other countries, despite criticism from different countries and parts of its citizens. The popular slogan, “Make America Great Again,” correlates with the determination of the warriors of ancient Greece, who strive to succeed, despite possible difficulties.
The theme of justice and courage, described in Homer’s desires, is also reflected in the dialogues of Plato. This allows us to assert that justice was one of the social norms of Ancient Greece, “How can society be reconstituted so that all individuals may know happiness and justice?” (Gochberg 327). In his dialogues, Plato reveals the problem of an ideal society and its properties: wisdom, judgment, courage, and justice. These ideals are reflected in the structure of modern society – the desire to ensure equal rights and justice for all members of the community.
The school founded by Plato attracted thinkers and philosophers from many countries (Gochberg 327), which undoubtedly influenced the development of the Western world. Answering a question about the influence of ancient Greek civilization on the development of humankind, Durant lists, “…philosophy, theology, agnosticism, skepticism, stoicism, epicureanism, ethics, politics, idealism, philanthropy, cynicism, tyranny, plutocracy, democracy” (4). Although much of the above, including politics, democracy, ethics, can be found in the earlier cultures of Asia and the Middle East, only in Ancient Greece, they get the opportunity to develop fully.
Hellenism left the most profound mark in the development of humankind, having a significant influence on the entire world culture, and ancient Hellas is rightfully considered the cradle of European civilization. It would seem that Greece in the past did not differ from its neighbors either by its unique political role or by any exceptional natural conditions. However, it was here that culture reached such a peak that for many centuries was considered unattainable and not even surpassed.
Homer’s epics The Iliad and The Odyssey, as well as the works of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and others, belong to the most fabulous creations of humankind, and also have had a significant impact on the formation of modern thinking. Athenian democracy, described in the writings of Greek philosophers, and founded in those days, is still a model for anyone who thinks about the equal rights and freedom of every citizen. At the same time, the form of government has not equal in terms of the empowerment of the people.
Works Cited
Desmond, Will. “Between Gods and Mortals: The Piety of Homeric Kings.” Homer and the Good Ruler in Antiquity and Beyond, edited by Baukje Van Den Berg and Jacqueline Klooster, Brill, 2018, pp. 38–64.
Durant, Will. The Life of Greece: The Story of Civilization. Vol. 2, Simon & Schuster, 2011.
Gochberg, Donald. The Ancient World (Classics of Western Thought). 4th ed., Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.
Harper, Charles, and Kevin Leicht. Exploring Social Change. Abingdon-United Kingdom, United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2018.
Krontiris, Tina. “Henry V and the AngloGreek Alliance in World War II.” Special Section, European Shakespeares: Volume 8 of Shakespearean International Yearbook, edited by Tom Bishop and Graham Bradshaw, Ashgate, 2008, pp. 32–50.