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The Character of Odysseus Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Master's Theses Theses and Dissertations 1956 The Character of Odysseus William Charles Schaefer Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses Part of the Classics Commons Recommended Citation Schaefer, William Charles, "The Character of Odysseus" (1956). Master's Theses. 1270. https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses/1270 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 1956 William Charles Schaefer mE CHARACTER OJ' ODIS8lWS b7 Willi.. ChaPl •• Sohaeter, S.J. A Th •• t. submitted to ~. Facult,. of the Gpaduate School of' Loyola Uni... epsl '7 1n Partial Pult111llent ot the RequiPement. tor the Degree ot MUte" of Art. JUne 19S6 LIFE William Charles Schaetar waa born in Cincinnati, OhIo, ~1 26, 1929. He was graduated trom st. Agnes Grammar School, pincinnatI, and attended saint XavIer High School in the same city tor tour years. He graduated trom Saint Xavier in June, 1947. In JUly, 1947, the author entered the Society ot Jesus at Milford, Ohio. He began his work for the degree ot Bachelor ot Art. at Xavier University. Cinoinnati (Miltord Division) and graduated from Loyola UniveraitT. (West Baden College, West Baden springs, Indiana) in June, 1952. In JUne, 19S4 he received the degree ot Licentiate in Philo.ophy from Loyola Univel'slt,'. Since June, 1952 he has bean engaged In completing graduate work at West Baden College, and teaohing the classlcs at saint Xavier High School, 0lnclnnatl. ili , '\ TABLE OF OONTENTS Chapter Page I. ~Ol)tJOTION A.Observation ot character '. '" • • .. • '.. • • '" • • 1 1. In real lUe. • '" • '" '" • • • • '" • '" '" •• '" • 1 2. In muaic, art, 1Itel'ature • • • .. • • • • .. • • 2 ). ln lIterary character portrayal • • • • • • • • ) a. ImpoJ'tance ot such obaervation '. '...... '" • b. DlttlcQ1;y ot weh observation • •• III III '" '" 4. Ot Od1 •••US '" '.. • • • • '" • '" • •• • • '" • • B. lUrpO.. ot this the.la • • '" '" • • '" • '" '" '" • • • i l~ s,nthesia through anal"81s~ • '" '" • • '" '" ••• 6 2. Valu.s ot such a the.I. • '" • • • • '" • '" '" • • 6 C. Nature ot the thesIs • '" • • • • • • .. • • • • • • 6 D. contents ot the the.i. • '" • .. '" • • '" • '" • • • • 6 II. WRA'l' IS CHARACTER'. '" • • '" '" '" • • • '" • • '" '" .. • • a A. Introduction • • '" '" '" .. • • • • • • '" • '" '" • • • 8 1. Purpose ot the Chapter. • '" • • • • '" '" • '" '" '" a 2. Xeed at the chapter • • • • '" • • • • • '" '" • '" 9 ,. Problema involved ~ ~ '" • • • • • • • • '" • '" '" 9 4. Sources consulted '" • • '" • • • • • • III • • '" • 9 B. Detinition ot terms. '" • '" •••••• '" '" '" ••• 10 1. 'erson. '" '" • • '" • • • • • • • • • '" • '" • • • 10 a. Metaphysical significance. • • • • • '" • • • 10 b. Essentially immutable. • • • • • • • • • '" • 10 c. A complete totalit~. • • • • • • • • III • • • 11 ~. Influences on personality•••••••••• 11 2. Personallt7 • • • • • • • • • • .. • • • • • • • 11 a. Its nature •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 12 b. Capable ot change. • • _ _ • • • • • • • • • 12 o. Determinants of personality_ • .. •••••• 12 3. Character .. • • • • • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • 13 a. Its nature • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • b. Nobl1l t7 • • • • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • ia c. strength • • • • • • • • .. • .. • • • • III • • d. Active principle • • • • • .. • • • • • • • • itt iv 4. Dl.tinction betw.en cha~acter and person- 16 alit,. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • , • • • C, Ideal chaJ'aoter ••••••••••••••••• 16 1. Definltlon. • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • •• 11 2. Varlous type. • • • • • • ,. • • • • • • • • • 17 D. Method ot oharacter obaervation. • ••••••• 17 1. WO distinction ot ter.ms • • • • • • • • ••• 2. The whole Ody ••eus. • • • • • • • • • • • • • tA III. !HE CHARACTER OF ODYSSEUS • • • • .. • • .. .. .. • • • 19 A. Introduotion .. .. • • .. .. • .. • • • • • .. .. • .... 19 1. The problem • • .. • • • • • • .. • • • .. .. .. • 19 2. The contents ot the chapter • • .. • .. • • • • 20 B. Identification ot Odysseus • • • • • • .. • .. • • 20 1. Legend. .. • • • • .. • • • .. • .. .. • .. • .. .. .. 21 2. In the Illad. .. .. • .. • .. • .. • .. .. ....... 21 3. In the rsafSSez. • .. • .. • ,. • • • • .. .. .. .. .. 22 C, The method 0 studying the character ot Odyaseua 28 D. Odysseus, the bra.e and clever warrior • • .. .. .. 29 1. Bravery .. • .. .. .. .. • .. • .. • • • .. .. • .. • .. 29 a. Sklll in battle. • • .. • • .. • • • .. .. .. • 29 b. Apparent lack of couJ'age .. • • • • .. .. • • )2 c. An ideal toJ' hl. people. • .. • • • • • .. .. 33 d. Physlcal st~ength. • • .. • • .. .. • • • • • e. Athlet!c prowe.s .. • • • • • • • • • • • • ~~ 2. Cunning • • .. .. • .. • • .. .. • • ......... .. a. In conna.1 • • .. .. • • • • • • • .. • • • • ~b b. In speech. • • • • • • • .. • .. .. .. .. • • • (l,:!' In bat t1e. • • • • • .. • • • .. • • • • (2 ,i Varlet,.. • • • • • .. .. .. • • • • • .. • fti () . Persuaslveneas • • • • ,. • • • • ,. •• <a> Alcinou8 • • ,. • • • • • • • • • • f (b) laua!oa. • • • • • • • ,. ,. • • • • c. In actlon. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • d. Lack ot prudence • • • • • • • • • • • • • ~ E. Odyaseus the king. • • • • • • • • • • • .. • • • 1. Mighty monarch. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • § a. Muat be studied 1n the Ody.sel • • • • .. • 48 b. !er~ltol'7-~eala. • • • .. • • • • • • • • • 49 c. Possossions •••••••••••••••• ,0 2. Leade~. • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • SO a. In the I11ad • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • SO b. On the jourrte'f home. • • • • • • • • • • • S1 o. Lack ot hls tollowe~s' loyalt7 •••••• S2 . (1) Among hls crew. • • • • • • • • • • • 52 (2) Among the .ulto~s ••••••••••• 53 vi a. Beloved Nl.,. • • • • • • • .. .. • • • It • • • &6 a. Hoepltallt,r ...... • • • • • • • • • .. .. &6 b. malt)" of tbe houaehold • .. .. • • • • .. 68 fl Euaeu.. •••• • • • "• • • • .. • .. • 66 8) Other .e:nant. • • " • • .. • .. .. • • • 68 11. oa, ••eua the rells10ua maD .. .. • • • • • .. • • 19 1. Iall_noe of ra11,lon Ira man'a 11te .. .. ".. ,. • 69 .. Ditterence. between Cbrl.'I.. aDd paSAb • 60 b. Attltud•• 01 10.. and t ..r ... .. " • .. .. .. eo a. adJ •••u. a rel1s1oUl man •• • • .. .. • • .. " 60 a. Hl. attl'tU4. toward. the soda •••• • .. .. 61 (1) F.arful """ftoe ........ • .. .. • 61 (a) Pra,er lit. •••••• " .. • • .. 81 1 Of petition tor b1maelt .. .. • .. 61 11 ~ petl tie tor otheH .. .. • • .. (b) R•• lpatloa to soU' .111 • • • • (a) LoYe ........... " ........ .. • .. .. M Ca) Athefte .... • .. • .. • • • • .. • .. .. "ee (ttl Z.u .... .. .. • .. • • • • .. .. • .. ., b. 1'he coda' attltu.4e '''-N' him. .. .. .. • .. 68 (1) "tid.. , ........ • .. • • .. .. .. • .. • 6S (2) Conolual. .. • • • .. • • .. .. • .. ·• ..• • 89 G. Oct,...... the tud.17 8M • • • • • • • • .. .. • • '0 1. Pal th.ta1 htl.band. .... • • .. • • .. .. .. .. • .. .. 70 a. Outataa41b8 exaaple. • • • • .. .. .. .. • • '71 b. Hla 10Q81ng to.. ,..• 10" • .. .. .. .. "t .. .. .. 71 o. Pldell.,. 'o,... lope •• e .. • .. .. .. • .. .. 71 ~lJ Probl_ ot Cl~o.... .. .. .. • .. • .. .. • 'I• I Probl_ ot Oal7P80 • .. • .. .. • • .. .. '13 4. renelope', op1nlon ot O«1•• e". • .. .. .. .. .. •.. 74 I. Lorift8 tathe. • .. • • • .. .. .. .. .. • .. .. • .. .. a. Dutltul eon .. .. • .. .. .. .. • • • • .. .. .. .. • "96 H. Arlal,..s. ... • .. .. .. .. .. • • .. .. .. .. .. • • .. .. •.. • ." IV. BOIER'8 ARTISTIC OHARACTER PORTRAYAL • .. .. • • .. • 86 A. Int'roduo'lon .. .. • • .. • • • .. .. • • .. .. • .. • • 81 1. Preble. at the orltl0 • • • .. • .. .. • .. • • .. 88 8. Techniqu.. ot the 't'tlr1oua ara t • .. • .. .. • 88 a. Probl•• ot th1s obapter .. .. .. • .. .. .. • • • .. 87 B. ut of obaNete.. pewtr..,.a1 .. .. • • .. .. .. • • .. .. 88 1. Datta1'!en • • .. .. • .. .. • • • • • .. .. .. • 88 8. Element, .. • .. .. .. .. • .. • .. .. .. • .. • • • .. 88 a. Conceptloll • .. • .. • .. .. • .. • .. • .. .. • .. 89 b. Communlcation •••• • • .. • .. .. .. • • .. .. .. 89 a. Methode • • • • • .. .. .. • .. • .. • • .. .. • .. 89 O. the art of Horae. 1tl portl'a,.ln6 047a ••u • • ., . 81 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION When Shakespeare said "All the world's a stage," he was really only partially correct) tor the whole world is also an audience. Every human being i. a performer, an aotor on the stage of lite, but eaoh one is also a very keen observer ot the words and actIons, and, as it sometimes seems, even of the thoughts of his tellow man. It is through this prooesS that men come to know one anotherJ they reoalize the various qual1ties which make up mens 0 personalities, they understand the traits of character wh1ch govern these qualities) they aee from a study of a person's indivi duatins notea and aooidental perfeotions just what type ot an individual that person is, and lrbat are the determining factors in making him such an individual • • ¥~ Peoples' first impressions of others are seldom the sam as their later ones. The total individual oannot be presented to them in one glimpse, hardly suffioient for a real understanding. A study ot details tollows, trequent observation ot the individual in..................... action; tor it i8 thus that onets oapab1lities are discerned. _ with the per~eption ot eaoh new detail the over-all pioture ot the 1 2
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