The Odyssey - Beginning Proem

“The proem is the very first part of the Odyssey. It begins with "Speak Memory -" and ends with "And tell the tale once more in our time." The proem sets up many of the major topics/themes of the Odyssey.  What do you think you might be able to tell about the topics/themes of the Odyssey just by reading the proem? Use evidence from the proem to support your claims.”


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPEAK, MEMORY—
Of the cunning hero, The wanderer, blown off course time and again
After he plundered Troy’s sacred heights.


Speak Of all the cities he saw, the minds he grasped,
The suffering deep in his heart at sea
As he struggled to survive and bring his men home 
But could not save them, hard as he tried— 
The fools—destroyed by their own recklessness 
When they ate the oxen of Hyperion the Sun, 
And that god snuffed out their day of return.


Of these things,
Speak, Immortal One,
And tell the tale once more in our time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By now, all the others who had fought at Troy— 
At least those who had survived the war and the sea— 
Were safely back home. Only Odysseus
Still longed to return to his home and his wife.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The first part of the Odyssey book begins with a proem. It’s a brief introduction into some of the things occurring before the Odyssey began. It tells the story of Odysseus, and how he is unable to return home. Odysseus is trapped in a cavern by the goddess Calypso. One of the main themes you’ll notice towards the beginning brings up the theme of cunning versus strength. The importance of intelligence and cunningness over muscle can be found throughout various places in the book. After the first couple lines, themes of capture and fighting are visible. Another theme is family / loyalty. This is shown towards the end of the selection of text. The poem speaks about how Odysseus wants to return home to his home and family. This leads to Penelope, who is waiting for Odysseus, who is showing her loyalty to Odysseus (Which you learn about out past this poem).