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Analysis of Homer’s The Odyssey
Brandon Cadman
Odysseus is generally a hero in the most classical sense of the word. As the main
character of Homer’s The Odyssey, he is a war hero that helped to defeat Troy. After aiding in
the defeat of Troy, he spends 10 years attempting to get back home, all the while defeating
mythical creatures and not always enjoying the favor of the gods. Once he returns home, he still
must defeat the suitors attempting to take his wife’s hand and steal the throne of Ithaca. All of
this together affirms his position as a hero and helps him be a worthy main character in such an
epic tale. When analyzing The Odyssey, we can see the role that the different subsystems of a
well-developed, complex culture play in not only complicating Odysseus’ journey, but also
allowing him to complete it in the first place.
Colin Renfrew brought about the Systems Theory, which helps to explain how a complex
culture develops. Systems Theory breaks down a culture into five key subsystems that each play
