The Odyssey is one of the most famous, and most beloved stories in the Western canon. It’s a tale of homecoming, and of love, and of adventure—but it’s also a story of sorrow and loss.
Odysseus’ journey started in Troy, where he was part of an army that laid siege to the city for 10 years. After Troy fell to the Greeks, Odysseus set sail for home with his men; however, their ship was blown off course by Zeus and they ended up on the island of Calypso.
Calypso kept Odysseus there as her prisoner for seven years! She offered him immortality if he stayed with her forever—but she didn’t offer him Penelope. So after seven years on Ogygia (which means “wandering” or “wandering after”), Odysseus finally escaped Calypso’s clutches and set sail again. This time he landed on Aeolia (which means “sunrise”), where he spent another year with Circe before moving on again.
After enduring a long and dangerous journey through the Underworld, he finally reached Ithaca—but not before completing a series of challenges set by the suitors who were vying for his wife Penelope’s hand in marriage. In the end, Odysseus killed all the suitors and was finally reunited with his long-suffering wife and son.
