First Paper

Post in this thread your first paper assignment components.

Meghan Owens
Mr. Adam Petersen
AP English and Composition
October 21st 2013


In this essay, Dobbs uses three general forms of sources to support his argument: primary source quotes, quotes from literature, and quotes from other authors.
-       Quotes from other authors… The author uses these examples to justify the rational of his argument (ie: Homer’s Odyssey is both relevant and beneficial to liberal democracy; it contributes a critique of rationalism.), by showing other author’s opposing arguments and the arguments of those that support his theory, the contemporary rationalists.
    1. Alexis Tocqueville’s contrasting position in Democracy in America, in which he identifies the threat posed by rationalism to liberal democracy. Dobbs quotes one of Tocqueville’s observations: “[political] liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith”. He uses this to strengthen his argument by further detailing that, “[F.A.] Hayek, [Michael] Oakeshott, and [George] Gilder have made significant contributions toward identifying the precise character of the threat posed by rationalism to liberal democracy… Despite such warnings, contemporary rationalists remain undaunted.” (Dobbs 492)
    2. Dobbs then cites F. A. Hayek who, like Tocqueville, is opposed to contemporary rationalism, in more detail. The author notes Hayek’s philosophy: having a particular guideline will vary as practices in different societies’ vary. Hayek states that there can never be a good reason for a guideline, because the calculation of the consequences requires one to make assumptions concerning the events leading up to it. The author uses Hayek as an example because I believe that it strengthens Tocqueville’s opposing argument, and in doing so, he then goes on to disprove this.
    3. The author cites John Rawls as the best at disproving the rational of these opposing arguments, by expressing the “philosophical underpinning of this rationalistic [as] counteroffensive” (Dobbs 492). Rawls attempts to establish an authority of reason by showcasing an instance of “moral propriety”.

- Quotes from literature/primary source quotes… In the case of this article, they are one in the same. Dobbs uses both The Odyssey as his primary source to prove his argument, and the piece of literature he is most often quoting from. Dobbs believes that Homer, in condemning one action as reckless and one as a form of wisdom, gives readers a politically distinct example that is obscured by the rationalistic perspective of literature (ie: the beliefs of Hayek and Tocqueville).
    1. The author uses Odysseus’ conflict on the island of Thrinakia to support the aforementioned view because it is the centerpiece event that establishes the recklessness of Odysseus’ crewmen and the beginning of Odysseus’ reverence. Dobbs significantly quotes Eurylochos, Odysseus’ second in command, as he addresses the men: “Heed my words mates, for you have been ill-used! All deaths are hateful to wretched mortals, but to die of hunger is the most piteous way to meet one’s fate. Let us, then, carry off the best of Helios’ cattle… But if, in his rage for his straight-horned cattle, He would have our ships destroyed, and other gods back him up, then I heartily prefer to die at once inhaling a wave than to waste to death on a desert island.” So said Eurylochos, and the other mates agreed.” In this speech, Eurylochos invites his mates to compare the consequences of killing the cattle and the slow death by starvation. He makes the distinction that “in either of these possible circumstances, breaking the oath and slaughtering the cattle is the superior choice.” (Dobbs 496) – Homer describes this action as reckless, whereas Odysseus, who controls his appetite for food, is seen as the individual with the most wisdom. Dobbs uses this instance in The Odyssey to strengthen his argument that rationalism, “a belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on emotional response”, is critiqued by Homer as something that should be avoided at all costs.

Meghan Owens
Mr. Adam Petersen
AP English and Composition
October 21st 2013


Reckless Rationalism and Heroic Reverence in Homer’s Odyssey is an article by Darrell Dobbs in which he poses the argument that The Odyssey is beneficial to liberal democracy in that it contributes a critique of “rationalism”. In citing examples from The Odyssey, as well as the opposing arguments of other authors, Dobbs gives readers an adequate background of the history surrounding rationalism and substantial support for his argument. He ends with the notion that “the study of Homer has fallen into a state of neglect and even dispute among modern students of politics.” (Dobbs 504) In stating this, I believe that Dobbs intended the negligent political science students to be the main audience of this article, in hopes that his argument may persuade them to view Homer’s philosophy in a different light; to see the political importance Homer’s criticisms have provided in our modern republic. That being said, this article can be enjoyed by anyone with knowledge of The Odyssey and an interest in political science and liberal democracy.
From the aforementioned audience and content of the essay, one can discern that the tone of the article is one of seriousness, an attempt to persuade students to agree with the argument, in an academic manner. By not supporting his argument in jest, or an unserious manner, Dobbs creates a well-constructed article.

Margaux Khosraviani
Mr. Adam Petersen
Language in the Odyssey
10/20/13

Servants’ Suggestions in Homer’s ‘Odyssey’

Citations from the main work:
There are text-imbedded citations on every page, which point to places in The Odyssey.  Because this particular paper relies heavily on the plot but not specific segments, there are no large passages set off in the text itself.

Example:
Servants’ Suggestions Page #6
When Eurykleia later recognizes the scar and thus discovers “the Stranger’s” true identity (19.467-75), another suggestion by a servant is first rejected and then finally accommodated.

Citations in subscript:
These are secondary source quotes, usually from materials written about the Odyssey itself.  They are cited in text with numbers, and then elaborated below the actual article itself.

Example:
Servants’ Suggestions Page #6
11: On the connections between this scene and Odysseus’ equally-fast thinking on the last night of Troy see, for example, Oivind Andersen, “Odysseus and the Wooden Horse,” SO 52 (1977) 5-18, esp. 8-12; S. Douglas Olson, “The Stories of Helen and Menelaus (Odyssey 4.240-89) and the Return of Odysseus,” AJP 110 (1989) 387-94.

However, this paper doesn’t really pull in direct references with which the reader is meant to contrast the points of the paper.  It gives direct reference to places which an interested reader may go to in order to do the contrasting themselves, instead of laying it out before us.

Servants’ Suggestions: Tone and Audience

S. Douglas Olson’s Servants’ Suggestions in Homer’s “Odyssey” is a scholarly article which discusses the subtlety of interactions between servants in the houses and those that they serve.  It points out several instances to us in which servants bring up ideas of plans of action to their masters which are initially refuted, but later accepted and used.  Loyalty, in fact, is shown to be a big part of the suggesting and later following through.  Since there is a confusing dynamic of dominance and subservience, this article is enlightening to those who want to better understand the interactions of the servants with the masters, and why the masters often turned down the slaves before doing exactly as they suggested.

Jessica Moore
Mr. Adam Peterson
The Poet Who Sings through Us: Homer’s influence in Contemporary Western Culture
October 22, 2013

Primary source quotes: Mr. Belsky, the author, uses examples such as the Cyclops incident, traveling past the Sirens, the crew opening the sack containing the way-ward winds, Helios’ cattle being slaughtered by Odysseus’ crew, the disloyal serving maid Melantho , the beginning of The Iliad- the negative description of Achilles-, the beating of Thersites, showing insolent behavior to his superiors, there are also multiple other accounts displaying the hierarchy of Odysseus, Achilles, and Agamemnon to the other servants and foot soldiers. These examples are there to show their “desire for self-preservation and to maintain the body of the ruling class (dominant class).”  
Quotes from other authors: multiple professors are cited including John Heath, Victor Davis Hanson, Michael Clark- “whose work draws on the critical philosophies of Freud and Marx”-,  William Thallman, Lowell Edmunds, Kurt Raaflaub.
Quotes from literature: the previously cited professors all published works pertaining to the influence of Homer in the political realm including essays and books named: Homer and the Beginning of Political Thought in Greece, The Swineherd and the Bow, A Critique of Center and Periphery, Commentary on Raaflaub, and Who Killed Homer?
The Author’s tone and intended audience.
      Persuasive and comparative describe the author’s tone. The question posed and answered in this article: Is Homer losing his influence on contemporary culture due to a push towards diversified literary studies? The case for Homer does not waver in this article, it only grows even stronger. He connects the dots between the self-preservation examples in the Odyssey and the autocracies that ruled in the past and Homer’s clear influence on the ideas of past ruling classes. His intended audience consists of the skeptics, reaffirming the thoughts of those already convinced, and welcoming others curious of the underlying cause of Odysseus desire to go back home.
The author begins by stating that “Homer pervades culture both within and outside the university; his song continues to resonate and reverberate at the center of the Western world. He goes on to using many sources to support his thesis, and he even shows different views of how Homer remains at the very roots of our political system and daily lives.   The author is comparative in the aspect that he shows many different, sometimes opposing, views on how Homer still influences us in the “current post-structural, postmodern, ideological-ridden world of the academy”.
    Finally, the author remains somewhat concentrated, for not just anyone reads a deeper article such as this without having at least read The Odyssey, let alone studied and dwelt in it. However, his voice isn’t so concentrated that an everyday Joe wouldn’t understand the common themes and concepts in the text.

Jessica Bremer
Mr. Adam Peterson
Commentary on "The Poet Who Sings Through Us: Homer’s Influence in Contemporary Western Culture"
10/22/2013

Pre-Assignment #1
Primary source quotes:
The author kicks his article off with multiple quotes from John Heath and Davis Hanson from their article “Who Killed Homer?” These are primary source quotes that provide a basis for where Homer’s works stand in today’s education.

Other Author quotes:
Now to bring light to Odysseus’ character, the author quotes Michael Clark from his paper “Adorno, Derrida, and the Odyssey: A Critique of Center and Periphery”. Through this work, Belsky describes Odysseus’ character through defining the characters of other Odyssean men.
Belsky also quotes Lowell Edmunds, Kurt A. Raaflaub, and William Thalmann to establish a point about relationships between men of different ranks.
And throughout Scott A. Belsky’s article, he quotes the Odyssey and the Illiad frequently to provide examples and to prove the points that he made.

Quotes from Literature:
The quotes used from literature are “Who Killed Homer?” by John Heath and Victor Davis Hanson, the Odyssey by Homer, the Illiad by Homer, “Adorno, Derrida, and the Odyssey: A Critique of Center and Periphery” by Michael Clark, and “Homer and the Beginning of Political Thought in Greece” by Raaflaub.

Pre-Assignment #2
The tone of the author and intended audience.

When Scott A. Belsky first opens up his article, he quotes Heath and Hanson, and uses these quotes to support his argument that Homer's works should be read more widely in educational systems. Now to me, the way that Belsky approaches this subject implies that he is very firm in what he writes about and is going to do his best to tell the audience that what he is saying is true. I see this throughout the article. The author constantly supports his arguments with quotes that agree with his argument. In this way, the author is powerfully convincing.
As for the tone of the audience. Whether the audience shares the author's views or not, Belsky is determined to convince them to change the audience's views to his views. Because the author is so convincing, by the end of the article it feels as though the reader would just be nodding his or her head up and down in accordance to what the author says. So I would say that the general tone of the audience is trying to form an opinion of their own, but they are open to suggestions.

Jacob Petersen
Benevolent Dictator
The Poet Who Sings Through Us: Homer’s Influences in Contemporary Western Culture
10/23/2013

Assignment #1

The first part of “The Poet Who Sings Through Us” focuses on John Heath and David Hanson article “Who Killed Homer?” as the primary source. This article acts as a straw man, something easy for Belsky to knock down with his own facts and beliefs.

Homer Source Quotes: Polyphemus the Cyclopes, the Sirens, The Wayward Winds –The Odyssey. Agamemnon, and Achilles –Iliad

Author Sources: Victor Davis Hanson, John Heath, Lowell Edmund, Kurt Raflaub, and William Thallman.

Assignment #2

Belsky begins his article with some standard facts and then transitions into Heath and Hanson viewpoint, both address the lack of true classic literature in todays schools, however Belsky provides information that goes to show that Greek literature is actually thriving in schools today: “The American Philological Association’s own survey results reveal that the job market for classists is stronger than it was a decade ago.” It strikes me that Belsky is trying to make his point to the audience by destroying the opposition’s beliefs with facts.
Belsky’s tone is persuasive; he attempts to convince his audience by providing positive examples for his beliefs, and negative examples for his opponent. It’s easy to be converted when biased facts are placed before you.

Meghan Owens
Mr. Adam Petersen
AP English and Composition
October 28th 2013


The author, Darrell Dobbs, in his article Reckless Rationalism and Heroic Reverence in Homer’s Odyssey, makes the argument that Homer “reveals the insufficiency of rational calculation as a guide for political prudence” (Dobbs 491) stating that Homer’s Odyssey contributes to liberal democracy in that it criticizes rationalism. Dobbs supports his argument in two major ways:

1) By citing the supporters of the opposing argument: that rationalism poses a threat and does not benefit liberal democracy, Dobbs proceeds to prove some of the most renowned supporters of this theory, false.

2) By showing Homer’s view of rational calculation: “one as utter recklessness and the other as consummate wisdom” (Dobbs 491), through the citation of instances in The Odyssey (and The Iliad), including:
                         a) Contrasts Odysseus’ in The Odyssey with Achilles in The Iliad, in an attempt to prove who is the better hero, and give readers a look into the rationalism of Odysseus’ character by often comparing the two.
                         b) The Thrinakian scene cited from the middle of The Odyssey, in which Odysseus’ crew violates Helios’ cattle. This shows the recklessness of the crew and Odysseus’ reverence, as he refuses to take part in the slaughter. The author also uses this scene to describe “dominant strategies” (Dobbs 497) to readers, which appear when one situation is available and it would appear unable to choose anything else; using this to show the inability of the crewmen to choose anything but the slaughter of the cattle.
                         c) Odysseus’ disguise as an old man, after learning the dangers that may accompany the hero’s homecoming. The author uses this to show the contrast of good judgment between Odysseus and the crewmen, the dominant strategy in both instances, and how Homer treats this differently (ie: the crewmen’s decision as something that should be shunned, and Odysseus’ choice as the proper option).

Analysis of The Poet Who Sings Through Us: Homer’s Influence in Contemporary Western Culture. Scott A. Belsky
  The problem posed in this article: Who killed Homer? This question refers to a fear of the diminishing influence of Homer in modern culture. Mr. Belsky, the article’s author, addresses this question by offering up an opposing thesis saying, “Nevertheless, there are those who fear that Ancient Greece and particularly Homer are losing their influence on contemporary cultural thought due to the increased push for diversity in literary studies. Such fears seem premature because even the opponents of the canon still return to Homer for parting shots. Regardless of the attacks from various camps, Homer pervades culture both within and outside of the university; and despite the dirges for the old bard, his clarion song continues to resonate and reverberate at the center of the Western world.”
  By the nature of this thesis, the author clearly wishes to show the somewhat misguided assumptions in Homer’s waning influence, and how in fact he continues to “survive and only deepens his pervasiveness within the psyche of Western Civilization.” Belsky shows how themes in The Odyssey and The Iliad present themselves in modern ideas, thus showing the continuing influence of Homer today.
    The character Odysseus closely resembles that of the  modern day ruling class. Odysseus’ strong desire displayed throughout the epic poem for self-preservation and total authority correlates to several ruling groups. When in the cave of the Cyclops, Odysseus does everything in his power to save himself; by naming himself “Nobody”, he comes up with a brilliant plan to preserve himself after trapping the crew in the cave. Odysseus just assumed that everyone practiced the concept of xenia and should display this to guests. The Cyclops had no intention on being hospitable. The resulting scene: nameless, faceless men are slaughtered at foolish Odysseus’ expense. Their placement in the story simply bought Odysseus time.
      Another example showing Homer’s continuing influence in culture is in The Iliad, where a fight begins and is quickly resolved by Odysseus. Thalmann, a common foot soldier, “dares to assert himself in the face of a member of the ruling class.” Both Agamemnon and Achilles (both ranking officials) rant about their needs being unfulfilled. Their words embolden Thalmann to complain a bit about his own problems, revealing the unjust treatment of the soldiers compared to the upper class (officers).Odysseus extinguishes the complaints of the soldier by beating him with a scepter. Thalmann’s complaints resulted in, “a beating of the lower class by Odysseus with a scepter, of all objects, appearing to be a strong symbolic avowal of the ruling class’s dominance.”   These examples show how Homer’s ideas of upper and lower class became models for great historic monarchs and oligarchies that later ruled.  
      So in summary, to answer the question previously posed: who killed Homer? The answer is quite simply no one. He remains within our society as ubiquitously as the air we breathe. The natural desire for self-preservation continues on no matter if there remains a “push for diversity in literary studies”.   And as so comprehensible as Belsky put it, “In a current political climate that tends to see the world in terms of us (good) and them (bad), no greater evidence can we have of Ancient Greece’s inspiration on contemporary thought.” By Homer simply having critics and admirers, it only prove the true influence he has on the Western world’s culture and political thought, and it is because of this that this author continues to influence all that we say and do.

Analysis of Servants’ Suggestions by S. Douglas Olson

How many ways are there to say one thing?  There are certainly a large number, each with its own subtle implications, meanings, and outright suggestions.  This is a major part of what Servants’ Suggestions, by S. Douglas Olson, is about.  The article speaks about the nuances in direct interaction, and executed interactions, between the masters and slaves in Homer’s Odyssey.  This article isn’t one which applies to the whole of the story, however, so it supplies a more in-depth analysis of the latter third of the story in which servants are present.

The article starts by giving us an example, of Telemachus and Peisistratos arriving at the palace in Sparta and Menelaos’ servant reacting to them.  He then goes on to detail the closeness which servant-master bonds can create, using the prime example of Telemachus and Eumaios and their joyful reunion.  This intro, of showing loyalty and faithfulness—as well as often good ideas—is like the buildup to the sentence that gets the whole argument and idea of the article’s theme across—that ‘it is all the more striking, therefore, that independent suggestions by servants in The Odyssey are routinely rejected immediately when they are made and the servant ordered to do only what he or she has been told.’

Fascinatingly, this article goes in-depth to describe the classism and how it can be transcended by a loyal servant making good suggestions.  For instance, take Eurycleia, who suggested to Odysseus that she could reveal the traitors among the ranks of the servants.  Odysseus, who respected her and saw her as a mother figure, bluntly turned her down before later executing her plan.  This demonstrates, as Olson points out in the beginning pages of the paper, that the minds of servants are valued ‘but not when they interfere with—or even seem to interfere with—the autonomy of the master.’  Wouldn’t it be true to say, then, that the mode of servants’ suggestion is to give their master idea for later use but not actually to receive credit for it?

When the master does take the servants’ suggestions, they are all too happy to comply and follow their master’s ‘order.’  They will not mention that it was originally their idea, perhaps as a sign of deference or respect.  The loyalty of servants to their masters is crucial to Odysseus’ success, both in giving the suggestions to their masters and executing any given commands.  In fact, the cycle of suggestion, dismissal, and the eventual follow through builds camaraderie among masters and servants.  This process also reinforces the good behavior and loyalties of dedicated servants—and may in fact root out the nefarious from the pure.

S. Douglas Olson’s Servants’ Suggestions in Homer’s Odyssey isn’t an argument so much as an exposition backed by examples from the book and extrapolated from into a logical theory.  It doesn’t particularly bring up a stance which one is wont to deny.  The scope of the article, far from arguing, is simply a scholarly attempt to explain one of many layered nuances to permeate Homer’s epic poem, and even to the complexities of Greek society and classism.

Assignment Part 3:

Summary of the Poet Who Sings Through Us: Homer's Influence in Contemporary Western Culture
AP English
Adam Petersen
By: Jessica Bremer

Scott A. Belsky opens up his article with his disappointment in the lack of the Ancient Greek literature in today’s contemporary cultural. Belsky repeatedly refers to John Heath and Victor Davis’ “Who Killled Homer?” to support his claim of the lack of study of Greek cultural in America. Pages 2-3
Belsky also uses Heath and Hanson’s view of the classicists approach to Greek literature. He describes how Heath and Hanson are very harsh towards classicists who approach the “revered volumes” (pg. 3) with a lack of respect.
In page 4, the author turns to Michael Clark, who does not see the “enlightened ideals that bear the influence of Ancient Greece in our society to prove its influence” (pg. 4). Rather, Clark states how the influence has played out through capitalism and colonialism.
On another note, Clark depicts that “Odysseus’s shrewd machinations to preserve and promote the self often come at the expense of those around him.”(pg. 4) On a personal note, throughout the Odyssey this is the thing that I held against Odysseus. I was becoming extremely annoyed at how Odysseus’s life was worth so much more than his comrades. There are several references from the Odyssey supporting Clark’s presumption about Odysseus listed after this quote. The author returns to this subject in page 10, and concludes that Odysseus will do pretty much anything to favor himself above others.
Belsky goes into identifying the “lesser, nonaristocratic characters that are given an independent voice in the Odyssey” (pg. 6).
Belsky discusses how what a person says can define him greatly. If he speaks rudely, the person is immediately regarded with the smallest respect. If a person is very eloquent in speech and stands by the hospitality laws of Zeus, then the person is considered respectable.
In pages 10 and 11, Belsky describes the way plundering works. It someone from Ithaka plunders someone who is also from Ithaka, that would be violating the concept of xenia, “which governs the behaviors of guests as well as hosts.” (pg. 11) But if someone from Ithaka plunders someone’s goods in another country, then it is not considered nearly as bad.
The author then returns to the question “Who killed Homer?” (pg. 12) and concludes that the answer seems to be “Nobody”. Belsky says that Homer lives in our society.
Belsky then sums this whole article up with warnings against putting Homer’s works on the top so readily, and not to put his work as the center for education in literature.

"This process also reinforces the good behavior and loyalties of dedicated servants—and may in fact root out the nefarious from the pure." Margaux's analysis
Just wanted to quickly point out Margaux's little nugget of wisdom. The idea of good servants wanting to help their master and how they willingly do not take the credit for their ideas shows their level of obedience and loyalty. Margaux quickly clarified that a disloyal servant's colors would be shown by them not wanting to help their master; loyalty runs deep within the trustworthy servants and is lacked in the "nefarious". Yet another important theme imbedded within the text of The Odyssey.

Meghan Owens
Professor Adam Petersen
AP English and Composition
04 November 2013

Reckless Rationalism and Heroic Reverence in Homer's Odyssey, an essay by Darrell Dobbs, reflects his critique of liberal democracy through interpretation of The Odyssey and Homer's critique of rationalism. Dobbs argues that Homer "reveals the insufficiency of rational calculation as a guide for political prudence." (Dobbs 491) something "both relevant and beneficial in view of the special needs of our own policy." (Dobbs 505) Dobbs creates a solid agreeable argument, in that his support can be viewed as well constructed and includes examples from well known political thinkers, in support or opposition of said argument. Because of the aforementioned details, it can be viewed that I expound the author's thesis, to a certain extent. Some of the support lacked further analysis and other examples found in The Odyssey that would have greatly strengthened his essay.

Darrell Dobbs creates a valid argument in using the comparison of Odysseus and his ship crew, Odysseus and Achilles, and simply Odysseus himself, to show the "recklessness" and "rational" of different decisions as Homer portrays them.  If Dobbs had proceeded to analyze other characters, the article would have had a greater lasting impact on me. One particular instance of this in The Odyssey can be seen in Telemachus' journey to search for his father, Odysseus. Homer views Telemachus as a rational youth, taking advice from the goddess Athena, to go and search for the father who has been absent from his life for so many years. To Homer, this is simply Telemachus' quest for kudos, a highly competitive Greek virtue in society, and the showcasing of reverence, "the correct perspective of and respect for the sacred" (Dobbs 493), in The Odyssey. However, if we look at him through the eyes' of the other characters, he is nothing but a reckless youth, blinded by the passion to meet his father and rid his household of the dastardly and selfish suitors who plague his land. The passage below describes Penelope, Telemachus' mother, as she learns of her son's journey:
    Her knees failed, and her heart failed as she listened to the words, and all her power of speech
    went out of her.... "Why has my child left me? He had no need of those long ships on which men
    shake out sail to tug like horses, breasting miles of sea. Why did he go?" (Homer 77)
Penelope, grief stricken, cannot imagine why her son would perform such a reckless act. That being said, in the eyes of Homer, Telemachus' journey is nothing but the Greek society's normal course of action, listening to the gods and goddesses. Dobbs failed to include this valid piece of evidence in his argumentative essay. Although the examples used were insightful and made the author's point, in only showcasing Odysseus as the key character in The Odyssey, who is critiqued by "rationalism" and "recklessness", the article lacked depth.

The article, not only "one-sided" in terms of character analysis, also lacks the analytical depth needed in some examples. If one has not read The Odyssey or The Iliad going into this, they will find themselves lost in some aspects. Dobbs should have been more concise in giving readers detail from The Odyssey and The Iliad in his examples. This can be seen in Dobbs' comparison of Odysseus and Achilles, as he simply states " Odysseus is unable by cleverness alone to compete successfully for heroic honors with the less versatile but nobler Achilles." (Dobbs 493) The author has fully expanded on Odysseus character in previous paragraphs, but fails to give an in-depth analysis of Achilles, whom he is comparing. Dobbs writes, "Homer intends to elevate Odysseus to a rank at least equal to that of the illustrious Achilles" (Dobbs 492), although he does not expand on the character of Achilles so that the reader can fully understand the comparison between the two and the "rank" at which Achilles sits. Although the intended audience of the essay could be that of negligent political science majors, who have read both The Iliad and The Odyssey, this article should have the ability to be enjoyed by anyone - especially those with a interest in political science and liberal democracy, not one who needs to have a vast knowledge of Homer and Greek literature. It was the author's intent to persuade these political science majors to view Homer's criticisms as something of political importance, but along the way, he lost sight of the value in explanation and analytical depth.

Darrell Dobbs does a consistent job in explaining the contrasting argument that liberal democracy can be threatened by rationalism. He cites great political thinkers such as Hayek, Gilder, Oakeshott, and perhaps the most renowned, Tocqueville. All of which expound the observation that, "[political] liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith." (Dobbs 492) Dobbs then proceeds to disprove their arguments by simply stating the rational of the contemporary rationalists, specifically Rawls and Strauss. Rawls attempts to argue that "to vindicate morality and to establish the ultimate authority of reason [an individual must subsume] the particular instance (or "act") of moral propriety" (Dobbs 492) Although the argument itself is solid, by only citing two examples from the contemporary rationalists instead of four, I found the evidence to be lacking depth and consistency. If I were unaware as to whom Darrell Dobbs was, I would not simply agree with his argument without substantial proof from others, especially popular sources and examples pertaining to the argument. By spending a good amount of time explaining opposing views, Dobbs allows readers to start to agree with the more substantial proof, that being Tocqueville's theory. The lack of consistency in notable arguments by contemporary rationalists does not create an academically rational paper.

Despite the aforementioned criticisms, Darrell Dobbs' essay entitled Reckless Rationalism and Heroic Reverence in Homer's Odyssey, creates a solid argument revealing the critique of liberal democracy and the benefits it can reap in our political system today. Dobbs, unable to provide further analysis and more examples in his article, is able to use the information included to support his essay in a prosaic manner. His ability to use information from The Odyssey to explain his theory and the theories of established political thinkers was convincing and plausible.




























Works Cited

Dobbs, Darrell. “Reckless Rationalism and Heroic Reverence in Homer’s Odyssey.” Rev. of The Odyssey, by Homer. American Political Science Review June 1987: Vol. 81 No. 2. Print.

Homer. The Odyssey. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1961. Print.

Homer’s Odyssey relies heavily upon the use of servant suggestions as a tool for planning, assessment, and even the overall success of Odysseus’ mission.  Even if the servants’ suggestions are rude or impious, as long as the intention is borne in mind of the master’s best interest then such things are smiled upon.  As a general rule, masters in The Odyssey usually reject their servants’ suggestions before talking them some time later.  Ultimately, was it not for the complicated dynamic of servants’ input then the endeavors of their masters would be harder—and far more likely to fail.

There are many servants which play important roles in The Odyssey, especially in the later parts of the book.  We have servants ranging from Eurycleia, the motherly servant who raised Odysseus, all the way down to Melanthius, who kicks his disguised master and acts very comfortable with the suitors mooching off of his household.  When she discovers him, Eurycleia demonstrates the behavior of a loyal servant by offering him her help and assistance.  Odysseus, true to form, turns her down immediately—only to accept her assistance some chapters later.  This is so pronounced that S. Douglas Olson notes, ‘It is all the more striking, therefore, that independent suggestions by servants in the Odyssey are routinely rejected immediately when they are made and the servant ordered to do only what he or she has been told.’ (221) Why?  This would be to maintain the appearance of ultimate power over the servants, to show that they are still in control.  Eloquently put, ‘Intelligence and industry are valued in the serving-class, it seems, but not when they interfere with-or even seem to interfere with-the autonomy of the master.’ (221)  What this means, then, is obvious: masters want the suggestions of their servants, but they don’t want to appear to need them.  By brushing them off, making them appear dispensable, it’s a way for the masters to stay in power.

The help of servants is, in fact, indispensable.  “In the crucial final moments leading up to the fighting in Book 22, in fact, it is Odysseus' loyal servants who assure the success of the attack.” (220)  The snippet of text above references the physical help that the servants gave to Odysseus, but it just as readily applies to the help that the servants give via suggestions.  Consider Eurycleia’s suggestion again, to out the unfaithful servants of the house to Odysseus.  He turns this down directly, claiming that the gods will aid him.  Of course, when the time comes, he calls upon his motherly servant to help him punish the wicked.  Eurycleia readily complies with this request, happily pointing out the twelve unfaithful servants.  “It has always been clear that the story of the Odyssey is carefully constructed to show that servants must remain loyal to their masters under all circumstances or expect to pay an inevitable and horrible price for their disobedience,” writes S. Douglas Olson.  This is certainly revealed to be true in the latter portion of the book, in which Odysseus could never have been successful without the assistance of his servants.

Not just Odysseus was helped by his servants and their suggestions, and not all suggestions were taken so roundabout.  When Eumaios and Telemachus reunite after Telemachus’ return, for instance, Eumaios suggests that he take a trip to inform Telemachus’ grandfather of his safety as well as his mother.  It is known that Telemachus respects and values Eumaios, calling him ‘father’ repeatedly in their interactions—and yet, he still rejects this suggestion.  However, it isn’t quite clear cut.  Telemachus rejects the suggestion as if to assert his status as master over Eumaios, but alters his commands to take into account the idea that he was given.  The thoughtfulness of his servant is taken directly into account but not directly taken.  There is an example of a master not taking his loyal servant’s advice, but there is only one: Eteoneus in Odyssey 4 as demonstrated in the beginning of Servants’ Suggestions.  While the servant is making an impious suggestion, it isn’t taken as a show that the servant is a bad servant.  His master, Menelaos, rejects the suggestion directly—a common theme in The Odyssey, as per the course, but this instance is made special because a suggestion is directly ignored.

The method behind the automatic rejection and later acceptance of servant suggestions hints at the classism taking place in the story, but also how the classism is transcended.  A loyal servant presenting good suggestions can be held in just as high a regard as someone born to high blood status.  It seems presenting good suggestions—whether they are rejected from the start or not—can be a way to become a highly-valued servant.  The Greek class system and the idea that one is to stay in their place isn’t broken by a good suggestion to a master, because a good servant isn’t looking to gain from suggesting.  Imagine the treacherous servant Melanthius, who sided with the suitors ruining Odysseus’ home.  What kind of suggestions might he make?  Ones that could further his well-being, his place, as opposed to his master’s.  Then there is Eurycleia, who is obviously considered highly in the eyes of Penelope.  The sorts of suggestions she makes are well intentioned and in nobody’s interest but her master’s.  There is an inherent show of a servant’s moral worth, buried in the seemingly simply mechanics of suggesting and accepting between a master and a servant.

“The attempt of a good servant to offer his or her master a suggestion about what ought to be done is thus a regular motif in the final third of the Odyssey.” (225)  The previous statement is absolutely true, and integral to the completion of Odysseus’ quest.  Where would Odysseus be without the assistance of the servants when he was confronting the suitors, or attempting to get back into his house?  More than likely, he would be dead.  In all likelihood, Telemachus would also be much worse off if he did not take the suggestions of the servants who tried to help him.  Servant suggestions, then, are clearly of huge importance to the progression of the story.

Works Cited

Olson, S. Douglas. “Servants’ Suggestions in Homer’s Odyssey.” Rev. of The Odyssey, by Homer. The Classical Journal June 1987: Vol. 87 No. 3. Print.

Homer. The Odyssey. New York, New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2003. Print.