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  • Essay / The architecture of Circe's house in the Odyssey

    In the Odyssey, Homer uses architecture and landscape as metaphors for the personalities of the people to whom each respective architectural description relates. For this reason, emphasis is placed on explicit details when depictions of houses, grounds, and interior decoration are mentioned. To explore this notion further, I will discuss how Homer describes the architecture of Circe's house and how this can be seen as a reflection of the traits associated with Circe. In the case of Circe, Homer uses the approach of taking the reader on two journeys at once. He begins by describing his surroundings, then creates images of his current home, and finally takes the reader inside his home. This geographical journey mirrors the journey he takes us on of Circe's personality since he uses the journey to show the reader her different traits. From this journey, the reader learns that Circe is alone, unpredictable, inviting, and vulnerable, among other qualities. In this article I intend to develop the idea of ​​taking the reader on a tour of Circe's character using the tour of her living space that Homer already offers us in Book X. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The first quality of Circe that the reader is exposed to is her loneliness and isolation. Homer immediately reveals that Circe resides on an island that has a “barren beach of water” (X, 157-179). First, the idea that Circe lives on this island perpetuates the possibility that Circe suffers from loneliness while her home seems to be isolated from others. This is obviously confirmed when Circe longs for Odysseus to stay with her and even proposes that she and Odysseus have sex, not because of the pleasure she may feel from it, but because it may lead to establishing trust. Circe's desire for Odysseus to stay and establish a sense of trust with him echoes the idea that she is alone and needs companionship. Not just any form of business, but one with which she can develop a meaningful relationship. The need to have "faith and trust" (X. 161-335) with someone she has just met also suggests the idea that Circe might be paranoid about her relationships with people. This suggests that she has difficulty trusting others. Additionally, Homer seems to specifically use the word barren to describe the beach, as he reminds the reader that, metaphorically and literally, Circe may also be barren because she has no family or children, which only intensifies her loneliness as well as the lack of life. love in his life. Circe's personality seems to be heavily influenced by the lack of people in her life. Circe's isolation is essentially the foundation for the rest of her traits. Subsequently, Homer then explores the unpredictable and erratic nature of Circe's character. It does this by offering more images of the island. When Homer writes that Odysseus "climbed to a rocky point" (X. 156-148), the reader discovers that the island is rocky, implying that it may be difficult to navigate because the rocks are generally rough and uneven. The rocky composition of his island reflects how it makes it difficult for people to understand his true intentions, which also makes navigation difficult. This is supported by his initial kindness towards Odysseus's men, which is followed in contrasting fashion by his decision to turn them into pigs with a potion. From this example, it is clear that Circe is indeed someone whose true intentions may never beknown, which makes his personality easily categorized as questionable. In this way, the land around Circe not only provides us with imagery, but also helps develop Circe as a character as she becomes more dynamic through the exposition of different layouts. Navigating rocky territory also requires caution. In fact, one will only be able to successfully navigate the landscape if well prepared. Since Circe shows that she is a devious person, this landscape reflects her personality. This is further emphasized when Hermes gives Odysseus the moly herb as well as a strategy before meeting Circe. This just shows that Circe is too complex to risk approaching without equipment. This also highlights his spirit. Speaking of Circe's questionable temperament, Circe's deceptive behavior is developed in more detail as Homer continues to provide architectural descriptions. In describing the exterior design of his house, Homer emphasizes that his house is "built of stones", but also mentions that the stones are "well polished" (x. 157-210). The reason why it is essential to examine this description more closely is that when we think of stones we think of how hard, cold and unattractive they are, but in the case of the stones that make up the house of Circe, they occur. to clean and make more attractive to the eye. The juxtaposition of "well polished" and "stones" suggests that these stones are outwardly beautiful, but it should be remembered that they still have the underlying qualities that make them plain and unattractive objects. Well polished stones can be compared to Circe because she seems very welcoming and friendly on the outside but cannot suppress her bad emotions on the inside. Much like the stones, it's easy to like Circe from the first interaction and even forget that she's a monster. The stone metaphor reminds us that, however affable she may initially be, it is beyond her power to shed the inherent "hard, cold, and unattractive" traits she displays throughout Book X Without a doubt, it is admirable to observe how Circe manages to create an image of herself that initially paints her as lovable. From the moment we are introduced to Aiaia, the reader learns that the port in which Odysseus and his men dock is “fit for ships” (X. 156-141). Accordingly, when the above depiction of the port is subsequently given, it is insinuated that Circe is always ready to receive guests and looks forward to having company. This connection may be made because for someone who lives far from other creatures, the idea of ​​one's harbor being perfectly suited for a ship to settle in is strange. It is clear that she remains optimistic about receiving the guests. Additionally, Circe's house is said to be in an "open place", which conveys the message that Circe is a welcoming person. Again, this is particularly bizarre because she's set in the middle of a forest, so it's as if she's deliberately making the surroundings of her house open to create the impression that she is. The image of an open place triggers thoughts of lightness, which is a desirable trait when referring to a place. This, in turn, creates the illusion that Circe must have attractive features. She does not fail to imitate him, as previously mentioned, when she acts very hospitable towards Odysseus' men. Despite the scene in which the reader gets a glimpse of Circe's potential to be an honest person, Homer sets the reader back by continuing. to develop his characterization of Circe as an evil monster. The reader is told that Aiaia “is low”..