In The Odyssey, it takes Odysseus twenty years to return home after the Trojan War. On his way back, he encounters many obstacles and creatures that he must overcome. He meets the mermaids, the Cyclops and others. Every event in this epic poem has a symbolic meaning behind it. Homer writes about the history, symbolism, and characters of The Odyssey. The Odyssey is about the Greek gods and heroes and their adventures (Makman). Ulysses is the main character and he embarks on a quest that takes him several years. Homer's story, the Odyssey, raises many questions in the later years of its readers (Thornton). Homer's work has such an impact on poets and literary works today that no one can match his work in the Odyssey (Nerdahl). It’s been a while since the first English translation was done (Wolfe). Volume 5 of the Odyssey plays a very important role in the story of the later chapters to come (Frank). Book 5 is very important because Athena asks Zeus to go easy on Odysseus, so he sends the messenger Hermes to Kalypso, so that they let Odysseus (Frank) go. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is thrown into a different, mythical world after returning from the Trojan War. He loses his entire army to these creatures of great variety during his mythical quest (Sale, “Homer”). The creatures he encounters can be quite frightening, but the will to return home and the help of the gods will guide him on the right path, while he and the reader learn the meaning of it all. The whole theme behind the Odyssey is based entirely on his symbolic encounters with each creature and how he overcomes them (Sale, "Odyssey"). In The Odyssey, there are symbolic meanings throughout his quest, and everything he encounters means something to...... middle of paper ...... rdahl, Michael. “Pouring the Bad Wax into the Literary Mold: Plutarch’s Mdrius and Homer’s Odyssey.” Collegiate Literature 35.4 (2008): 110+. Gale Literary Resources. Internet. January 14, 2014. Sale, William Merritt. “Homer: Overview. » Reference guide to world literature. Ed. Lesley Henderson. 2nd ed. New York: St. James Press, 1995. Gale Library Resources. Internet. January 14, 2014. Sale, William Merritt. “The Odyssey: Overview.” Reference guide to world literature. Ed. Lesley Henderson. 2nd ed. New York: St. James Press, 1995. Gale Library Resources. Internet. January 22, 2014. Thornton, Bruce S. “Ulysses Intelligent and Enduring.” Claremont Review of Books Winter 2008: 45+. Gale Literary Resources. Internet. January 14, 2014. Worman, Nancy. "Odysseus Panourgos: the style of the liar in tragedy and oratory." Helios 26.1 (1999): 35+. Gale Literary Resources. Internet. January 14. 2014.