Question

prompt 2: fate vs. free will
the idea of fate is constantly referenced in the odyssey; the poem is written in such a way that implies that odysseus’ journey was set in place far before he actually takes it on. why is the idea of fate and destiny important to consider while reading this story? does believing in fate take away some of your autonomy/ agency? does odysseus have free will or is he stuck by fate? (think “threads”.)

choose your adventure and make a claim below! (1 point each)
which prompt did you choose? | prompt 2
what side are you on? | odysseus has free will

now that you have chosen a prompt and a side, brainstorm some arguments for both sides of the argument. make sure that you can include evidence from the odyssey to support your arguments!

brainstorm (1 point each)
argument 1 - side you’re on | evidence from odyssey

• odysseus makes choices that shift his path | - odysseus chooses to blind polyphemus leading to poseidon’s wrath
• odysseus uses his smartness and crew to overcome rocky situations | - odysseus gets the trojan horse to conquer troy

argument 2 - side you’re against | evidence from odyssey

• prophecies interventions suggest a predetermined plan /path | - prophecy about odysseus long journey home interventions by gods like zeus&athena
• god like poseidon actively help odysseus | -

Explanation:

To complete the "Argument 2 - Side you're against" row (claiming Odysseus is stuck by fate), we need evidence from The Odyssey for the argument "God like Poseidon actively help Odysseus". Poseidon is actually an antagonist to Odysseus (due to the Polyphemus incident), so a correct example of divine intervention that could imply fate is Athena's guidance. Athena repeatedly helps Odysseus: she advocates for him on Olympus, gives him advice/aid (e.g., helping him with disguises, strategy). Alternatively, Zeus' allowance of Odysseus' journey (or divine plans) could work, but Athena's consistent help is a clear example. For the incorrect initial thought (Poseidon helping), we correct it: Poseidon hinders Odysseus (delays his journey, causes storms) due to Polyphemus (his son) being blinded. So a proper evidence for the "fate" side (against free will) would be Athena’s persistent assistance (e.g., Athena helps Odysseus navigate challenges, showing a preordained path via divine direction).

Answer:

For the argument "God like poseidon actively help odysseus" (note: Poseidon opposes Odysseus, so we adjust the argument or evidence), a correct evidence for the "fate" side (against free will) is: "Athena repeatedly assists Odysseus (e.g., advocating for him on Olympus, helping with disguises/strategy) to guide his journey, implying a preordained path via divine intervention."

(If we correct the argument to a god who helps, like Athena, the evidence is Athena’s consistent aid to Odysseus throughout his journey, showing divine direction that could be seen as fate.)