Homer

The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second oldest extant work of Western literature, the Iliad being the oldest. It is believed to have been composed near the end of the 8th century BC, somewhere in Ionia, the Greek coastal region of Anatolia.

In a flashback it is revealed how Odysseus got the scar on his foot and the significance of it. The scar is symbolically important, for it defines who he is by beginning with his his grandfather Autolykos in the flashback. During the hunt, Odysseus gets the scar and this hunt is a male ritual initiation where the men of the family take the young males so they can prove themselves to their families. The scar received by Odysseus shows that he is accepted as a man and the pride of his accomplishemnt.

The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second oldest extant work of Western literature, the Iliad being the oldest. It is believed to have been composed near the end of the 8th century BC, somewhere in Ionia, the Greek coastal region of Anatolia.