Compare the presentation of Odysseus in "An Ancient Gesture" with Homer's portrait of him in The Odyssey. Which of the following is an important difference between the two?
O In The Odyssey, Odysseus's cry is not genuine.
○ In "An Ancient Gesture," Odysseus's cry is not genuine.
O In The Odyssey, Odysseus's feelings for Penelope are real.
O In "An Ancient Gesture," Odysseus's feelings for Penelope are real.
To compare the presentation of Odysseus in "An Ancient Gesture" with Homer's portrayal of him in The Odyssey, we can analyze the texts and look for differences. In this specific question, we are looking for an important difference between the two.
In order to determine if Odysseus's cry is genuine in each text, we can consider their respective contexts. To find the answer, we need to examine "An Ancient Gesture" and The Odyssey.
First, let's look at The Odyssey. In this epic poem, Odysseus is depicted as a hero who embarks on a long journey back to his homeland after the Trojan War. Throughout the epic, Odysseus encounters various obstacles and faces numerous trials. Along his journey, he displays emotions such as longing for his home, concern for his sailors' welfare, and determination to reunite with his wife, Penelope. The portrayal of Odysseus in The Odyssey emphasizes his resilience, cunning, and emotional depth.
Next, let's turn our attention to "An Ancient Gesture." This poem, written by Edna St. Vincent Millay, describes an event where a modern-day sculptor encounters a sculpture of Odysseus. In this encounter, the sculptor observes Odysseus's frozen facial expression and notices tears rolling down his cheeks. The poem explores the idea of capturing Odysseus's emotional state frozen in time through the sculpture.
Based on the information provided, the important difference between the two presentations of Odysseus is as follows:
O In The Odyssey, Odysseus's cry is not genuine.
○ In "An Ancient Gesture," Odysseus's cry is not genuine.
Both options state that Odysseus's cry is not genuine. Therefore, the important difference must lie elsewhere. However, we cannot determine from the information provided if Odysseus's feelings for Penelope are real or not in either work. This information is not addressed in the prompt and requires further analysis of the texts.