Keywords: journeys in literature, time period distinctions literature, quests in literature
In literature the theme of a voyage is a common one but the determination for the quest changes considerably. The purpose of each quest was directly inspired by the values of the specific time period and location in which the parts were written. These parts include The Odyssey by Homer, The Inferno by Dante, Candide by Voltaire, and A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle. Each one of these works of books have their own concept of a voyage but are similar for the reason that they all talk about a driving make to complete their own specific quests.
In The Odyssey by Homer we see two journeys. The main voyage is Odysseus's voyage home, back again to his civilization. We also see Telemachus journey to find his father's whereabouts. In Odysseus's voyage we see many road blocks that get in his way including gods that was a large part of Greek culture. Greek gods are believed to be human-like because of their lack of ability to be perfect and because of this the gods aren't always well respected by the humans. Among the gods who attempted to avoid him from doing his journey was Poseidon. Poseidon wanted revenge on Odysseus because Odysseus possessed blinded the Cyclopes which were one of Poseidon's sons. In return Poseidon shipwrecks Odysseus and he ends up on Phaeacia.
Odysseus will do what is essential to get back to his polis. The best goal for a Greek is to attain popularity and glory through his polis. "I would experienced my rites and the Achaians given me glory. Now it is by a dismal fatality that I must be taken" (Homer, 306-312). If this popularity and glory is not achieved they thought that life was a misuse. The city in which he ruled was called Ithaca. The polis where he ruled in Ithaca believed that Odysseus was deceased because he had not delivered home in that long time. The sole true believers were his partner Penelope and son Telemachus. Telemachus found that the suitors were disloyal to his daddy Odysseus by consuming all his food and attempting to consider his mom as a better half and due to this he went on his own trip to find a person who had visual evidence of his death. Upon this quest he found no such proof fatality but he was needs to lose hope of his father's come back. We see that both Odysseus and Telemachus believe civilization is the motivating drive for his or her journeys. In Telemachus circumstance, he needs to recreate the truth to his polis about Odysseus. In Odysseus case, he wants to come back to his polis for fame and glory which is the foremost success possible.
In The Inferno by Dante we visit a completely different voyage. Rather than a journey for popularity and glory through your polis we visit a trip through hell to show there is certainly one God. Dante was created in Florence, Italy in 1265 in the Medieval era where Christianity was the dominate religious beliefs for the reason that location at the time. In Christianity there exists the idea of heaven and hell. In Christianity when you pass away you are judged based on your life by God and you are either sent to heaven where the good people go or hell where in fact the bad people go. In this booklet Dante is allowed by God to enter into hell alive to write about what he recognizes and who he fulfills. During this quest he is accompanied by Virgil who's his guide through hell because hell is where he resides.
His trip is also halted by obstacles, but since it was willed by God to make this journey no obstacle could stop him for long. After the people in hell realized they were covered by God they would tell Dante anything he wished to know. When Dante quest lead him to the wall membrane of the location of Dis; he was ceased by demons that would not let him go away. The abyss of the others of hell was behind this gate and he needed to get handed down. An angel from heaven was delivered to open up the gate for Dante and Virgil. The demons could not reject anything from heaven because they feared heaven. "Through me just how into the enduring city, through me. . . the way to the eternal pain, through me the way that runs among the list of lost. Justice urged on my high artificer; my manufacturer was divine power, the highest intelligence, and the primal love. Before me only eternal things depart every trust, who get into here"(Dante, 1-11). This voyage was designed to show that there surely is one God that is very powerful even amongst the most evil and even Satan himself.
Dante on his journey saw symbolic retribution which is when the punishment meets the crime which was used to show that the sins determined on the planet is the same sin you will commit in hell for everyone eternity. Hell is separated into 9 different circles with 1 being the best circle and 9 being the most severe circle in conditions of the punishment. With regards to the sin the person committed; they might be delivered to that corresponding group. For instance, if you are a priest and also you commit a sin such as you trade the sophistication and favor of the cathedral for money you'd be sent to another bolge in the 8th group and you would be known a simonist. Their punishment is a reverse baptism where they are really hung upside down in slots and are baptized in fire not in drinking water. That is also an example of symbolic retribution.
In Dante's journey we visit a difference in determination between the Odyssey's journeys in that, a strive for popularity and glory is not seen and polis is not mentioned. His quest was used to speak a fear for one God and also show the results of the wrong doings on the planet. Corresponding to Dante, the worst sins you commit on the planet you will pay for in hell.
In the next piece of literature, Candide by Voltaire, we follow the key identity Candide on an extended journey for the girl that he is in love with Cungonde. He's banished from his home for kissing Cungonde who is of a higher social rank then himself. Due to his banishment he embarks on a long trip of hardship. He remembers Dr. Pangloss teachings as a youngster a uses his idea throughout his quest. Dr. Pangloss always would simply tell him that they live in the best world and everything nowadays is to discover the best. After a couple of years with the army he escapes to Lisbon because he was ill-treated.
In Lisbon he sees his lost love Cungonde with two men who want her. Candide kills both men and he now escapes on a journey with Cungonde. But this journey with Cungonde didn't previous long because he was wished for the killings of the two men. Candide needed to flee and he advised Cungonde to stay in Buenos Aires until his go back. Candide and his servant Cacambo come across the lost city of silver known as El Dorado. Here they find kids using a good amount of gold as if gold was meaningless to them. In El Dorado there is so much gold that they played with it rather than cherishing it. El Dorado represents the conclusion of any perfect journey but for Candide this wasn't the case. This is not perfect because Cungonde had not been with him and he never forgot about his promise that he would come back on her behalf. So he required a large quantity of gold and went back to look for her.
Since Candide cannot go back because he is wished; he instructs his servant Cacambo to go get Cungonde and bring her to Venice Italy where they could reunite. Candide comes to Venice late and he must seek out Cacambo who was nowhere to be found. Eventually he detects Cacambo and again they attempt another trip to Turkey because that is supposedly where Cungonde now stays on. Sure enough there long quest comes to an end when they meet in Turkey. Candide lost his love for Cungonde because she became ugly and excessive fat but he still wedded her because of her social status. They conclude buying a little farm that they must have a tendency to regularly. Candide journey was all for little or nothing.
In his journey he had the possibility to stay static in the perfect world of El Dorado where there was a lot of food an riches but instead he made a decision to pursue Cungonde. Cungonde was after the perfection in his life but by the finish she became imperfect. His quest has put him through many obstructions but in the finish he was happy with the plantation although he must improve food and his partner is not what he wanted. "for if you'd not been kicked out of an impressive castle for love of Neglect Cungonde: if you'd not been placed into the Inquisition: if you'd not walked over America: if you'd not stabbd the Baron: if you had not lost all of your sheep from the fine country of El Dorado: you'll not be here eating conserved citrons and pistachio-nuts. All of that is very well, responded Candide, but let us cultivate our garden. " (Voltaire, 30. 29-31). In the end, his quest was to find the perfect place where Candide was satisfied with his life and he eventually did this at the end of his long voyage for Cungonde.
In the previous piece of books, A REPORT in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, two journeys also happen; the trip of why the crime was devoted and the quest to find the criminal. One of the main characters is Sherlock Holmes who's an exclusive detective not affiliated with the regulators helps people find the reality about a particular situation that is known as unsolvable. Sherlock Holmes uses the truth of the problem as well as good sense to solve the problems he is presented with.
The first journey of why the crime was committed begins when John Ferrier and young Lucy are rescued by Brigham Young and the Mormons. The Mormons agreed to take them if indeed they converted to the Mormon religious beliefs which meant they had to check out the Mormons guidelines. John Ferrier and young Lucy was required to consent to this or they might perish in the desert. As time continued they settled with the Mormons and adopted their traditions with their religion but they were still Christian in mind.
According to Mormon law young Lucy who is John Ferrier's implemented daughter must marry a Mormon youngster but Lucy loved another boy called Jefferson Hope who is a hunter but is not Mormon. John Ferrier was required to make a choice or flee away from the Mormon pay out. By using Lucy's love Jefferson Hope they try to try to escape from the Mormons. They eventually get found and John Ferrier gets murdered, Lucy gets seized, and Jefferson Desire was not there to witness this so he gets spared. Therefore, Jefferson Desire, seeking revenge, realizes the names and whereabouts of the Mormons who killed John and Lucy. He realizes that Drebber and Stangerson will be the ones accountable for this so he goes on a journey hunting for them.
Jefferson Trust eventually discovers both of these and kills them. Jefferson Wish killed Drebber by poison and Stangerson by stabbing him to fatality. It became a coincidence that Sherlock Holmes was placed on this case to get the killer. Eventually with the cunningness of Sherlock Holmes, Jefferson Desire gets trapped for his incorrect doings and he confesses everything and just why he killed them.
These journeys of killing for revenge and finding the killer worked together perfectly because both show a quest of real truth. "I've done my work now, and I don't care and attention how soon I go, but I will prefer to leave some accounts of the business behind me. I don't desire to be remembered as a common cut-throat. " (Doyle, 77). We first begin with Sherlock Holmes doing his common analysis and we as the reader would like the killer to be caught. After we start to see the killer's trip unfold, we feel sympathetic towards killer because we know very well what he has been through. After we see his quest our company is lead back to the capturing of the killer and the reader is left to ponder if killing was the correct route to take.
To conclude, the inspiration for journeys between these four bits of literature change throughout the time periods. WITHIN THE Odyssey by Homer the motivation for the journey during Greek times was to achieve popularity and glory through their polis. That is proven by Odysseus overcoming obstacles throughout the epic. WITHIN THE Inferno by Dante the determination for his trip during the Medieval period was showing that there surely is one God that is very powerful and God should be feared because of symbolic retribution as well as adored because he makes the best decision after loss of life. In Candide by Voltaire the determination of the voyage in the Period of Enlightenment was to find the perfect place where you could be satisfied with life even if hard work and a long journey are participating. Lastly, in A REPORT in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle the determination of the voyage for age Empiricism is to find your own real truth but there are always effects in truth.