Student Question
What is the life lesson learned from The Land of the Dead in The Odyssey?
Quick answer:
The life lesson from "The Land of the Dead" in The Odyssey is that life is precious, and living, no matter how humble, is preferable to being revered in death. This lesson is conveyed through Achilles' conversation with Odysseus, where Achilles expresses that he would rather be a living servant than a celebrated hero among the dead, highlighting the value of life over glory in death.
When Odysseus has an opportunity to speak with Achilles in the underworld, Achilles questions him about why he would dare to come to the land of the dead because it is not a place for the living. Odysseus tells Achilles not to worry too much about being dead because, Odysseus assures him, he is as revered and respected as any of the immortal gods as a result of his deeds during his life. Achilles, however, sets him straight, saying that it would be far better to live a lowly and insignificant life than to be the most revered of the dead. In so saying, Achilles conveys the idea that life is precious and any life, even an inconsequential one, is better than being dead.
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