political campaign underscores the internal struggles that challenge a newly independent nation experimenting with democracy. Clearly, achieving self-determination does not automatically guarantee cultural independence. Tourism stands as one of the most damaging legacies of neo-colonialism. The allure of tropical paradises draws so many tourists that local economies become vulnerable to foreign interests. As Walcott's persona observes the changes brought to St. Lucia by modernizing entrepreneurs, he begins to question his own connection to the island. Toward the poem's conclusion, the influx of tourists and corporate influences drives Achille and Philoctete to seek an untouched island where they might start anew. Ultimately, they realize they must return and uphold their integrity within a society that continues to face challenges.

A prominent theme that surfaces early and becomes essential in the final two books of Omeros is Walcott's introspective outlook. He titles his poem after Homer, the wandering poet who established the epic tradition, and incorporates elements of that genre to fulfill readers' expectations. Walcott's aim is to pay tribute to a region historically considered unimportant. To do this, he must redefine traditional ideas of heroism and offer a new perspective. He introduces flexibility by claiming that every "I" is a fiction, enabling him to project parts of his own identity onto different characters. This transparency disrupts the narrative's artifice, clarifying his intentions for the reader. Initially, Walcott and Major Plunkett come together in affirming their West Indian Helen's link to Greek and Trojan mythology. However, they come to realize that by transforming Helen into a product of their imaginations, they do an injustice to the real woman, who deserves to be her authentic self. Like all previous imperial conquerors, they exploit a resource for their own gain. Gradually, Omeros dismantles its artistic structure to emphasize the reality that inspired it. After being confronted by monuments to European conquerors in the fifth book, Walcott expresses a preference not for the statues, "but for the bird in the statue's hair." In the following book, Walcott acknowledges his guilt as an artist for wanting to eternalize the simple world of the poor in his art. He concludes that "Art is History's nostalgia," sacrificing the real for his idealized vision. He then questions his own motives for writing about Achille, who would have no interest in reading his own story. His metaphorical response is twofold. First, the illiterate sea, which never reads human epics, is still its own "epic where every line was erased /yet freshly written in sheets of exploding surf." Second, Achille's heritage, like living coral growing upon itself, is "a quiet culture / branching from the white ribs of each ancestor." Ultimately, he communicates through Major Plunkett the choice to let Helen be herself, the true essence upon which the sun naturally shines, for "she was not a cause or a cloud, only a name / for a local wonder."

In Omeros, the form complements the function as the dynamics of hegemonic power, deprivation, colonial disregard, and paternalistic literary influences are examined by an artist from the third world. This artist chronicles his people's quest to establish their identity, self-worth, and independence, all while critically assessing his own artistic practices.

The main themes in Omeros are identity and self-discovery. The West Indies include people from diverse origins, such as Africa, East India, Europe, the Americas, and Asia, creating a mix that defies a singular Caribbean identity.

In Omeros, Walcott explores the struggles of characters trying to understand and reconcile their African, European, and indigenous heritages in a postcolonial world.

Walcott shares his perspective on identity by comparing people to trees. Just like trees get their traits from the soil they grow in, people get their identity and culture from their homeland.

Men take their colours
as the trees do from the native soil of their birth,
and once they are moved elsewhere, entire cultures
lose the art of mimicry, and then, where the trees were,
the fir, the palm, the olive, the cedar, a desert place
widens in the heart.

This suggests that a person's identity is deeply rooted in their place of origin. When people are displaced or taken away from that place, they lose a big part of who they are, which leaves them feeling empty inside.

Achille, for instance, loses his original African name, Afolabe, symbolizing his loss of identity. However, he later rediscovers his true origins and identity, which makes him wiser, more aware, and gives him a sense of purpose and meaning. After a powerful experience with his father, he embraces himself and finally finds a meaningful and personal home.

The poem also highlights how names and language shape identity. For example, when Achille's name changes from Afolabe to Achille, it shows how European colonialism affects identity.

Walcott uses languages like Creole, English, and even some ancient Greek in the poem, showcasing how diverse Caribbean languages are and adding layers to Caribbean identity.

In Omeros, Walcott deeply explores how slavery and colonialism shape the Caribbean landscape and its people. He shows how these oppressive systems have affected Caribbean society historically and psychologically.

Walcott uses Philoctete and his wound to symbolize slavery. His wound represents the cruelty suffered by enslaved Africans and the psychological burden of slavery, not just physical harm.

He believed the swelling came from the chained ankles
of his grandfathers.
...That the cross he carried was not only the anchor’s
but that of his race, for a village black and poor
as the pigs that rooted in its burning garbage,
then were hooked on the anchors of the abattoir.

Philoctete feels a deep connection to his ancestors' pain, symbolized by the metaphorical cross he carries, which represents the collective suffering of his race. The mention of a "village black and poor" and "pigs that rooted in its burning garbage" further emphasizes the poverty and degradation experienced by enslaved people and their descendants.

The imagery of being "hooked on the anchors of the abattoir" suggests a sense of helplessness and powerlessness, as if Philoctete's fate, like that of the pigs led to slaughter, is determined by forces beyond his control. 

In the Caribbean, slavery and colonialism go hand in hand. European powers used enslaved labor to build their colonies, and Major Plunkett, representing British rule, embodies this mindset.

Major Plunkett reflects on his feelings towards Helen, who symbolizes the Caribbean itself. He feels a sense of obligation or duty towards her apparent hopelessness, seeing it as something he must address or fix. He wants to control and "save" Helen, showcasing how colonial rulers thought they were helping the Caribbean people while actually exploiting them.

It was at that moment that he felt a duty
towards her hopelessness, something to redress
(he punned relentlessly) that desolate beauty
so like her island’s.

He describes Helen's beauty as desolate, mirroring the perceived state of the Caribbean islands under colonial rule—rich in natural beauty but impoverished by colonial powers.

Essentially, the poem shows how, despite centuries of oppression, Caribbean people fight to reclaim their identities, dignity, and freedom in a world shaped by slavery and colonialism.