# Death and Odysseus explained — Fifty-One Tales

> Chapter companion for Fifty-One Tales by Lord Dunsany.

## What happens

Death, mocked by Love in the Olympian courts, resolves to frighten Odysseus. He travels to Ithaca and finds the old hero warming his hands by the fire. Despite Death's attempts to intimidate him, Odysseus remains unperturbed, addressing Death as an old servant and recalling their shared history at Troy. Ultimately, Odysseus leans on Death's shoulder and they depart together.

## Themes in this chapter

### Death and the Human Condition

Death is personified and attempts to frighten Odysseus, but the hero's calm acceptance and familiarity with Death highlight the human condition's confrontation with mortality.

### The Futility of Human Ambition

Death's ambition to frighten Odysseus is thwarted; Odysseus's indifference underscores the futility of even Death's designs against a seasoned mortal.

## Character check-ins

### Death

Death is laughed at by Love and broods over his humiliation. He resolves to frighten Odysseus but fails, and is instead treated as a familiar companion.

### Odysseus

Odysseus is found in Ithaca warming his hands by the fire. He shows no fear of Death, addressing him as 'old servant' and recalling their shared history at Troy.

## Key lines

> And Death with some solemnity said to Her: 'I am going to frighten Odysseus'; and drawing about him his grey traveller’s cloak went out through the windy door with his jowl turned earthwards.

Death solemnly announces his plan to frighten Odysseus, then wraps himself in a grey cloak and leaves the Olympian court, heading toward earth.

_Death's declaration sets the plot in motion, showing his determination to prove himself._

> And after a while Odysseus turned and spoke. And 'Well, old servant,' he said, 'have your masters been kind to you since I made you work for me round Ilion?'

Odysseus calmly addresses Death as an old servant, asking if his masters have treated him well since their time together at Troy.

_Odysseus's casual familiarity with Death subverts the expected fear, emphasizing his heroic stature._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fifty_one_tales_se/chapters/death-and-odysseus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fifty_one_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/fifty_one_tales_se/chapters