Scholars estimate that the Odyssey was written about 675-725 BCE. The poem was written with the intention of being spoken aloud. It consists of 24 lines, which include an opening and a closing formula: "Oh, how many things there are to learn! / Oh, what knowledge would be mine if I could only learn it!" The speaker in the Odyssey is a Greek aristocrat named Odysseus who has been driven off course while sailing home from Troy. His journey will take him through many strange lands and dangerous situations, but he sticks to his plan and manages to return to Ithaca alive. The poem shows us that even though we may encounter difficulties during our lives, we can always find ways to get through them. In conclusion, the Odyssey is a great poem that shows that even though we may encounter difficulties during our lives, we can always find ways to get through them.