The heroic challenge of retirement

To explore the theme of retirement in the epic tale of Odysseus and the implications it can have for contemporary retirees in the light of recent empirical research.

Homer's Odyssey (ca. 8th cent. B.C.E.) and Tennyson's poem "Ulysses" (1833) were closely read and compared to disclose the impact retirement had on a literary character who had for most of his life thrived on action.

While Homer avoided directly describing the quality of Odysseus' life once he had returned home from war, Tennyson focused on it, arguing that a life devoid of adventure would have been intolerable for such a personality.

Seeking out new adventures and experiences, despite one's age, may serve to mitigate one of the most common negative components of retirement today, boredom, and thereby lengthen and enhance the quality of retirees' lives.