Odysseus Strategies In The Odyssey

In the epic, The Odyssey, the scenes that include fighting and or strategy is where readers learn the most about the main protagonist, Odysseus. The strategy used within gruesome fights and battles plays a central and key role throughout the epc. These scenes then suggest the idea that brains are superior to brawn. This then plays an essential role in the understanding of Odysseus’ strategies. In all of the battles Odysseus partakes in, he overcomes any odds by using his tactic and knowledge to show his intellectual ability and dominance over his rival. These fights and struggles range from overcoming the beautiful siren song, to recovering a kingdom and restoring a marriage. Scenes containing the strategy of Odysseus are shown throughout

Odysseus and his son Telemachus fight against the ruthless suitors trying to pursue his wife Penelope. Almost immediately when Odysseus arrives in Ithaca, Athena transforms him into looking like an old beggar. “She shriveled the supple skin on his lithe limbs,/ stripped the russet curls from his head, covered his body/ top to toe with the wrinkled hide of an old man, and dimmed the fire in his eyes, so shining once.” (300) Athena does this in order to help Odysseus stay in disguise and therefore make him unrecognisable to the suitors he plots to attack. Once Odysseus has told his son, Telemachus, about the plan he has, they both begin to plot how to approach the idea. This carefully and precise planning also shows the great depth to which Odysseus approaches all of his stealthy attacks. Odysseus then tell Telemachus to remove the suitor’s weapons, then hide weapons Odysseus can use to fight against the suitors within the palace. The fight begins after a shocking reveal of the old beggar, rather Odysseus being able to successfully string a bow and shoot an arrow straight through the twelve axe heads. Odysseus uses the tactic of “don’t judge a book by its cover” for the last fight and unshockingly he comes out