Character Traits Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

271 Words1 Page

In the Odyssey, Odysseus’ cleverness, a useful trait, leads to Odysseus’ displaying arrogance, making his strength transform into a weakness when used to the extreme. For example, when Odysseus and his men find themselves stranded on the island with the Cyclops, Odysseus cleverly escapes by tricking the Cyclops to believe his name was Nobody. As a result, when Odysseus and his men attack the Cyclops, the Cyclops attempts to yell to his fellow Cyclopes that Nobody is attacking him. Odysseus’ clever antics allow him and his men to escape the ferocious Cyclops, proving Odysseus’s wittiness an invaluable trait. Odysseus’ cleverness manages to allow many of his men to escape from a seemingly inescapable place. With the odds stacked against Odysseus

Show More
Related

  • Role Models in The Odyssy

    695 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of Odysseus’ traits is bravery. One example of Odysseus’ bravery is when he injures a Cyclops that is 5 times his size, “I drew it from the coals and my four fellows/ gave me a hand, lugging it near the Cyclops/ as more than natural force nerved them, straight forward they sprinted, lifted it, and rammed it/ deep in his crater eye. 329-332” This quote shows how brave Odysseus and his men are to face the Cyclops. Odysseus was intelligent to think about this idea, but he was brave for actually following through and doing it. Odysseus was also brave for fighting Penelope’s suitors even when he was outnumbered, “Now shrugging off his rags the wiliest fighter of the islands/ leapt and stood on the broad doorsill, his own bow in his hand/ he poured out at his feet a rain of arrows from the quiver/ and spoke to the c...

    Read More

  • The Unheroic Traits of Odysseus in Homer's The Odyssey

    735 Words  | 2 Pages

    A true hero will go through immeasurable lengths to benefit not him or herself, but the people around them. Heroes are neither selfish nor uncaring. They seek every opportunity they get to help those in need. One must have also gone through the entire hero’s journey to be deemed a hero. He must start off naïve and inept and through his challenges, transform into someone worth calling a hero. Most importantly, a hero is not perfect. He must listen to other’s ideas and utilize them. However, in The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus disrespects his crew men and the gods’ advice, lets hubris interfere with his men’s lives, and is unfaithful to his wife Penelope.

    Read More

  • What Is Odysseus Made Of?

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    Another instance that proves that Odysseus is a cunning person is when he is trapped in the Cyclops' cave. The Cyclops asks him his name and Odysseus tells him that his mane is "Nobody". This is a key part in his plan to escape, because he plans to kill the Cyclops but he knows that the Cyclops has friends nearby. Lines 454 through 455 shows why: "'Nobody, friends' --Polyphemus bellowed back from his cave-'Nobody's killing me now by fraud and not by force!'" So Odysseus escaped by blinding the Cyclops thus enabling he and his men to flee from the cave.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Foolishness

    892 Words  | 2 Pages

    When people think of Odysseus, they think of a great, cunning, warrior. Who wouldn’t see him that way, he fought his way through Troy and embarked on a journey back home to see his son and wife again. On the surface Odysseus seems like a genius but in Homer’s, The Odyssey, Odysseus shows many instances where he outwits his foes but his foolishness heavily outweighs his smarts; he becomes boastful after a victory which leads to more hardships, he leaves precious cargo in the open for his brutish crew to mess with, and refuses help from the gods which nearly leads to his demise.

    Read More

  • Mind Over Matter: An Epic Struggle

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the struggle of mind over matter, an individual needs to have courage to use the knowledge that he or she possess. By using the knowledge available to us, we as individuals have the ability to overcome opposing forces in our lives which seem to keep us from progressing (mentally and emotionally), and which can seem larger than life. In Homer's epic The Odyssey, The use of cunning to disguise and deceive and to ultimately overcome the godlike opposition that manifests itself many times throughout the book, and makes Odysseus' return home possible. Without the ability to deceive, Odysseus' brute strength alone would have exhibited a futile display of power in the presence of the gods of Ancient Greece. Much like the lives of individuals, if we do not use our cunning and wit in a most effective manner, and rely on strength instead knowledge, we are destined for a life of failure and/or mediocracy . If Odysseus hadn't had the courage and cunning to return home his destiny would have consisted of spending the rest of his life on an island with Calypso, miserable.

    Read More

  • The Character Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Character Odysseus in Odyssey "Odyssey" is an epic story that has been a significant piece of literature since it was first composed and will remain so for ages to come. One of the reasons it has been so is because of the hero, Odysseus. Odysseus was one of the first Greek mythic heroes renowned for his brain as well as his muscles. Indeed he is a man with an inquiring mind, and he is also a man with outstanding prowess and bravery" (123helpme.com/assets/3603.html). "We also must not forget that he is a top-notch athlete which only adds more to this seemingly insuperable character.

    Read More

  • Challenges Faced In Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

    979 Words  | 2 Pages

    While monster and Cyclops’ may not affect soldiers as they’re returning home and their at home life like they did Odysseus’, but there are still several other things that will affect their homecoming and daily life. The challenges and difficulties Odysseus faced relate to the challenges and difficulties soldiers of today face. For example Odysseus was gone for many years and missed major parts of his family’s life.Another example is, Odysseus entered Polyphemus’ home looking for help and shelter, but instead Polyphemus ate his men and was going to eat him. Another example if this is, soldiers may not have everything they had when they went to war because of financial issues or divorce. The last example of this is, soldiers have to deal with the anxiety of returning to society and re-adjusting to their normal lives.

    Read More

  • Odysseus

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the major themes of Homer’s Odyssey is the importance of cunning over strength. This also happens to be the case with Odysseus and his long ten year journey home from fighting in Troy. Odysseus uses his intelligence over strength to ‘fight’ through tough times and bring himself home to Ithaca. Odysseus uses his intelligence when he has his men tie him down while passing the Sirens, so he himself will be able to hear their beautiful song, but not be entranced by their singing. He also uses cunning to escape from the Cyclops’ cave without being harmed. He then uses his cunning by storing away all of the armory, shields, and knives from the suitors so he is able to kill them easily.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis of Odyssues in Homer´s Odyssey

    566 Words  | 2 Pages

    "I am Laertes' son Odysseus, men hold me formidable for guile in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky's rim." (1047) Odysseus is an epic hero in The Odyssey and exhibits three character traits that assuredly stand out to readers. Those traits are intelligence, compassion, and determination.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Hero Quotes

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    To begin with, Odysseus is an intelligent and clever man. He is a hero because he has the capacity to understand the situations and think through the struggles they are going to face. Odysseus is put against all the odds possible, and at times it seems like the gods are against him. Odysseus tricks the Cyclops, Polyphemus, in a very strategic way and handled the situation effectively. “My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, / everyone calls me Nohbdy (Homer 498). Odysseus’ cleverness is brought out because he conceived an idea that would be adequate enough to trick a Cyclops. Later when Polyphemus is stabbed, he screams, “Nohbdy, Nohbdy’s tricked

    Read More

  • The Tragic Hero Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

    1386 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rather than applying physical strength, Odysseus uses his intellectual prowess to his advantage in order to overcome several obstacles he is faced with throughout his journey back home to Ithaca. Odysseus is often times looked at as an admirable hero since he uses his brain power and cleverness rather than vigor to overcome several complications he confronts which clearly portrays the traits he has that proves that he truly is a heroic character. In book 9 when Odysseus stabs Polyphemus, the vicious man eating cyclops, in the eye rather than killing him all together by applying his mighty brawn, it demonstrates one of the many situations where Odysseus’ cleverness benefits him hugely. Also, in book 12, Odysseus’ intellectual strategy of safely

    Read More

  • Summary Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey '

    557 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus and his men initially achieve the place that is known for the Kikonians, where everybody is executed, ladies are detained and the sky is the limit from there. Odysseus endeavors to recover his men to go to ocean so they can be headed as of now yet the men are starving, so resistant. Numerous Ithacans are executed all the while, the individuals who survive are casualties of a divine being sent tempest and must hold up before having the capacity to cruise once more. At that point days after the fact, they land to the island of the Lotus Eaters. Three of Odysseus' men eat the lotus bloom and lose their memory of home and family, and need to remain on this island until the end of time. Odysseus inevitably gathers together his men, including the three lotus eating men, and clears out.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Character Analysis

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first heroic characteristic of Odysseus is his cleverness. In The Odyssey, one of the instances where Odysseus displays cleverness is in his encounter with the Cyclops, Polyphemus. Polyphemus captures Odysseus and his men in the island Cyclopes, which was filled with other giants. Although it is expected among the Greeks to display hospitality to strangers, Polyphemus ends up eating some of Odysseus men. In order to escape the giant, Odysseus comes up with a clever plan. He offers Polyphemus wine in order to get the giant drunk. When the giant falls asleep, Odysseus stabs Polyphemus’ singular eye, blinding the giant. The giant naturally wakes up, and starts to try and recapture Odysseus and his men. Knowing that the giant’s shouting would most likely attract the attention of the other giants in the island, Odysseus replies to Polyphemus when the giant asks him his name that his name was “Noman.” But when Polyphemus shouts for help, none of the other giants come to his aid, since he is shouting “My friends, N...

    Read More

  • Odysseus: The Characters Of A Hero In The Odyssey

    1490 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Amongst the qualities a hero should have, I would include determination, loyalty, courage, perseverance, patience, focus, intrepidity and selflessness,” once said by Ricky Martin. The image of a hero was developed throughout the course of history. As the years went on, distinctive traits were added and changed to the overall image. However, the first portrayal of a hero was originally portrayed by Ancient Greece which is known for their discoveries about the world and their beliefs. Inclusively, the term hero fits into the category of beliefs; throughout the Odyssey written by Homer, Odysseus faces a series of events in which his actions and reactions to them portray who he is. In other words, the first portrayal that comes to one's mind when they reflect on these actions of the great Odysseus is the word “hero”. The reason to this is because of the various traits exhibited by Odysseus such as bravery, selflessness or caring, and intelligent or cunning. Inclusively, the traits Odysseus exposes throughout the book fit the description of a hero both in Ancient Greece and in our current days; this reveals the changes of the archaic and present culture.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Tragic Hero In Homer's Odyssey

    721 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Sophocles’ tragic Philoctetes the Greek soldier Philoctetes was left behind by his fellow warriors on their to Troy to finally end the war after many long years of fighting. Philoctetes was left behind due to his injury, a venomous snake bite that has brought waves of pain upon him as well. Unfortunately the snake bite had made him more of a detriment than an asset, and as a result his fellow Greeks especially Odysseus decided to leave him behind on the desert Island of Lemnos. However after sometime fighting in Troy it is found that the war will not be won without Philoctetes and his bow, the former bow of Heracles. The play opens with Odysseus returning to the island of Lemnos along with Neoptolemus, the son of the famous warrior Achilles.

    Read More

More about Character Traits Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

Open Document