Examples Of Courage In The Odyssey

Being courageous can be difficult because we as people often do not like putting ourselves into a situation that may be difficult or uncomfortable for us. But, as people we are put into many different situations in which we must have courage. When most people think of courage they relate this to standing up in front of a crowd, making decisions that may be the “unpopular” thing to do, or standing up to someone or for something we believe in. When people think of courage they often think of having a powerful feeling that makes you want to do something out of the ordinary, or out of your comfort zone that could cause “pain or difficulty” (“Courage”). A person that comes to mind when I think of showing courage is Odysseus, from The Odyssey. Odysseus

shows courage when he goes on his many journeys, loses many men, and still overcomes each. Courage makes us set goals, and helps us try our hardest to succeed.
Although many situations have courageous characteristics about them, this does not mean the term does not get confused within our society.

Bravery, for example, is not courage in itself. Bravery is something you do when you feel inspired, or when you have confidence. We often mix these things up, and think that bravery in itself is what courage is. But, this is not true. When you are brave, you must have the courage to be brave. Bravery is something that leads up to being courageous. For instance, when you stand in front of a crowd to give a speech, many people think “Wow, she is so brave.” But, truly she is being courageous, by putting herself into an uncomfortable situation, that could be difficult for her to do. Small things or feelings, such as bravery lead up to bigger ideas or things such as

courage.
When you think of courage, you don’t automatically think of someone famous. Simply because, being courageous is commonly mistaken with being brave and many other terms. Everyone has different people in their lives that show many different characteristics about them because of the things they do, say, and believe in. My mom, for example, shows me what courage is. This may seem like a cliche, but, when you make special bonds, those people tend to be the ones you see these type of characteristics shining through the most. Although, those bonds can be formed with family, they can also be formed with people who started off as complete strangers.
So, each day when my mom woke up early to make my sister and I breakfast, after she worked continuously all night; she showed courage. When she would protect us from danger, even when that meant keeping us away from other family members; she showed courage. These are each courageous acts because although she did not want to get up in the mornings because she was exhausted, she still did. And even though she did not want to separate my sister and I from our loved ones, she still did because that is what protected us. Courage can be shown in small acts, and in large ones. No matter how many people an act of courage affect, they are each monumental to a person's individuality, and character.
Throughout time there have been thousands of people who have impacted the world, making history.

Martin Luther King, Jr., a social activist stands out the most to me when I think of courage. His famous speech “I Have a Dream” spoken in front of the Lincoln Memorial has been thought of as the most important speech in the twentieth century. Although most of his speech was prepared in advance, King left his notes and spoke impromptu (“I Have a Dream”). But, King is not only known for this famous speech, he also led a March the same month. “King organized and led the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the massive civil rights rally for which he is perhaps best remembered.” The march and speech worked as one and had an immediate impact to the Civil Rights Movements and paving the way to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Martin Luther King Jr.” Gale Student

Resources).
After the march and speech many states began naming roads and schools after him, along with authorized public statues. (“Martin Luther King, Jr.” Britannia School). Kings march and speech each showed extraordinary acts of courage. And each put King into a situation of discomfort, and imminent danger because of people who did not agree with him. Having courage means you take a chance, even when the situation is uncomfortable, or controversial. And although each situation brought along numerous risks and negatives, King went against all odds and took a chance to do what he believed in.
While courage can be shown in large acts, that affect hundreds of thousands of people, like Martin Luther King, Jr. They can also be shown in small acts, that only affect a few people. King showed courage in many situations, such as giving large speeches and leading large marches. When he did each of these things it showed that King had courage, because he knew not everyone would agree and understand what he was saying. And although he knew this, and that this was the one thing that put him in the most danger. He went along, and stood up for what he believed in, no matter how controversial or uncomfortable this job could be. Courage can help people grow, and many times develop who they are as individuals.