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An analysis of Odysseus' characters
The character traits of Odysseus
An analysis of Odysseus' characters
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Odysseus may be a brave and powerful man to the Greeks, but does his lying and cheating make him a modern day hero? Odysseus is the man who knows no fear when it comes to getting home to his wife and son back in Ithaca. Odysseus left his wife behind, before he left for his journey that ended up taking him ten years. His wife Penelope has been faithful, why hasn't he? A strong, intelligent, and charming man like himself, no one really notices the small details that do not make him a modern day hero. Everyone is blinded by what he can do, instead of the horrible things he has done to hurt others. Odysseus shouldn’t be classified as a modern day hero.
Odysseus is a king, so of course everyone will look up to him and inspire to be him. Although
he cheated on his wife, why do people still look up to him? He is not a hero. In Circe’s island, instead of helping his fellow crew members who turned into pigs, he stayed on her island and did some unmentionable things for about three years. Now, does that sound like a faithful king? On page 675 the reader can see his selfishness when the epic said, “After many seasons of feasting and other pleasures…” Of course a witch like Circe herself, could control him saying things such as “I am way prettier than your wife.” He finally came to his senses and realized he couldn’t stay here and he needed to get home. After everything that happened with Circe, she told him to visit the land of the dead and their he will find a way to get home. On page 677 Teiresias told Odysseus, “I see destruction for ship and crew. Though you survive alone, bereft of all companions, lost for years…” If Odysseus would have told his men that 6 of them were planning to die, they wouldn’t help him get back home. He was smart for thinking of that first instead of going straight out of the gate, although it wasn’t right. All of these actions prove the point that Odysseus is not a modern day hero. When Odysseus finally comes back home to Ithaca, he kills a bunch of men in order to prove the palace that it is indeed him. It was completely uncalled for. There could be another way to settle that argument instead of killing people, and in the movie he accidentally kills his wife.
Odysseus, during his long journey, exhibited many heroic qualities including bravery, strength, and determination. He was determined to return to his family after hs journey, and he bravely fought to stay alive during the cyclope situation, as well as other situations, and showed strength by being able to battle the cyclopes in self-defense. However, Odysseus was also obnoxiously arrogant about his victory and was actually very selfish throughout his entire story; he almost did not leave his town to help with the war because he did not want to leave to protect his family. Although Odysseus exemplified heroic qualities, this does not make him a true hero.
Odysseus has all the qualities made to be a true hero. Not only did Odysseus fight on behalf of the Greeks in Troy (Trojan War), but everything he went through he learned a valuable lesson at the end; Odysseus endured so much during his journey going back to Ithaca but he never gave up on any of his principles. He also had good escape strategies, and he risked his life to save others. Imagine you being on the same journey Odysseus went through, do you honestly believe you would have survived? He made some minor mistakes along the way but nobody’s perfect. That’s why Odysseus is a hero because, he’s strong, and intelligent and was able to get out of sticky situations.
Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness. Although he may be considered a war hero, Odysseus is not a hero in other respects. This is so because he is self-centered which is clear because he doesn't value other people's lives. He also is foolish risking the lives of his crew members for unnecessary reasons. He also outright disrespects the Gods at more than one point in the epic. As well, he lacks the loyalty of a true hero as shown by his affairs with other women even though his wife remained faithful. A hero is someone who does something for other people out of the goodness of his heart, Odysseus clearly is not this.
The definition of a hero is unique for every individual; however there are several regulations that majority of individuals can agree on. A hero must exhibit traits such as humility, kindness, and courage. Once the candidate expresses hubris, displays cruelty, or retreats from a formidable challenge, he cannot be considered a hero. Lastly, a hero candidate must overcome challenges that defy the odds. He must deliver a gift to society that benefits society as a whole; such gifts can be freedom, liberty, or hope. Odysseus in The Odyssey, by Homer, fulfilled these requirements and rightfully earned the title of a hero. Odysseus is well deserving of the title hero because he has put the needs of others before his own, shown signs of courage in the face of adversity, and displays humility by ridding himself of his hubris.
Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.
Odysseus was also an epic hero because he had human weaknesses. One of his weaknesses was that he was arrogant. Even after he defeated Polyphemos (the Cyclops) Odysseus stayed longer just so he could taunt him. He “…wanted to shout out again…although [his] comrades…tried to coax [him] not to do it'; (p.110). Odysseus, against his crew’s wishes, shouted, “…Cyclops! if ever a man asks you who put out your ugly eye, tell him your blinder was Odysseus!'; (p.110). Another human weakness of Odysseus was that he had a bad temper. When Eurylochos refused to go back to Circe’s mansion, Odysseus “…thought for a moment that [he] would draw [his] sword and cut off his head…';(p.121). If his men did not stop him, Odysseus probably would have killed Eurylochos and therefore lost a good man because of his short temper. Lust was another weakness of his. For Seven years Odysseus and Circe were lovers. Because he stayed with Circe, Odysseus prolonged his return home to Ithaca. Odysseus had many human weaknesses.
In conclusion, Odysseus deserves the title of a hero because he shows bravery, displays a change in character, and has the Gods supporting him throughout his journey home. Odysseus has the courage to overcome physical, emotional, and intellectual challenges. While Odysseus he is on the hero’s journey, he vastly improves his character. He changes from arrogant to humble, and learns leadership qualities, and most importantly, his place in the world. Odysseus has the revelation that the gods are above him, and are in control. Because he realizes the supremacy of the gods, his reward is assistance from the gods themselves. Odysseus is not a perfect man, and is flawed, just like every other human. However, heroes are not gods.
...s throne. Odysseus, even today, is considered a modern day hero; the adventures he experienced on his way to Ithaca were portrayed in unlike any other literature piece. However, like most heroes, Odysseus’ flaw was his hubristic attitude towards the gods, particularly in the beginning of Homer’s Odyssey. Some actions, especially against Poseidon, caused his trip to be delayed, but he eventually made it home, and will forever be with Penelope, like it was meant to be since the beginning, for the gods spared his life despite his acts of hubris.
As seen throughout The Odyssey, a hero is perceived as a person who achieves great success never before seen and whose legacy lives beyond their years. Since The Odyssey was written around the eighth century BCE, the people that we view as heros in present day tend to embody different traits than the heroes of that time. Even though the word, “hero” does not have one specific definition, a hero is generally categorized as someone who is idolized for their bravery and does anything necessary to defend their people. Although Odysseus embodies the Homeric ideals of heroism in that he accomplishes triumphs that others have not, his successes are the product of divine intervention and his actions were primarily selfish; therefore, he is not a true
When he was trapped on the island with Calypso he gave into temptation and slept with her. Being unfaithful to his wife who was at home and stayed faithful to him for over twenty years while he was gone, was a incredibly selfish move on his behalf and not a heroic act in the least. Odysseus was not only unfaithful to his wife, but expected she be faithful to him the twenty years her was gone. When he returned, part of the reason he waited to attack was to see if his wife had been faithful. He continued this behavior along his journey in many situations like when he blinded the cyclops and he was too full of himself to let the act go uncredited, so he told the cyclops his name and ended up being cursed for the rest of his journey. He not only told him his name, but even a little life synopsis, “Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes's son, whose home is on Ithaca” (Book 9). A hero would not be so arrogant and selfish just to get credit for something. After Helios follows Xenia and helps out Odysseus and his men, disobey his orders and eat all of his cattle. This not only was disloyal to Helios, but also Odysseus allowing his men to do this put them in danger because Helios called upon the gods and said, “O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever, punish Odysseus and his men” (Book 12). He did manage to squeeze some heroic acts into his journey like saving his family and friends from the suitors, but his wrongdoings still trumped his good deeds. He not only gave into those temptations, but he also was an incredibly narcissistic man. In The Alchemist, Santiago lost his sheep and money and still managed to get over it and continue on his journey without any misdeeds. However Odysseus, was too conceited to see past the urges and do the right
Picture this: a hero of great legends who travels to the underworld and back to get directions to his home from a blind prophet. It sounds like quite an impossible journey, but that is exactly what makes Odysseus all the more fascinating. The Odyssey, an epic poem orally transmitted by Homer, a Greek poet who wrote The Iliad, had to contain some variety of attributes that Greeks valued in a person. That one embodiment of what the Greeks found intriguing in a character is Odysseus. Odysseus is known as what is called an epic hero. An epic hero is a protagonist of a story that represents the most important attributes of a civilization. Odysseus, being based in ancient Greece, is the embodiment of intelligence, loyalty, and strength.
Would Odysseus become a hero in our modern day? yes, i believed that he would been.
The majority of those who read The Odyssey consider the protagonist of the story, Odysseus, a hero. On many occasions, however, Odysseus makes decisions beneficial to himself alone. For example, when Odysseus and his men find themselves on Polyphemus's island, Odysseus's actions are self-centered and at the expense of his men. This can be said for most of Odysseus's actions in the story, as his main objective is to reach his home. Having his men by his side when he returns seems a trivial thing to him. Odysseus could be considered a hero, but many of his actions say otherwise. Due to the many unfaithful and self-centered decisions he makes in the story, Odysseus is not a hero.
Odysseus is not a hero based on the standards of merciful, selfless, and gentle. His actions against Polyphemus, the Suitors, and his men truly show that he is in fact the opposite of a hero. The actions he takes to return home safely and to get back his throne are very cruel and show signs that he lacks the nobility of being called a hero, or a king, or a warrior. He has shown that he powerful, destructive, and ruthless and these are qualities that a hero must not have. Odysseus, the mighty King of Ithaca is not a hero because he is not selfless, gentle, or merciful.
The idea of a true hero is varied from person to person, because each viewpoint has a different idea of the personality that makes one a hero. There have been many fiction and non-fiction heroes that show different character traits, which influence people’s definitions of a hero. However, each person’s unique thought about a hero still focuses about one central idea: a hero must prove himself in order to earn his heroic status. This is the cornerstone of all the opinions about heroes because heroes have to show their heroism in order to become who they are in the end. At the beginning they are inexperienced, ordinary people who go on their adventures, and face their fears and weaknesses, but they develop greatly throughout these journeys. After comprehending what true heroism is and following it only then will they become heroes even though each of them has different traits. In the epic poem The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus gains the title of hero during his journey back to Ithaka, from Troy, by proving to be one. It is through his characteristics and experiences that he becomes the well developed man at the end of the book. In truth, because of his confidence, loyalty, and difficult struggles, Odysseus becomes a genuine hero to the people he defended.