Odysseus As An Effective Leader Essay

483 Words1 Page

Dr. Joseph Campbell penned an interesting book A Hero with a Thousand Faces. In that book, he explained how a hero goes through steps or stages in just about every story, myth, or religion known to man. After recently reading and discussing The Odyssey by Homer it is quite obvious that the protagonist Odysseus followed the stages of a hero outlined by Campbell. This essay will not dispute the issue of Odysseus being a hero, but it will turn critical eye on whether or not Odysseus is an effective leader. Unlike another character out of the battles of ancient Troy like Achilles. Odysseus is not a demigod, and he is not purely a soldier. He is a king and a family man along with being a military leader. This paper takes the stance that Odysseus should be considered an effective leader. Those who would disagree with this assertion point to the problem of Odysseus not telling …show more content…

He took charge when his crew would panic and also when he got home. When his crew would panic, he would start giving out orders to calm the crew down. Also, when he got home, he started ordering his son to do stuff that he needed done. He wanted his son to get all of the weapons out of the room so can kill the suitors without then being able to fight back. He also wanted all of the maids that they knew were not loyal killed and the room where he killed the suitors cleaned spotless. The final reason is that he was loyal to he crew. He ran to save them from Circe's spell. He also took the crew member addicted to the lotus back to the ship. Without a loyal leader, the crew would not want to do what Odysseus told them to do because they know he would not help them if they neede help. This is why people believe Odysseus should be considered an effective leader. The three reasons: he is a good fighter, he is authoritative, and he is loyal to his crew. Effective leader

Show More
Related

  • Odysseus: A Flawed Leader in Homer's Odyssey

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although some could possibly call Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer’s The Odyssey, a great leader, the fact that he fails to earn his men’s respect, endangers his men’s lives repeatedly and allows them to die due to his own selfishness states otherwise.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Pride Quotes

    828 Words  | 2 Pages

    The reason for this is because his pride gets the best of him. Another reason is he does not listen to the advice he is given. Some may think that he is admirable because he’s saved his men, but they are wrong because he has also puts his needs before theirs constantly and this results in situations that endanger the lives of his men. All these traits go against what a hero is and prevents him from being a good leader, or person in general. A hero does not have to be perfect, but Odysseus’ enormous flaws make him far from the hero he could

    Read More

  • Odysseus: From Hubris To A Selfless, Modest Hero

    1256 Words  | 3 Pages

    Opposed to that of common thought, superman is not the only type of character that fits the heroic persona. Although “superheroes” typically come to mind when one thinks of a hero, there are many other ordinary people capable of extraordinary things. A hero is a person who takes the initiative to set out on a journey of internal growth. During this symbolic journey, one truly finds himself and betters the lives of other mentally and physically. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Odysseus takes the path of heroism, resulting in the reborn spirit of a selfless, modest hero. During the process, Odysseus is faced with many challenges that he must overcome in order to earn the noble title. Odysseus proves himself to be a well-deserving hero because he is intelligent with his decisions, he displays cleverness, and he rids himself of hubris.

    Read More

  • herody Little Heroism in Homer's Odyssey

    1286 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Could I forget that kingly man, Odysseus?  There is no mortal half so wise; no mortal gave so much to the lords of the open sky." proclaims Zeus, the king of all gods in Homer's The Odyssey.  He, among countless others, harbors high regards for Odysseus, the mastermind of the Trojan War turned lost sailor.  However, the epic poem is sprinkled with the actions of gods and goddesses pushing Odysseus towards his path home to Ithaka, giving the mortal war hero little exposure to the limelight.  So when does all the high and mighty talk of Odysseus' power prove true?  Only in the absence of godly intervention can the title character live up to his name.  In Homer's The Odyssey, excessive reliance on the gods' assistance weakens the overall effect of Odysseus as the hero; while, as a break from the norm, Odysseus' single-handed defeat of the Kyklops Polyphêmos adds true suspense to the story as well as merit to Odysseus' character.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Odysseus Being A Bad Leader

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the whole book he is having his men go and do crazy things that make them risk, and some even lose, their lives. After Odysseus offends Poseidon by harming the cyclops he started taunting the cyclops. One of his men scream, “God Sake Captain! Why bait the beast again? Let him alone!” (493-494). This is showing that he was “baiting the beast” again and putting his men in even more danger after he just saved his life and all of theirs. Odysseus also puts his men in danger by not telling them about Scylla. He doesn’t tell his men that six of them are going to die. Odysseus says, “Voices came down on me in distinguish, calling my name for the last time,” ((820-821). This is showing that Odysseus just put his men in even more danger plus he isn’t fighting for his men. Odysseus was such a bad leader to his

    Read More

  • Similarities Between The Odyssey Beowulf And Hamlet

    1172 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus is strong, loyal and brave. Odysseus is referred as being strong and hard working. He is the friend you'd want to call for help to finish all the tasks you need to finish. Odysseus is strong and hard-working, but above it, he is the hardest working for anyone else. Odysseus has never ordered his men to do something he won't or can't do. He manages to constantly challenge himself more than his men. Odysseus is a born leader based on all of his qualities. He isn't ruling his men around him because he wants power. Odysseus was born to become a great leader and have control and powered. He is not a lazy slacker who is bossing his servants around; instead, he is next to the building and cutting on whatever task needs to occur to complete his ship. Eurylochos could have complained about overworking and not having time to relax, but Eurylochos recognizes Odysseus work ethic and respects him for

    Read More

  • The Heros - Odysseus, Jason and Aeneas

    1685 Words  | 4 Pages

    Odysseus is unique among epic heroes in that his strength comes not from inhuman powers or exceptional physical ability, but mainly from his mind.  Odysseus, regularly uses cunning, guile, and superiority of intellect to overcome obstacles.  In this paper I will compare Odysseus to other epic heroes, both in terms of character and in terms of responses to crises, comparing his reactions with those of other heroes placed in similar situations.

    Read More

  • Is Odysseus A Hero? in the Poem The Odyssey by Homer

    662 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are numerous heroes throughout “The Odyssey,” but none of them are as significant as Odysseus. “The Odyssey” is a narrative poem written by Homer (around 800 and 600 BCE) to show the numerous adventures and experiences Odysseus goes through. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus a prominent Greek epic hero is on a quest to return back to his home in Ithaca; to his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachus. Just like real life, not all heroes are picture-perfect; they all have imperfections. In this case, Odysseus is sometimes insolent, and discourteous; but he is still considered an epic hero because of the many heroic qualities he endures. Odysseus proves himself to be an outstanding hero in various ways such as showing loyalty, intelligence, bravery, strength, and courage which are all some of the most momentous qualities found in a hero. If a true hero can prove they are a true hero, makes them a true hero.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Bad Leader

    552 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus is a bad leader for the traits he upheld in the book which causes him twenty years to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan war. The three traits that makes Odysseus a bad leader are being dishonest, prideful, and careless. These traits causes his men to die, him suffering, and trouble. The trait of Odysseus being dishonest is a factor of why Odysseus is a bad leader. Odysseus is meeting with Tiresias (a blind prophet) to learn his future. In the future, Odysseus will be presented with two obstacles, going through Scylla (6 headed monster) or Charybdis (a giant whirlpool). Tiresias tells Odysseus to pick the path of Scylla, his exact words were “to have passed her without loss and grief; she takes from every ship, one man for every gullet.” Tiresias is telling Odysseus to choose the path of Scylla because that path will only result in

    Read More

  • Is Odysseus Justified Essay

    854 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Homer’s The Odyssey, the character of Odysseus is renowned as a noble epic hero. However, is Odysseus’ reputation truly justified by his intellect and cunning? Is he truly one “who for all craft am noted among men, and my renown reaches to heaven” (80)? Or is he, as a mortal man, also susceptible to the temptation of pride and boastfulness? Nevertheless, while Odysseus shows instances of rashness and naivety during his journey, such as lingering in the cyclops’ cave and revealing his name to Polyphemus, he evidently matures as a character and epic hero throughout the journey, such as when he disguises himself when he returns to Ithaca and when he devises a plan to defeat the suitors. While the argument may be over whether Odysseus is a true

    Read More

  • The Odyssey, Phaedra and Things Fall Appart: Similarities

    1749 Words  | 4 Pages

    The story of Odysseus describes the ventures of a brave warrior who has many hardships reaching...

    Read More

  • Odysseus In The Odyssey By Homer And Euripides Hecuba

    949 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus (Ulysses in Roman) was one of the great Pan-Hellenic heroes of Greek mythology. Famous for his courage, intelligence and leadership he was most recognized through his resourcefulness and oratory skills. Throughout classical literature and through many authors Odysseus’ characteristics have changed as much as the stories that surround him. The epic and tragedy I will focus on in particular is The Odyssey by Homer and Hecuba by Euripides. The defining characteristics of Odysseus ranges widely as is shown in Homer’s The Odyssey and Euripides’s Hecuba. The figure of Odysseus in homers The Odyssey is the antithesis of the Odysseus in Euripides Hecuba due to their historical contexts and respective audiences.

    Read More

  • Compare Aeneas And The Odyssey

    1405 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Odyssey, Homer, or more so, the characters, often referred to Odysseus as the ‘Great Odysseus’. In the text, it is obvious to see that Odysseus demonstrates arrogance, charisma, over-confidence, and pride. Odysseus and his m...

    Read More

  • Odysseus Leadership Research Paper

    532 Words  | 2 Pages

    One strong point of why Odysseus is not suitable for the leadership award is poor communication skills towards him men. There are multiple situations in the story where if he were to have communicated better with his men, they would have survived. For instance, in The Cyclops in book 9, instead of listening to his men or even taking their ideas into consideration, he instead chooses to do what he wants to do. "Why not take the cheeses, get them stowed, come back, / throw open all the pins, and make a run for it?... Ah, how sound that was! Yet I refused I wanted / to see the caveman, what he had to offer..." Is the clear statement provided in lines 126-131. At that moment if he would have just simply listened to the idea proposed by one of his men instead of following his own thoughts, it would have spared

    Read More

  • Odysseus Character Analysis

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Homer’s The Odyssey is a Greek story that follows the journey of its primary character, Odysseus, back to his home in Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus encounters many challenges in his journey home, from encounters with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the witch Circe and even the ghosts of dead Greeks. Meanwhile, his household in Ithaca is being threatened by suitors of his wife, Penelope, all wanting to inherit Odysseus’ possessions in the belief that he was already dead. Like many epic heroes, Odysseus possesses many admirable qualities. Three good characteristics of Odysseus are—cleverness, bravery and strength—here are some supporting instances from the epic that demonstrates Odysseus possession of such characteristics.

    Read More

More about Odysseus As An Effective Leader Essay

Open Document