Odysseus Bad Leader

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

six of his men died, instead of the whole shipwrecking and the result of death for everyone. Odysseus takes this advice, but lies to his men and doesn’t tell them the outcome, and six of his men die as Tiresias predicted.

Odysseus wouldn’t of taken ten years after the Trojan war to get home if it wasn’t for his prideful trait. Pride causes Odysseus suffering all throughout the book. For example, once Odysseus was on his way off the island of the Cyclops, the epic says “I would not heed them in my glorying spirit, but let my anger flare and yelled: “Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes son, whose home’s on Ithaca.” After Odysseus and his men escape Cyclopes island, Odysseus pride kicks in and he tells off the Cyclop that he blinded. Telling the Cyclop his real identity, and his business. The Cyclop prayed to his father Poseidon (sea god), which Poseidon is still upset and still hold a grudge towards Odysseus, because Odysseus did not thank the gods after he won the Trojan war, and because of his pride, he said he did it all on his own. This would only cause more trouble for Odysseus and his journey home to extend

longer. Odysseus and his men were in eyesight from Ithaca, but Odysseus being careless prevents them to return home. “There the wind king, Aeolus, does Odysseus a favor. He puts all the stormy winds in a bag so that they will not harm the hacon… During the voyage, when the curious and suspicious sailors open the bag, thinking it contains treasure, the evil winds roar up into hurricanes that blow the ship back to Aeolia.” Odysseus is careless because he falls asleep without telling his men what was inside the bag. Odysseus knew his men were curious and suspicious but didn't decide to inform his men what was inside the bag. Once the men open the bag, evil winds blew them back to Aeolia, prolonging their journey. Odysseus is a bad leader because of three traits that are being dishonest, prideful, careless. These traits causes his men to die, suffering, and most importantly the journey home to prolong itself. What good leader is dishonest, careless and prideful to the extent of bringing suffering to their self and their people.