Odysseus Flaws

Odysseus is supposed to be the epitome of a pure hero yet the flaws he possess’s are greater than the virtues of which make him a pure hero. Desmond Doss is valiant war hero who possess’s a modicum of flaws. They are both hero’s in there own right. These hero’s were not the kind of man to leave a brother in battle behind. In other words Every hero has flaws because that’s what makes them human. In the end it does not matter if they are a villain or hero they are human in nature.

Odysseus is the archetype of a pure hero in the mono myth the odyssey. He is the king of Ithaca with Penelope at his side. He left his wife and son for forty years due to leaving to fight in the Trojan War. He was a great warrior and general yet not the best father.

He was not one to back down from a fight or hesitate to protect is kingdom. The Greek gods used him as pawn for there own bidding.
Odysseus has been tested numerous times throughout the epic poem. He has passed more often than he fails. He passes the test of “The Lotus Eaters” in a few momentous ways that resemble the traits of a pure hero. During this test some of his crew has scouted the island only to find the lotus eaters. His men are tricked into eating lotus flowers which have shattered there focus of returning to Ithaca. It eradicated all need to leave the island. Odysseus resisted the temptation from the being and he had no fear when going back for his men even though he to could have become trapped on the island. This shows a considerable amount of sacrifice from him. He risks everything that helps him fight to get home for his men. Two other tests that were important are the test of “Scylla and Charybdis.” In these tests he is in an lose lose situation. No matter what happens he loses in some way. No matter what he watch’s a part of his crew die. He was blessed through a deal with Tiresias that keeps him alive no matter what so he can safely return home to Ithaca. In one way he loses six men or all his crew. This was an extremely hard choice.
Odysseus was a great man while he did pass the majority of the tests he did fail a few. The way in which he fails the test is significant to his character. The test of “The Cicones” was one of the test he has failed. He fails this test in a few significant ways. For example he fails by letting his pride blind his focus in getting home to Ithaca. The test was in not causing unneeded fighting in killing and robbing the cicones who were Odysseus enemies in the Trojan war. It was extremely unnecessary focus of there time. It only delayed them even further due to a storm that pushed back their journey by two days time. It was futile since Trojan War was but some forty years prior to this and Odysseus had already defeated the cicones. It was per say a bit of an overkill. The second test in which he fails in momentous ways is in the test of laying with calypso Who was a divine goddess. He could not resist the temptation of laying with her. As it has shown he has a wife and son back home in Ithaca. At “Calypsos Island” he is stuck for as he what knows could be forever. The gods were angry and were not likely to let go of such grudges as it is seen through other curses placed upon other mortals in that time. It was difficult choice for Odysseus. To choose between his wife Penelope, his son Telemachus and the goddess Calypso. Shall he lay with Calypso in hopes of a miracle making it possible to return home one day. He chose to lay with her even though he knew he most likely would never reach home. He didn’t do it out of need but for his own pleasure. It may have helped him survive but for what. He survived so he could stay there.
Odysseus had vices and virtues which were shown through the tests.

It was head turning to see the number of virtues and vices were almost equal. His virtues were shown through his intelligence, bravery, self-control, loyalty, and determination. His vices on the other hand are shown through his failures. He lets his pride, arrogance, ego, unfocused ways, narcissistic, and conformational. The virtues he had did not outweigh such distinguishable vices. His pride was a common subject that got in the way of his travels back to Ithaca. He let his pride control him like most human beings yet he was supposed to be godlike pure hero who does not posses flaws. The vices are controlling his every move. His pride over takes his intelligence and self-control. This causes his

failures.
Odysseus reputation should show a remarkable godlike hero not an above average human being who possess a numerous amount of flaws.

He is more of what could be called a mortal hero rather than a pure hero. Odysseus was a brave and intelligent man who just wanted to return home and get just wanted to get his crew back to there families. He was a worthy adversary to many in the Trojan War. He was not the best father as he was not there for Telemachus and took him for granted when he got back to Ithaca. He let his jealousy control him when killing Penelope’s suitors. He was not wise in how he did it. He killed the suitors without a second thought. They did not believe he was Odysseus but instead charge at him in anger. The suitors were angry at the fact they would not be king or have Penelope to themselves. This situation would go bad either way. Odysseus is a great man but not a pure hero.

Desmond Doss was known to most as a conscientious cooperator. He was called this for refusing to take up a gun in battle. He did this due to his beliefs as Seventh Day Adventists. In this time it was not something most people did for there faith. He was a firm believer in his faith and followed it word for word. He is a man of sacrifice whether it be for his faith or fellow man. He almost never did anything for himself. He was selfless in the majority of his actions. The call to action in his own journey begins in volunteering to join the

military.
Desmond Doss faced many tests in his very own real life mono-myth. Most of his tests had to do with an internal struggle between his faith and picking up a gun to help in World War II. This is a difficult decision for any man especially for one who has such a sanctity for human life.