Jordan Crespo Odysseus in The Odyssey When people think of Odysseus, they think of a great, cunning, warrior. Who wouldn’t see him that way, he fought his way through Troy and embarked on a journey back home to see his son and wife again. On the surface Odysseus seems like a genius but in Homer’s, The Odyssey, Odysseus shows many instances where he outwits his foes but his foolishness heavily outweighs his smarts; he becomes boastful after a victory which leads to more hardships, he leaves precious cargo in the open for his brutish crew to mess with, and refuses help from the gods which nearly leads to his demise. Odysseus’ ego results …show more content…
(10.48-55) Odysseus was within arms reach of home but because of how naive he was he was forced to keep going on his journey. After all of Aeolus’ hospitality and such a powerful gift Odysseus is still mindless at what this meant and because of him not being cautious, he could not complete his adventure. It’s surprising knowing that after being on a powerful god’s bad side and being forced back to sea, that Odysseus can be even more of a fool. After the incident with the bag of winds it is reasonable for Odysseus to have trust issues, but when it is a matter of life and death, Odysseus is witless. After being punished by Zeus because some of his crew ate Helios’ cattle Odysseus drifts in the ocean until he lands on Calypso’s island. 7 years pass and Odysseus can finally leave after he crafts a ship, after he leaves and sails for a bit, Poseidon sees it as a time to get revenge for his son Polyphemus. Poseidon completely wrecks Odysseus’ ship when he is close to the land of the Phaeacians. A goddess named Ino sees this and offers Odysseus help. ‘Ah poor man, why is the god of earthquakes so dead set against you? Strewing your way with such a crop of
Every day people make decisions. Some are more important than others, but all decisions have consequences, no matter how small. The decisions that you make, and the decisions others make could affect your life. They may have positive effects, but they may also have negatives effects like in The Odyssey by Homer. In general, Odysseus and his men made some decisions that lead to some very negative effects.
Although many of Odysseus’s characteristics are those that many people strive for, his overconfidence is one flaw in him that many people should learn from. In almost every story in the Odyssey, the reader gets yet another example of Odysseus’s pride. Whether it is insulting a God, making fun of a dangerous monster, or asking other men to write poems about him while he is in disguise, the reader realizes that Odysseus is, in fact, an overconfident madman, and it is this overconfident madness that hurts Odysseus in the future, and is what causes him much pain and a very treacherous journey home.
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
The Odyssey is a tale that has changed literature and storytelling. In this tale Odysseus is a Soldier from the battle of Troy trying to get home to his island of Ithaca, where he is king. His wife and son must wait ten years while he is trying to make his way home. In Odysseus’s absence wooer’s, or better known as suitors, learn of his absence and travel to Ithaca to win his wife’s hand in marriage. These men come every day feasting on Odysseus’s food and wine, and give his servant’s orders. His son Telemachus, does his best to keep the suitors from ruining his fathers house but he is only a boy, and doesn’t receive the respect of an adult. Telemachus then has a visit from the god Athena, whom Odysseus is friends with, who advises him to travel to find out about his father. In his travels he hears that Odysseus may still be alive. Meanwhile Odysseus goes through a series of adventures and hardships that prove his wisdom. It is interesting in contrast of the Iliad, even though Achilles was much stronger and a better warrior, Odysseus was portrayed as a greater hero due to his wisdom. He uses this wisdom to escape from the Cyclops.
Temptations of Odysseus Odysseus: a hero in every way. He is a real man, skilled in the sports, handy with a sword and spear, and a master of war strategy. Most of the challenges and adventures in his return voyage from Troy show us this even if we had no idea of his great heroic stature and accomplishments in the Trojan war. I found in my reading of the Odyssey that most of the trials the gods place upon him are readily faced with heroic means. These challenges are not necessarily welcomed by Odysseus but accepted as part of his role.
“I am Laertes’ son Odysseus / men hold me formidable for guile in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim” (Homer 488). Odysseus is the mighty king of Ithaca. Although it sounds like he is a fearless hero, Odysseus makes many decisions that make for a longer time away from home. In epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is a fool because of saving his men at Circe's hall by using Hermes’ moly, trying to fight Scylla as well as Charybdis, and shouting at Polyphemus who told his father, Poseidon, to curse Odysseus.
Odysseus is a person of great nobility, an unmistakable trait which is essential to him being an epic hero throughout The Odyssey. Homer displays Odysseus’ noble characteristic in numerous forms, whether it be through his actions, defining qualities or high moral principles. For instance, after Calypso keeps Odysseus on the island of Ogygia for many years, he begins to believe as though he can never leave the island, unable to escape the clutches of the witch. When Calypso unexpectedly allows him to leave, Odysseus retorts, "And I should not care to embark on a raft without your goodwill: not unless you could bring yourself to swear a solemn oath that you will not work some secret mischief against me" (Homer 65). Odysseus feels as though he
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...
Odysseus plays the role of an ideal human figure for the Greeks because he has a lot of spiritual qualities about himself that make him a good individual to get guidance from. When he leaves Ithaca on his ten year voyage he has a good spiritual relationship. On his voyage Athena is a great supporter of his and encourages him along the way. Throughout his journey his spirituality becomes much stronger with the difficulties that he has to face with each monster or person he encounters. Once he gets through one obstacle, it gives him more faith that he can conquer the next problem he has to face. Through his spiritual journey his develops more wisdom and smarts
In the chapter of the cyclops Odysseus and his man had just left Kalypso's island behind. With little to none provisions left, Odysseus decided to stop at the first island their eyes could spot. And to Odysseus’s bad luck the island they decided to stop at was not a very good one. This island was infested with Cyclops, but Odysseus decided to ignore the danger, by staying anyway. Even though Cyclops were known to be barbaric, Odysseus still believe they would showed him hospitality. But little did he know they would ended up messing up his entire journey back home. In this chapter Odysseus was very careless. In the end he did managed to escape from polyphemus’ cave but do to his curiosity and
A typical hero of fictional standards completes brave and valiant deeds that challenge them to become stronger throughout their life. In The Odyssey, told by Homer, Odysseus is molded to appear as one of these heroes in the eyes of the people around him. All done by the insightful goddess Athena. Although friends and enemies see him as a force to be reckoned with, Athena consistently bears Odysseus through his problems, by persuading Zeus into Odysseus’ favor, and directly keeping the suitors from killing him; when Odysseus doesn’t have this undeviating help, he tends to make bad decisions, like giving away his whereabouts to the oblivious cyclops, and consciously allowing his men to be put in a deadly situation.
After reading The Odyssey, two main traits that can be used to describe the central character, Odysseus, are clever and arrogant. Throughout the poem, Odysseus continually demonstrates his cleverness in his ability to outsmart his adversaries during his adventures at sea. A perfect example to support this would be when he encounters the Cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus is keenly aware how well he succeeds at being clever which has lead him to become quite arrogant. He believes because his cleverness has helped him escape life threatening situations that have saved his life and those of his men, that he is invincible which makes him arrogant. He shows his arrogance during his encounter with the sirens and also when he returns home to a line of suitors vying for his wife.
In this story, his goal is to reach home, something that he would do anything to reach. Odysseus fought off Polyphemus, a giant, cannibal, cyclops, and actually escaped. He also heard the siren’s and lived through it to reach home. Odysseus saw Scylla, although it led to losing six men, and Charybdis, and he went through a massive storm, making him the last survivor. Odysseus not only powered through these hardships, but he lives through the rough years and is able to tell the whole story to Alcinous, seeking safe passage, starting from when he left Troy, “What of those years of rough adventure, weathered under Zeus?...” (9.28) He did not give up no matter what obstacle came in his way, and he was that determined for 20
Besides the typical traits of an epic hero, Odysseus shows great humility, Strong courage, with great faithfulness, and strong brave leadership. Odysseus’s goal of his journey is for a homecoming. This is where the virtue of humility and loyalty is proven. One particular example is while Odysseus is stuck on an island called Calypsos. He has promised immortality and a lustrous life if he were to stay with Calypso on her island. Odysseus discontinues this bad idea, decides to build a raft on his own, and starts his journey home. He remains loyal and an extraordinary humble mood does not desire to be godlike. Odysseus is shown as a brave leader throughout his entire journey. This great ruler explicitly commands and protects his men in adverse obstacles and remains stable and without a doubt calm given the situation. When traveling the sea and passing the Sirens, he demanded that his men to put beeswax in their ears so they may not be affected by the Sirenas song. He and his men safely navigate
Throughout the book every time and after he conquers the new challenges Odysseus answers the question, which is repeated throughout, with a different answer. Each time he conquers a challenge on his journey home he learns a new lesson towards humility and answers with a new perspective. “‘I am no god,’ said the patient, good Odysseus. ‘Why do you take me for an immortal? But I am your father, on whose account you have endured so much sorrow and trouble and suffered persecution at men’s hand.’”(P 214 L 186-189) Although he is viewed by many people as very god-like Odysseus realizes that he is an ordinary man and is not a god. Odysseus’ desire to return home is another example that makes him an everyman. In this epic tale the word home had a double meaning for the hero. Home was where his family was and where he wanted to be. The physical element of being home and with his family was a huge deal for him. The other meaning of home was being safe and secure. His aspiration to return home and to return to his safety in sometimes shows that he is also a rather weak man. It is a human instinct to want to go home and stay safe instead of always being brave and