The Greeks were both smart and creative people. Their religion consisted of extramundane beings who had powers that they used to explain unnatural events, such as storms. They worshiped powerful gods whom they put upon a pedestal. Many of the gods were described as powerful, attractive, athletic, just, and above all, the gods had a great amount of intelligence. So it makes sense that the Greeks would want to integrate that intelligence with their mythology and folklore. The Odyssey, written by Homer, is a substantial example of that. The protagonist of the story, Odysseus, was acute, imposing, and dominant, which was exactly what the Greeks believed was the perfect character.
One case of Odysseus using his intelligence over his brute force is when he decided to wait for the right time before shooting Antinous in his home with his arrow. Antinous had
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clearly annoyed Odysseus in an earlier part of the book, belittling him and denying him the custom of giving a gift, or in this case food, to the guest. Book seventeen says “Odysseus only shook his head, containing thoughts of bloody work,”. He was holding so much of his anger in, but decided to wait, instead of uncovering himself and killing Antinous right then and there. Odysseus knew that he would easily be murdered by the other suitors because he didn’t have a weapon on him. When Odysseus finally had the bow in his hand, the reader is able to see his thoughts, and his reason for deciding to let the arrow go. Another time that Odysseus used intelligence over robustest was when he was trapped in the Cyclops’ cave.
After Polyphemus had eaten some of his men, Odysseus discovered that the Cyclops had nothing that he was willing to give the guests. Polyphemus continued to eat more of his men, yet Odysseus knew that he had to be patient, and control his rage. And even if the self-proclaimed hero did lash out at the beast, Odysseus knew that he would lose the battle with his flimsy swords that were no match for the preternatural being. “If I killed him we perished there as well, for we could never move his ponderous doorway slab aside,” says Odysseus, as he begins to plot his escape. So he waited there with his men, until one evening, when he gave strong wine to Polyphemus and blinded him while the giant was asleep. Rather than resorting to the weapons they already had, in hopes that their swords wouldn’t be useless, Odysseus and his men had already created a wooden stake. “And now I pondered how to hurt him worst, if but Athena granted what I prayed for,” was what he thought as he came up with the idea of the giant wooden
stake. Not only did the Greeks admire intelligence, but they also respected leadership, which is one of Odysseus’ strongest aspects. He was the one who lead his men through all of the trials that he endured with them. Not only was Odysseus a figure of leadership, but so were many of the gods. The Greeks wanted to make a hero who not only had connections with the gods, but also had the the characteristics of the gods. Just like it is in many religions, the gods were beings with power above the humankind, with wisdom greater than any human could ever imagine, so the Greeks wanted to be able to relate to that, in any way, shape or form possible. Even if that meant creating a tale about a man who was as intelligent as the gods themselves. That’s where Odysseus comes in. Strategy and Odysseus shared a bond that kept Odysseus alive throughout the Odyssey, allowing for a somewhat happy ending. However, Odysseus had the nasty strategy of taking advantage of women, such as Princess Nausicaa, because he knew that women found him attractive. Although that was partially Athena’s doing, seeing as she enhanced his physical features. But that’s beside the point. Part of his strategy was that he knew what women found alluring during that time period. Instead of staying on task and returning home, Odysseus stays with Circe for a year. She has already done much for him, but he sweet talks her into making a sail for going home. “O Circe, now you must keep your promise; it is time. Help me make a sail for home.” Although he makes it sound as though Circe was forcing Odysseus stay on her island, he still could have made the sail himself. He made himself appear humble before King Alcinous, so that he may receive the supplies and appear as heroic, since he had suffered all of those tests and tragedies. By exaggerating the story to come across as valiant and courageous.
Odysseus shows how clever he is in The Odyssey more than once, but one accomplishment stands out above them all.
A true hero will go through immeasurable lengths to benefit not him or herself, but the people around them. Heroes are neither selfish nor uncaring. They seek every opportunity they get to help those in need. One must have also gone through the entire hero’s journey to be deemed a hero. He must start off naïve and inept and through his challenges, transform into someone worth calling a hero. Most importantly, a hero is not perfect. He must listen to other’s ideas and utilize them. However, in The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus disrespects his crew men and the gods’ advice, lets hubris interfere with his men’s lives, and is unfaithful to his wife Penelope.
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.
Being so cunning and intelligent allowed Odysseus to be such a tactical person when it came to battle. Odysseus' reason for being so good at battle is the fact that he was a fearless person and would stop a nothing.
What is maturity? When does one mature? Maturity defined by a dictionary means “fully developed physically; fully grown,” but it also depends on the way one acts. Although one is grown up, it does not mean one acts poised and sophisticated as expected. After the Trojan War, the main character Odysseus is on a long journey to return to his home, Ithaca. The problem is the kingdom is overrun by suitors; his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus, do their best to keep them out of the palace. In the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus transitions from being immature to mature as he is placed in Xenia,the Greek custom of hospitality for guests through encounters with Polyphemus, Circe, and Alcinous.
Odysseus?s cunning is cardinal to his survival and that of his men. He uses his cunning to get them out of several unpleasant situations. When they are captured by the Cyclops, he can not use the strength of his men to escape, so he must use his cunning to free them. He lies and tricks the Cyclops to get out, ??My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy?? (9.397-99). This clever deception stops the other Cyclops from helping Polyphemos helping them to escape. Odysseus also shows his cleverness when he returns to Ithaca.
In the struggle of mind over matter, an individual needs to have courage to use the knowledge that he or she possess. By using the knowledge available to us, we as individuals have the ability to overcome opposing forces in our lives which seem to keep us from progressing (mentally and emotionally), and which can seem larger than life. In Homer's epic The Odyssey, The use of cunning to disguise and deceive and to ultimately overcome the godlike opposition that manifests itself many times throughout the book, and makes Odysseus' return home possible. Without the ability to deceive, Odysseus' brute strength alone would have exhibited a futile display of power in the presence of the gods of Ancient Greece. Much like the lives of individuals, if we do not use our cunning and wit in a most effective manner, and rely on strength instead knowledge, we are destined for a life of failure and/or mediocracy . If Odysseus hadn't had the courage and cunning to return home his destiny would have consisted of spending the rest of his life on an island with Calypso, miserable.
Helen Keller was a woman famous for overcoming blindness and being deaf. Keller once said, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. This means that character traits are developed as an individual has to deal with experiences. In the book The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus has to overcome many obstacles that shape some of his traits. A couple of Odysseus’ traits include loyalty and being crafty; meanwhile, I have the same traits.
As you might know, many of the characters in Homer’s tale of The Odyssey are known for their physical strength as their main tool used to strive for success. On the other hand, there is Odysseus, who uses something a little different to help him make his way home. His impressive oratory skills help him to escape some sticky situations. His spectacular ability to disguise himself within a crowd gives him advantages that others do not have. Each plan that he effortlessly conceives to find his way home was outstanding and shows his abundance of intelligence. Although many men use their physical strength as their main power to succeed in their travels in The Odyssey, Odysseus’s brains are his strongest
It is no wonder why many scholars refer to Odysseus as a powerful mythic hero. " Odysseus often hesitates before acting, because he uses his reason and gift to evaluate things. This patience is one of his most important additional attributes"(library.thinkquest.org/19300/data/Odyssey/odysseus.html). It saved him and his men many times.
One of the major themes of Homer’s Odyssey is the importance of cunning over strength. This also happens to be the case with Odysseus and his long ten year journey home from fighting in Troy. Odysseus uses his intelligence over strength to ‘fight’ through tough times and bring himself home to Ithaca. Odysseus uses his intelligence when he has his men tie him down while passing the Sirens, so he himself will be able to hear their beautiful song, but not be entranced by their singing. He also uses cunning to escape from the Cyclops’ cave without being harmed. He then uses his cunning by storing away all of the armory, shields, and knives from the suitors so he is able to kill them easily.
In situations where brute force has failed, Odysseus uses his craftiness to create a plan and escape a difficult situation. Without his cleverness, Odysseus would not be able to survive. An example of Odysseus’ inventiveness is demonstrated in the following quote:
Intelligence is the key to conquering most battles. One can not just rely on the power of the physical strength to get the job done. There is more to strength than just muscles. Overcoming obstacles was part of Odysseus' daily routine. He was a smart man who knew how to get the job done and what tools should be used. The lesson to be learned is that the brain can be very useful in battle, no matter what the enemy is.
Homer, Line 329-333 “ it drew from the coals and my four fellows give me a hand lugging it near the Cyclops as more than natural force curved him straight forward they sprinted, lifted it and rammed it deep in his Crater eye”. The way Odysseus dealt with the creäture was with the use of his intelligence using a weapon to puncturing the Cyclops in a weak spot to give Odysseus and the crew the upper hand. Further in the story Odysseus and his crew were freed granting Odysseus with a victory he told in his quest. As did Beowulf further told in the story said Beowulf hung the arm of the slain creäture to signify and remind of his victory. By having a character Odysseus being able to save the rest of his men and protect them. By planning this attack in hopes to escape and have no more lives of Odysseus crew be eaten by Polyphemus makes Odysseus the leading hero also completes Odysseus's arch by this feat of action in protecting others makes Odysseus a hero In the eyes of his crew. Both heros have a use of strength when facing their
Famed for his brawn as well as his brain, Odysseus is one of the first of many mythic Greek heroes. He is a man blessed with great bravery, valor and superior athletic abilities which gives him the edge over most enemies or competition. He can be overwhelmed with curiosity which sometimes gets him into trouble. However, with his cunning intelligence, he has the ability and the gift of great reasoning and evaluation