Og Mandino, a bestselling author, once wrote in one of his books, “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” Many people can relate to this quote, for they have been in situations where determination has helped them accomplish many things in their lives. Ancient Greek values have played a considerable role in people of ancient Greece and today's lifestyles. Determination is a very important value that has been passed down through Greek mythology that has greatly influenced Greek and current-day culture, and my life today. The Greeks valued determination, evident because of the myths, Odysseus and Hercules. Determination is displayed in Odysseus when he overcame many obstacles to be with his family again. …show more content…
He fought for his wife’s hand and he was determined to defeat all of the suitors harassing his wife. A case in point, “Odysseus was determined to drive the suitors away by force, but how could two men take on a whole company?” (312). Even though the prospect of getting rid of the of suitors seemed difficult, Odysseus didn’t give up, and the thought of being with his family once again motivated him to succeed. Determination is also shown in Hercules when he persevered through the 12 labours, determined to make up for killing his family and purify his soul. For example, “She bade him go to his cousin Eurystheus, King of Mycenae and submit to whatever he demanded of him. He went willingly, ready to do anything that could make him clean again” (230-231). The tasks he had to complete were daunting, to say the least. Many would’ve said that they are practically impossible. They required both intense physical and mental strength, meaning most people would fail these labours, but Hercules was willing to do them; he was determined to avenge his family for his wrongdoing. Determination gave him the power to conquer these quests and absolve himself from guilt. Determination is a very important trait that Greek heroes need to have in order to accomplish their tasks. Determination was very important to people of ancient Greece because they were optimistic about life.
Determination affected the way they thought by making them believe that good would come out of everything if they were determined enough and fought for what was right. They believed that determination could take them anywhere. My current culture in the 21st century views determination as the root of power. People tend to believe that determination is the power that drives people to do incredible and miraculous things in life. Nowadays, the positive message of determination is communicated through stories, like ancient Greek myths, though these stories are real. People tell and hear stories of the power of determination, and how it has allowed ordinary people to do amazing things. For instance, I recently watched a movie called, From Homeless to Harvard, which is a true story about a girl who struggled with a dysfunctional family and homelessness. Her aspirations were to be able to go to an excellent college, and do something amazing with her life, and she was eventually able to do these things by staying determined throughout the hardships. This is just one amazing story of countless others that are made possible with
determination. To me, determination is an essential part of living a fulfilling life. This belief is influenced by the large factor of determination in Greek mythology and modern-day stories. These myths and stories inspire me to not give up. For example, I am very determined to do well in school, so I can have a successful, happy, and fulfilling life in the future. School can be very difficult at times, and I sometimes lose sight of my goals, but these myths and stories of determination remind me that things will work out in the end if I keep trying my best. The myths and stories make me want to push myself, and make me believe that if I have enough determination, I can succeed, and I can do something great in life. They cause me to believe that if I don’t have determination, I will have a harder time accomplishing my ambitions. Determination gives me the motivation to thrive in everything I do, and causes me try to achieve my goals. I believe that determination affected the ancient Greeks in a similar way. The Greeks were motivated to do well in things like work, war, and living habits. They had determination, and were strong and powerful because of it. This is like people in the 21st century. Determination is what drives me to do well in life and achieve everything I strive for. In conclusion, determination has made a big positive impact on everyone’s lives. Without determination, people wouldn’t be able to accomplish nearly half of the things that they have. It's a key part of both culture and psyche. It has helped me get to the comfortable place where I am in life right now and has kept me optimistic. The importance of determination from the times of ancient Greece has still remained strong to this day, affecting everyone’s lives for the better.
In the story The Odyssey, Odysseus showed many traits. I believe the most important trait he showed was loyalty. He showed it in multiple situations. Odysseus showed loyalty when dealing with the sirens, the louts eaters, and the cyclops.
In The Odyssey, Odysseus portrays an important trait to the story, perseverance. His perseverance really stands out as something that he has and always will have. On his long journey home, he never gives up and just stays where he is, no matter how tempting. He always manages to push through and keep getting closer to his goal of returning home. An example of when he does this is when he is faced with the challenge of getting past Skylla and Kharybdis. He knows that either path will kill at least some of his men and possibly him, but he knows he has to keep going. "And all this time,/ in travail, sobbing, gaining on the current,/ we rowed into the strait---Skylla to port/ and on our starboard beam Kharybdis, dire/ gorge of the salt sea tide." (Homer, 12. 301-305). In O Brother, Where Art Thou, Everett also showed his perseverance. While trying to get back to his wife, he also faces many obstacles that he must get through. There were many people and things keeping him from where he was going, but he pushed through and got there anyway. His greatest obstacle to get through was when he came upon the sirens. He went down to the river and the sirens got the men drunk enough to fall asleep. While asleep, Pete was turned in by the sirens, but the other men hadn't been turned in yet. They woke up and were forced to get out of there as fast as they could with a frog they thought was Pete. Delmar wanted to stay and try to change Pete back but Everett told him they needed to persevere and keep going, and they did. Another trait that both of these men show in their stories is their cleverness. Odysseus show...
Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus’ power was gained through the power of others resulting in three phases of understanding: self-determination, courage, and having a greater vision in life. In order to understand these three phases, one must be able to conquer predominance from those less useful than others. Although Odysseus was physically strong, he was not who he was mentally, without the help and guidance through the gods. Odysseus was like one who has no friends, but when he meets up with more people, he becomes popular. One who was alone and meets new people, has more friends and finds out more interesting subjects about daily life. They are the ones who have more predominance than others because they know more people and have much more interesting subjects. Odysseus was like this because he didn’t know much without the help and guidance from others.
In “The Downside of ‘Grit’: What Really Happens When Kids Are Pushed to Be More Persistent?”, Alfie Kohn; an author and lecturer, claims that not everything is worthwhile especially when going at a task for an extensive amount of time. He asserts that ‘grit’ (the passion and determination when pursuing long term goals) is becoming less persuasive and credible. Kohn states that grit can cause serious issues that have real consequences. Important goals about life have changed significantly suggests Kohn. With goals comes the ability to be persistent, the author mentions. He describes that persistence is one characteristic among many that could become valuable when wanting to reach a goal,
In The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Allen Mandelbaum, Homer retells the story of Odysseus’s expedition from Troy to his homeland, Ithaca. Along the way, Odysseus faces numerous challenges—from dealing with Poseidon’s wrath to getting trapped on Calypso’s island. With Athena’s guidance, he returns to Ithaca to reunite with his son, Telemachus, and loyal wife, Penelope. Throughout the book, hubris or excessive pride is in display especially with Odysseus and the suitors. Hubris causes the them to neglect the gods and create careless mistakes which backfire in the future. Their incapability to make good decisions is affected by their pride which blurs what is and is not a good idea. In addition, hubris is also a trait looked down on in Greek culture. Homer lets his audience understand how pride can be part of one’s success. However, hubris will not only cause his or her downfall but also of those around them.
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.
Throughout The Odyssey, written by Homer and translated by Robert Fagles, the reader is shown many examples of ancient Greek values. As Odysseus travels home from Troy, he is faced with many challenges. Some test his physical and mental strength, while others test his moral values and how he holds up against more psychological adversaries. The Ancient Greeks have very entrenched beliefs and their actions show it. Some of the most important Greek values include Hospitality, Loyalty, and intelligence.
In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus’ heroic deeds are recounted through a narrative, written by Homer, that describes his arduous journey of his return from the Trojan war to his homeland of Ithaca. Loyalty, patience, and determination, are necessary traits to survive the perilous, painstaking journey that Odysseus embarks upon to return to his native land. Loyalty is exhibited when Odysseus goes to rescue his crewmen on Kirke’s Island despite the probability of jeopardizing his own life. Odysseus presents patience throughout the entirety of his journey, but most specifically when his crew opens the bag of wind, which causes much regression on the embark homeward. Determination is displayed when Odysseus is on Calypso’s island.
In conclusion, Odysseus conveys the qualities of a true hero, He shows fortitude, bravery and he portrays qualities of management. Odysseus shows these qualities throughout the journey in which he faced many challenging people and places. However, Odysseus overcomes each and every one by having only one set goal: to get home. As long as he reached that goal, nothing could stop him. Like a true hero, Odysseus never lost these traits, no matter how bad of a mess he was in.
Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, “The greatest obstacle to being heroic is the doubt whether one may not be going to prove one's self a fool; the truest heroism is to resist the doubt; and the profoundest wisdom, to know when it ought to be resisted, and when it be obeyed”. The book, The Odyssey, written by Homer, explains about a man named Odysseus and his ten year journey home from the Trojan War. During his journey, he encounters new challenges such as battling mythical creatures and surviving the situations the gods and goddesses create. However in the end, he must prove himself worthy to the people of Ithaca and to his family. Considering this, Homer represents Odysseus as an epic hero multiple times. The author uses the element, leadership to develop Odysseus for his noble deeds. The author also describes him as being glorified, or worshipped by others. Therefore, Odysseus truly is an epic hero because of the descriptions Homer uses to describe Odysseus’s strategic acts in times of need and the growing inspiration everyone has for him.
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...
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.
Homer’s literature served as a moral messenger to the people of ancient Greece. The Odyssey by Homer demonstrates the character development of Odysseus, the epic hero, and his journey of self-discovery. Odysseus was a great, wise, noble, and well respected war hero to his people. Odysseus had one tragic flaw that was demonstrated by his actions throughout the book. The author Homer continued to strip Odysseus of his arrogance throughout the story, by throwing challenges his way, making him pay for his mistakes, and allowing him to continue to overcome obstacles. The main purpose of Odysseus journey also to reach his home a more humble man. Reading Odysseus’ journey also served as a way to look at morals. The
Odysseus’ story has been re-told, passed on, and admired for generations on end. This story not only shows a story of doing what you think is right, but it also show the story of one of the worlds most known hero. Odysseus is a strong hero, showing strength, courage, and weakness, which are all traits of many other heroes. Not only does he have these traits, but he is able to understand what is right for the whole group. He makes sacrifices that may be saddening and cause a loss, but help in the long run. But most memorable is the amount of cunning and wit he showed throughout the story, a reminder of all the epic things he did.
My strong determination and tenacious will power are demonstrated on a daily basis. It is displayed in every aspect of my life. Strong determination is displayed in my school, in just the sole basis of me coming back to school and wanting to do better in my life. It’s also displayed in home life, in ways like creating the best possible environment for me along with my family.