Recklessness In Odysseus In Homer's The Odyssey

The Odyssey, usually accredited to Homer, contains several key conflicts which strengthen readers’ understanding of the protagonists. The conflicts are of particular help in understanding the hero Odysseus’ reasons for his actions. One episode in which Odysseus displays his key character traits of arrogance, cunning, and recklessness is book 9, in which Odysseus defeats the Cyclops Polyphemus.

Odysseus’ recklessness and resourcefulness are predominant traits apparent in the Cyclops episode. When trapped in the Cyclops’ cave and after four men have already been devoured, Odysseus comes up with a cunning plan to escape. They cannot simply kill Polyphemus while he is sleeping and run away, due to the ‘huge boulder rolled across the mouth of the cave. Instead, he uses the resources available to him by getting Polyphemus drunk before sharpening the Cyclops’ staff, heating it in the fire, and stabbing it in his eye, blinding him. This is an extremely reckless undertaking, as it further enrages Polyphemus.

Odysseus’ evident recklessness in this situation is a key part of being a hero, because without it he would never attempt such risky tasks. And when he succeeds at those tasks it adds more to his ego as an incredible hero.
The conflict with Polyphemus also serves to accentuate Odysseus’ prodigious arrogance.

Once he and he men are sailing away from the Cyclops, Odysseus cries back to the Cyclops “if anyone ever asks you how you came by your blindness, tell them your eye was put out by Odysseus, sacker of cities, son of Laertes, who lives in Ithaca.” Odysseus has regretted his earlier decision for Polyphemus to not know his true name, because it means that anyone hearing the tale of a man defeating a Cyclops will not know that it was Odysseus who did it. The arrogant Odysseus does not like this, because he wants all tales of his prowess to be known for his. As he cannot let the chance of more fame escape him, he reveals to Polyphemus his true identity. This sentence, with which he risks the Cyclops throwing a boulder onto their ship, show the readers just how arrogant Odysseus is. It helps the readers understand quite how willing Odysseus is to risk anything if it will add to his

fame.
The conflict with Polyphemus does not only let the readers understand Odysseus’ bad sides. The character traits of recklessness and arrogance are also important traits in a hero. Arrogance in particular has always been a significant trait in heroes, especially in situations of conflict. If a hero is to enter into a situation of conflict, being arrogant enough to believe that he can accomplish it successfully greatly increases his chances of triumph. Were he not arrogant enough to be confident, he would most likely not attempt the conflict, therefore not having the opportunity to be heroic.
Recklessness is also a useful trait for Odysseus. If Odysseus were not reckless enough to attempt the blinding of the Cyclops, in all likelihood he would never escape, and his men would have continued to be devoured. Therefore, the scene enables the readers to understand both aspects of recklessness - the stupid side (after all, he is endangering his men) and the useful side (escaping).
Without this conflict, Odysseus would have lost another opportunity to prove his worth. Because he makes use of his key traits of arrogance and recklessness,