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Examples Of Odysseus Being A Good Leader

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The brilliant U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur once said, “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.” This description of a leader can be used when telling of the great adventures of Odysseus on his way home to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War. In Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, Odysseus exhibits many qualities that confirm his ability to fit the role of a good leader. He encountered and overcame many obstacles that include fighting cyclops, monsters, giants and more. He did all of this with only the goal of returning to his beloved family in mind. Even though others may claim that Odysseus is not a good leader because of the amount of hubris he shows, the positive qualities such as his good judgement, bravery, and his ability to inspire others prove otherwise.
Being able to make the right decisions is a crucial …show more content…

Others may argue that Odysseus was excessively prideful, demonstrating hubris, which was looked down upon in the Greek Culture. An example of this is when Odysseus went to Circe for help on which course would be easiest to go through. She advised him of the “two enormous crags” (273), Scylla and Charybdis, “one thrust[ed] into the vaulting sky its jagged peaks… she[was] a grisly monster.. she [shot] out her heads, [and] wildly [swept] the reefs for dolphins” (274). Now, Odysseus, being the strong and prideful God that he was, asked Crice if he could fight Scylla off if she tries to hurt his men. Circe assured him that he was stubborn for thinking that, and there was no way he could possibly beat the monster. Even though this did show hubris, this also shows how considerate Odysseus was for the well-being of his men. He was willing to do anything and everything in his power to save his crew, even if it meant having to attack the deadly

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