Identity In Odysseus Of Homer's Odyssey

Penelope is Odysseus’ wife who is faced with many suitors in her home on Ithaca. She is a very powerful woman in this epic being that she is married to Odysseus and is the mother of his son, Telemachus. Since Odysseus has not returned from the war and is assumed dead, many suitors try to replace him by taking Penelope's hand in marriage and Odysseus' property. She has been holding them off by making the excuse that she must first finish weaving a shroud for

n The Odyssey, Odysseus deceiving people closest to him, including Eumaeus and Telemachus, shows how deception can easily fool others; even the ones that know you best. Due to the help from the Phaeacians, Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, has just returned home. With assistance from the goddess Athena, Odysseus turns into a beggar and goes to the swineherd Eumaeus to avoid the suitors at his palace. Eumaeus asks about his identity, and Odysseus tricks him by telling him that he is a man from Crete, who suffered many troubles in coming to Ithaca. Eventually, Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, comes back from Sparta and learns about the suitors’ plans to kill him. To avoid this, Telemachus also goes to Eumaeus’ house, where he sees Odysseus, but decides not to question him. During dinner, Telemachus eventually musters up the

But, unlike his meeting with disguised Athena, Eumaios talks to Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, about his admiration and longing for his former lord Odysseus. Hearing Eumaios proclaimed love and loyalty for him, Odysseus is much more comfortable and unthreatened by Eumaios and feels no need to assert himself the same way he did to disguised Athena. So when asked to tell his tale, Odysseus, still disguised as the beggar, tells a much more pitiable lie. Odyssey says that he is from Krete, for the same reason as before, and born to a wealthy father, Kastor Hylakides, and his slave, but was treated as a legitimate son. However, when his father dies he is given a very poor portion of the land due to his Brothers, born to Kastor Hylakides true lady. This lie and Odysseus’s beggar disguise immediately draws Emaios to feel sympathy and to take pity on him, compared to his lie to disguised Athena, where he shows his power and evokes fear. Also, the description and backstory Odysseus make sof himself in this lie makes him seem in need, making Eumaios feel good about the hospitality he has given Odysseus. The difference in his tales demonstrates Odysseus’s adept ability to tailor his lies to the person he is talking to, which is one of the reasons why he is so guile. Even Though, Odysseus’s lie to Eumaios is humbling in the beginning, he then starts to boast about his ability. Odysseus, being as cautious as he is, makes sure that the gentle swineherd does not get any idea of taking advantage of him by saying, “Fool I was never called, nor a turn tail in a fight. Then Odysseus begins to talk about his ability in war and how “Carnage suited me[Odysseus].” Odysseus uses war again in his lies for same reason as he did earlier, to threaten Eumaios and reestablish that he is not to be tricked and exploited. Odyssey then continues the lie with the story of his

Odysseus is talking to Athena when she tells him he has arrived at Ithaca. Odysseus is shell-shocked and come back saying, “But now I beg you by your almighty Father’s name…/for I can’t believe I’ve reached my sunny Ithaca,/ I must be roaming around one more exotic land–/ you’re mocking me, I know it, telling me tales/ to make me lose my way. Tell me the truth now, have I really reached that land I love?” (13. 367-373). In the beginning of the book Odysseus tried to show no weakness and to make sure everyone knew who he was. He thought the gods looked to him and he needed no one but himself. After his long journey when Athena tells him he is at Ithaca at last he is humbled and thankful. He says nothing about how he got there, but rather thanks the gods and is overjoyed to finally be home. This shows that he is humbled. Because in the beginning he was impulsive and arrogant, he set himself up for a journey of miseries, and in this quote he asks the gods to release him from those miseries. He has never asked that before and always thought he was better than the gods themselves. After being humbled, put in rags, and put through many hardships, Odysseus finds that he is not the most important being and becomes more humble because of this. When the suitors are trying to win Penelope’s heart they are tasked to string Odysseus’s bow and shoot it through axes. Odysseus waits for most of the suitors to attempt to string

A hero is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. In the movie, Odysseus shows that he is a hero by showing off his bravery and courage to defeat several monsters. He showed courage when he faced the Cyclops, when he met Lotus Eaters, and when he went back to Ithaca to see his wife.

Negative presentations of hospitality almost always hurts a character in some way. One of the first instances of this is when Odysseus meets Polyphemus of the Cyclops’ Island. Polyphemus does not immediately show hospitality upon meeting Odysseus and his crew, so Odysseus asks for it. “... beholden for your help, or any gifts you give as a custom to honor strangers… Zeus will avenge the unoffending guests… We cyclops care not a whistle for your thundering Zeus… where was it, now, you left your ship…” (Homer 902). Since Polyphemus refuses to give Odysseus hospitality, there is no chance of civility and this will not help Odysseus, only hurt him. To prove Polyphemus’ incivility even more, he asks where Odysseus boat is so he can destroy it. Another example of negative hospitality is the suitors blatant disrespect for Penelope’s good hospitality.

Odysseus encounters many monsters and immortals throughout his homecoming journey. He faces everything from Sea Nymphs to Sirens, from Lotus Eaters to Cyclopes, and from Enchantresses to even the Gods themselves. Because Odysseus stuck through and pursued on, he finally returned to his wife and child. When Odysseus arrives in his homeland, Athena directs him to Eumaeus’ hut where he meets his son. At first, his son refuses to believe his father has come back, but eventually convinces himself his father has truly returned. After Telemachus and his father share a reunion, he leads his father to his house. Upon arrival, Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar and finds that the house has been taken over by sires trying to court his wife as a result of his actions. After completing Athena’s task, Odysseus reveals himself to his wife. However, Odysseus finds it very difficult to convince his wife that he has truly come back. When Odysseus reveals something no one else knows, Penelope runs to him and throws her arms around him. This sets off many emotions in Odysseus all at once, causing him to weep due to the euphoria of finally holding his wife once again. Odysseus’ persistence in returning home throughout a period of twenty years fulfilled his longing for love and to be reunified with his

As a leader, Odysseus has to be resilient and firm but he is falling into too many traps. Nonetheless, he is a tenacious man who is focused to arrive in Ithaca. When King Aeolus captured the winds and gave it to him so it could blow them straight on their course for home, he stays up for nine days, determined that nothing will get in his way of arriving back home. Although they sight Ithaca in the distance, Odysseus' men open the bag while he sleeps because they speculate that King Aeolus gave him gold and riches. Once the bag opens, the gust of wind throws them off course and pushes them back to Aeolia. Their jealousy got in the way of what was truly right. When finally landing in Ithaca, he learns that loyalty is something that shouldn't be broken, especially when some of the suitors are from Ithaca, Odysseus' own homeland. This means that the suitors are disloyal to their King because they are courting his wife, stealing all his food, and slaughtering his animals for their feasts. Most importantly, they are plotting to kill Telemachus and Odysseus if he is ever to return to the island. He learns that the only way he can show that he is a firm leader is to reveal to all of Ithaca who he truly is. He does this by transforming back to his true form and slaughtering those who defied

When creating a story, many great minds will use a pattern to enthrall readers and shape them into a hero. Established by Joseph Campbell, The Hero 's Journey is the iconic template many utilize to plan their imaginative tale. The Hero’s Journey is the cycle in which the protagonist ventures into an unknown world where he or she will go through a series of adventures and learn moral lessons. Heroes in ancient myths such as Homer 's epic poem, The Odyssey follows this formula since the protagonist, Odysseus, faces hardships throughout different regions that ultimately change his once arrogant character. Throughout Homer 's monomyth, Odysseus undergoes challenges that teach him the importance of humility.

In any country, kingdom, or household there is usually the one that seems to overrule all in that specified area. Leaders are strong, courageous, and skilled in combat and wits. Leaders are either looked at as an ally or an enemy. They are confident, bold, and respected. In the poem, The Odyssey, Homer gives us insight of how a tough, cunning, and wise man is brought through twenty years of suffering to reach is home that he weeps for so much. Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, is a man that is looked at as a celebrity by humans because of his skillful fighting, and by the gods because of his intelligence and wits. The king went through numerous tasks and obstacles to get back to his homeland. One task in particular proves his power and the love he has for his loyal and wise wife, Penelope. Looking at lines four hundred fifty-one through four hundred seventy-one, the moment Odysseus, while disguised by the God Athena, proves to the suitors and workers that he is the rightful husband, king, and lord by stringing his own bow and shooting it through twelve axes; the task was quick and perfect for Odysseus.

Odysseus's journey starts out with him arriving at the land of the cyclops. It starts this way to show why Poseidon hates Odysseus so much. Odysseus poked out the eye of Polyphemus the cyclops, who is the son of Poseidon. This scene also shows how quick thinking and cunning Odysseus acts in stressful situations. The interaction with Polyphemus and Odysseus gives a better understanding of how Odysseus can lead his men and how his hubris affects other people.

Odysseus proves his true identity by being the only one who can use the bow and arrow and shoot the arrow through the

Most people believe Odysseus was not an admirable because he was arrogant, selfish and dishonest. Odysseus was an admirable character because he is loyal, clever and brave.

But, the story doesn’t elaborate on how she tricks the suitors with her cleverness. Penelope furthers her husband’s dialogue by initiating the contest where the suitors are instructed to string Odysseus’s bow and shoot it through twelve axe heads. She uses this opportunity to not only make all of the suitors appear foolish, but to give Odysseus the opportunity for a dramatic reveal to the foul men, so that they will know who killed them. Odysseus only has this opportunity because of Penelope’s cunning mind. He is only able to re-establish his home, therefore completing nostos, because of Penelope’s cunning. Penelope is the only reason that Odysseus wants to go home, and the only reason that he is able to establish his home once he arrives. Penelope’s cunning compliments that of her husband’s, because it highlights the fact that they are of one mind, which affirms Odysseus’s excellence in knowing. Penelope knows that no man can achieve this feat she has asked the suitors to perform, except

Odysseus has many trials and tribulations throughout his journey home to Ithaca. He experiences captivity, is offered immortality, is subjected to marriage propositions, and escapes the wrath of gods while he defies death and maintains his composure. Odysseus tricks Polyphemus, then he moves forward and kills the men who are pursuing his wife. Odysseus triumphs over those who seek him dead and remains faithful to his ultimate goal of returning to Penelope’s arms. Odysseus is a hero because he is audacious, has tactical acumen, and is altruistic as his actions in the following adventures prove.