In the epic, The Odyssey, written by Homer, the main character, Odysseus, spends 10 brutal years trying to find a way back home to Ithica after the Trojan War. Throughout his journey he is met with multiple obstacles including losing every one of his crew members. Although he faces physical monsters, I believe that his biggest enemy is his pride. Many believe that Odysseus’ best quality is how honorable he is, but I believe his honor is often mistaken for his hubris. This is very evident in book 9 when Odysseus and his crew are on the island of Cyclops.
Only thinking for oneself is often favorable initially. However, this mindset can have a large effect on others as well. These consequences are often negative and harm all of those involved. The Odyssey, an epic poem by Homer, is based around the adventures of a hero named Odysseus and his crew. Odysseus spends 10 years away from home at war and spends just as long trying to get back.
The Odyssey Many people deem Odysseus to be an archetype hero. But was he really? Sure, he won many wars, but did he show the characteristics that matter? No!
In myhtology such as Homer’s “The Odyssey” Odysseus’s actions prove him to be a heel throughout his journey, with his actions to frequently causing problems . During the encounter with the POlyphemus, Odysseus’s choice to meet the cylops caused the rest of the voyage to be cursed and for six of his men to be killed just because of his curiosity. When Odysseus decided to stay with the enchantress Circe he delayed returning home for a year because he enjoyed being pampered.
Homer writes about stubborn characters who are challenging for Odysseus because he is losing their trust everyday that him and his crew were not back home to their families. Although he is known for being a cunning and intelligent character, he is not the most mentally stable person. Odysseus has had his hypocritical moments which have caused plenty to question his leadership skills.
In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus men did deserve their punishment for eating Helios’s cattle because, well first of all do not eat first, you are supposed to ask first, if they say yes then eat, but if they say no, do not eat. All the trouble that the men got odyssey into, I really do think that they did deserve their punishment for all the things that they have done to get odyssey in trouble with all the gods. Well there's another thing Eurylochus convinces the men to eat the cattle of the sun. Then odysseus wakes up to find that the men has broken the oaths and killed some cattle, so it was the men falt. Even though they were starved, there is no reason to steal and kill a god's cattle.
There are a lot of leaders in Greek mythology that use deceit and dishonesty to accomplish their own goals. One example of this is the Greek hero Odysseus from The Odyssey by Homer. Throughout the story Odysseus uses a lot of clever and deceitful tactics to get his men and himself out trouble. Odysseus’s deceit and dishonesty may help Odysseus, but it causes in the end causes for Odysseus to lose his leadership, loyalty skills and a less desirable outcome.
The Odyssey In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, Odysseus is bestowed with great abilities. But along with this potential, he is cursed with great arrogance. Conveying that even the labeled ‘perfect’ among us have fatal flaws that causes pain and suffering among the ones closest to them. The author, Homer, uses Odysseus’ arrogance to create a melancholic atmosphere to convey the idea that arrogance is a fatal flaw that will lead those around them to pain and suffering.
Odysseus’ reverence to the gods is shown again after the suitors families and the town learns of Odysseus’ homicide, they come after the royal family. Athena and Zeus come to Ithaca, ordering a peace. Homer describes the event and Odysseus’ reaction, “So she commanded. He obeyed her, glad at heart." (Homer 24.598).
Furthermore, Odysseus lacks a leadership role. To illustrate, when Odysseus is back in Ithaca the response he received wasn't the one anticipated. Odysseus is dressed as a beggar in order to see who is in his side and to see whether or not his wife has been faithful. However, Odysseus is bothered at the fact there are men in his house.
Eurymachus throws a stool (Book 18- p 233), and Ctesippus hurls a cow’s hoof at Odysseus (Book 20 –p 256). While they don’t realize he is Odysseus, their behavior is still despicable. Hospitality was important to Greeks in this time period, and the lack of it would offend the gods. Amphinomus does offer the most kindness to Odysseus, and Odysseus tries to warn him to leave, but Amphinomus remains at the will of the gods (Book 18- p 227).
As the precise definition of justice cannot be definitively stated, the line separating just from unjust actions is incredibly obscure. Many factors may influence an individual’s perception of what constitutes justice, such as time period, culture, or personal morals. Thus, while an act may be considered righteous in one context, the same act may be ruled unjust in other contexts. For instance, when Odysseus finally returns home to Ithaca, as retribution for defiling his home and attempting to court his wife, Odysseus murders all of Penelope’s suitors. The extremely graphic depiction of his retribution had appeared almost superfluous, causing the morality of his actions to be brought into question.
The main character Odysseus in the Odyssey written by Homer is generally thought to be a great hero; however, he shows more traits of a quite flawed character on closer inspection. Around the beginning of Odysseus’ journey home after the war, Odysseus decides to take a detour to the home of a cyclops deciding to not listen to his men’s suggestions to leave while they still could; consequently, it does not end well: “Ah, how sound that was, Yet I refused. I wished to see the caveman, what he had to offer no pretty sight it turned out, for my friend” (9.130-132). This thought by Odysseus shows that he realized his decision to go to the mysterious island wasn’t the most rational one and that his men’s pleas to leave were the better option, but he decides to be stubborn and place his curiosity before his men’s safety resulting in a non-heroic
Odysseus’s Traits Throughout the Odyssey, the main character Odysseus goes on an epic adventure with his focus being to get home to his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachus. He faces many obstacles dealing with characters such as the Cyclopes, Poseidon, Aeolus, Athena, Helios, Calypso, Zeus, Hermes, Scylla, and Circe. Odysseus’s men are some of the most valuable people to him throughout the Odyssey. He always puts himself in front of danger for them to protect them even though they all died from an unexpected turn of events soon before he returns home. When Odysseus comes home he greets his twenty year old son and straightens things out on his homeland, Ithaca.
In the epic poem written by Homer, The Odyssey, the king of Ithaca named Odysseus sails home from the war at Troy. Along the way, he and his men encounter a lot of tedious obstacles. They go to Ismarus as well as discover the island of the Lotus, and the Lotus eaters who live on the island. Odysseus and his men also find a cyclops named Polyphemus, which they find out is the son of Poseidon. The land of Hades, or the land of the dead, is another place they travel to.
