Odysseus Leadership In The Odyssey

Odysseus’ leadership qualities The journey of Odysseus attempting to return home, to Ithaca, after being being in Troy is recited in Homer's epic named the Odyssey. Greek gods are extremely impactful in the voyage of his crew and himself. Without challenges, leadership skills are not able to be identified as clearly. Not all of the gods cause challenges for Odysseus to face yet some do. Athena, god of wisdom, is a mentor for Odysseus throughout the challenges the other gods put him in. For example, Polyphemus, a Cyclops, test the leader’s skills by confining the crew in his cave. Subsequently, as Odysseus completes that task another God named Poseidon effects sea travel. The dad of Polyphemus is revealed to be Poseidon, god of sea, earthquakes

However, when investigating the motive behind the situation it becomes clear that Odysseus did it as part of his great leadership skills. Injuring the Cyclop’s eye was a solution to the predicament they encompass. The crew that Odysseus has on his boat walk into the Cyclops’s cave. However, they were unable to get out because of the enormous stone rock being used as a door. It is so large that the crew is unable to move it. When threatened to death,by being eaten alive, by the drunk Polyphemus Odysseus realizes that his men are in an unsafe environment and they need to escape before anyone gets hurt. The threat is the Cyclops but theoretically killing him would not remove the problem because the door would still be confining them in. Reactions for injuries usually result in wanting help so injuring the eye of the threat will most likely have that reaction. Quickly, Odysseus hurts the eye so that the door is open allowing for his men to ride on the underbellies of sheep and escape danger. This was done quickly and as protection for the large sum of men Odysseus had on his crew. Violence was not his first choice but to save the lives of his men Odysseus wisely chooses the choice he does. The hubris of this moment gets to his head because he is human. He boast to the Cyclops after a broken of hilltop was flung a the boat in hopes the Cyclops would gain his eye back. He does stop and goes back to tending the needs of the ship and crew as he navigates the way back to Ithaca. This little example of egotistical mindset is not the most superior quality of Odysseus however it does show some good.It exhibits that he is human and can relate to his crew. Realizing his mistakes also shows his intelligence and his will to keep going shows perseverance. In final analysis Odysseus’ impeccable leadership qualities overwhelmingly