Emma Arent Mrs. Aumann Honors English 9 Block 3BC 5 February 2017 The Great Man Odysseus When looking up the definition of a “good guy” you find the description being a morally correct person or character : a hero. In the book The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fagles, the main character Odysseus can be described as “good guy”. When Odysseus sets out from his home, Ithaca to fight in a long war, he is faced with many problems that lead him to fighting for himself by occasionally being violent to protect himself. The issue with this is that some readers get the idea that he is just violent, which makes him a bad man. Although Odysseus can be violent sometimes, he is a good man because he is a good husband, he always looks out for his crew and is kind to everyone he meets on his journey Despite some violent actions Odysseus does, he is a good man because he was a very good husband …show more content…
. . I look at you and a sense of wonder takes me” (6. 172- 177). In this experience of Odysseus he was very kind when introducing himself to the Phaeacians and gained their trust and told him his story. In this case, they in return treated him very well saying he was better than all other men, supporting he is a good man. Odysseus shows kindness to the people he meets on his journey again when he reaches the Laestrygonian land. Another time that Odysseus was kind to the people he met on his journey was when he was down in the underworld talking to Tiresias. Odysseus was very kind to Tiresias, understanding that he may not like him after what he did to Zeus. Odysseus demonstrates his kindness by saying “How, / lord can I make her know me for the man I am?” (11. 164-165). Odysseus is talking about him talking to his dear mother in the underworld because he wants to show her how far he has made it. By doing this Odysseus shows that he can keep himself together and be nice to people even when he might have to work harder for
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Show MoreOdysseus and Thomas Jefferson: Looking into History to Define What a Hero is Heroes used to be considered people who held great power and always came out on top no matter how high the odds were stacked against them. Today we are more critical of the people we look up to, which I believe to be a good thing. We now realize that the people we consider heroes must be good people, who even though they have flaws, try their hardest to do good for the world. Another interesting question is what it means to be a bad person. Is a bad person someone who is inherently bad?
This character is brought to light using several incidents and events that help to analyze and interpret the ancient Greek world and the values surrounding them. Each episode supports and allows for the development of Odysseus’ character and acknowledges the effects of these features. Through these specific incidents, the reader uncovers the quality of Odysseus and how his characteristics relate to those praised by Greeks and those that were criticized. Persistent components of Odysseus’ character include cleverness and pride, while major themes that are reiterated are Greek ideals and the struggle to reach home. Conclusively, definitive occasions in “The Odyssey” establish and expand upon the character of Odysseus and how it impacts himself and
Odysseus has grown from the man he was before, as now he finds comfort and safety in obeying the gods when in the past he did not consider their wishes. Odysseus has only returned due to Athena and he has recognized that and his compliance is founded in his appreciation and respect for her. Odysseus is now a hero due to the obedience he now has to the gods, founded in a sense of humility. Through Odysseus’ experiences on his journey, he learns the value of obedience and dangers of arrogance and ultimately, become a hero through the lessons learned.
Odysseus is a typical example of a hero. He is able to pull off miraculous things to save himself and his crew seemingly without fail. The story of his journey is well known, and a great tale of his adventures. In the two parts we have read so far, we see what he is willing to do for his crew, and his intelligence and quick thinking in difficult situations. The first challenge that waits them is the island of Cyclopes.
The first trait is that he is a very arrogant person and this often puts him and his men in danger. Secondly, Odysseus can be deceitful and not fully communicate the facts of each situation. Odysseus was a weak leader and his lack of vision in not seeing the strength and possibilities in his men combined with his inability to effectively communicate to those around him ultimately led to his failure of not being able to safely deliver his men back to Ithaca. The story of the Cyclops in Homer 's The Odyssey illustrated how Odysseus '
I think Odysseus is not a hero. Most people would say he is but I think this because he is a selfish man and kills people. At first he sounds like an okay person who is a nice man. Wait till you find out what he has done. Odysseus is a very Selfish man.
At various times throughout the story, mainly through the trials, Odysseus made many decisions and forced his crew to go through many potentially lethal situations without preparing his own crew, or situations that were just a waste of time. This then leads to not only all of his crew being killed but the creation of many bad relationships. The first example of Odysseus mistreating his crew is when he and his crew went through the trails, “No more. Come, / let me tell you about the voyage fraught with hardship / Zeus inflicted on me, homeward bound from Troy...” 9.42-44.
A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.
However, there are some characteristics that do not seem to match up. Odysseus is shown to be loyal, generous, and trustworthy but we cannot see much of these personalities on
The concept of hero has been interpreted in many ways throughout the ages. Hero have gone from knights slaying dragons and rescuing the princess, to heroes who save the world with their supernatural-like powers, to a modern day hero who is someone who has noble qualities and is regarded as a role model. In the epic, The Odyssey, by Robert Fagles, the heroic Odysseus is a well known in Greek mythology. However, although Odysseus is the most respected, honorable hero of Greek mythology he is not a modern hero. A modern day hero is someone who puts their life on the line to save the lives of other innocent people.
In the book The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, is a man who is loved and respected by many. In the beginning of the book, we learn that Odysseus has left on a journey and, since it has been many years since his departure, many people assume that he has passed. On his journey, he portrays his many traits, not all of them being good ones either. Some of his good traits include his cunning, bravery, and hard work ethic. On the other hand, his negative traits are his excessive pride, immense curiosity, and rather large temper.
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
Just as Achilles is confronted in the Iliad with the problem of balancing his honor with his pride, Odysseus repeatedly faces situations in which self-restraint and humility must check bravado and glory-seeking. In his early adventures, he fails these tests, as when he taunts Polyphemus, inflaming Poseidon. As the epic progresses, Odysseus becomes increasingly capable of judging when it is wise to reveal himself and when it is appropriate to rejoice in his
Before knowing that Odysseus was who he was, he paid attention to him which shows the sign of being a substantial host unlike the suitors. This is proven by when he asks Eumaeus about the stranger: “How can I welcome this guest in my house? … One man, however powerful, can’t do much against superior numbers.” (Odyssey 16.
From Odysseus’ time with Calypso in Ogygia up until the moment he takes back his home and wife from the suitors in Ithaca, the struggles he faces help answer what makes for a good life. Homer uses Odysseus’ journey throughout “The Odyssey” to identify four aspects of a good life: mortality, honor, hospitality, and experiences. Homer reveals that mortality is necessary for a good life when Odysseus denies the opportunity for immortality that Calypso offers, he shows the significance of honor in his description of Odysseus’ bravery in the Trojan war and the consequent respect that Odysseus’ crew has for him, Homer reinforces the importance of hospitality in each city Odysseus travels to, and he conveys that experiences, good or bad, define a good life. The Greeks held their gods in high esteem and therefore when Homer or other characters in the epic refer to Odysseus as being “godlike,” this is one of the highest compliments he could receive.