The Greek Ideal Of Kleos In Homer's The Odyssey

Odyssey Essay Did you know Odysseus let many of his men die in the Odyssey? Well, Odysseus is also known for his brave and heroic acts, but to further understand him, you have to know about his Greek Values. In the Odyssey, Odysseus’ strength and weaknesses of leadership, intelligence, and his selfishness. This reflects the Greek Values of leading others to success, and accomplishment, outsmarting others, and caring for others. In the Odyssey by Homer, one heroic trait that Odysseus shows his preeminence which articulates the Greek cultural value of leading your men to victory.

Homer introducing Odysseus as “who had endured the long war and the sea” in place of “the great tactician” or any other epithets is significant. It reminds the audience of his power and abilities which makes the reader sense that he is really doubting himself not his father. Odysseus asks Telémakhos to “suppose” that they have the protection of Athena and Zeus, then why would he have to make great effort to think about this matter. By providing some assurance to his son with reminding him that not only your great father is on your side but also Athena and Zeus, his tone has changed. The way Odysseus replies to Telémakhos’ concern feels like he is mocking his child for thinking in a cowardly manner which is not man-like to Greeks.

He becomes more independent as he breaks away from the indoctrination because he is not afraid to go against someone of a higher rank when he feels as though they are not doing their job correctly. It seems as though Antonio believes that the ones in command are just leading the army blindly, not knowing exactly what to do in the time of crisis. Another Captain positioned in Greece also feels as though he should finally do something right which leads him into disrespecting the hierarchy of power and executing a plan without any orders whatsoever. De Bernières writes, “who

These qualities in Odysseus not only help himself but his men survive through the chaos of the journey called “The Odyssey”. During part of the poem, the epic hero displays actions that prove his courage and cleverness to be legitimate. For instance, “Now, by the gods, I drove my big hand spike deep in the embers, charring it again, and cheered my men along with battle talk to keep their courage up: no quitting

Conversely, however, when Odysseus and his crew attempt to make their way home after visiting Aeolus, Odysseus’ belief in the supremacy of his own abilities gets him into trouble. Odysseus neglects to inform his crew what the bag he received from Aeolus holds, arousing their suspicion. Furthering his folly, Odysseus explains that he was “Exhausted from minding the sail the whole time / By myself. I wouldn’t let any of my crew / Spell me, because I wanted to make good time” (10.37-40). The lack of trust between Odysseus and his crew stems from Odysseus’ overconfidence in his own mental faculties and the subsequent lack of effective communication between Odysseus and those he captains.

Preventing the death of a son and saving the life of a highly esteemed hero are choices that most would make, except for the King of Gods - Zeus. In the Iliad, Zeus does not wish to make those decisions, but is compelled to do so out of his sense of duty. Before being a father and warrior, Zeus was above all the leader of the gods. This means that as the head of the Olympians, Zeus has to be impartial in order to keep the peace of Olympus, which causes him great misery at times. Zeus’ duty as the greatest and most influential god stops him from taking sides in mortal affairs in the Iliad to maintain peace, which parallels the question of whether America’s status as the most powerful and influential country gives them the duty to interfere in

He is willing to sacrifice his life in order to reciprocate the gift that has been given to him by his lord. When he sees Beowulf struggle with the dragon he pleas to the other warriors to help, but they flea and Wiglaf is the only one left, “I shall stand by you.” (2668). This relationship is wildly reminiscent of that of David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel within the old testament. Moreover, in 1 Samuel, the friends know they are not supposed to be seen together, due to king Sauls damnation of David, they meet in secret in a field and make a coventant,“Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”.” (19:4). Jonathan loved David as he loved himself and a comparison can be made in this relationship of Beowulf and Wiglaf.

To explain, Montresor was insulted by Fortunato, the resolution to this conflict should have been as simple as confronting Fortunato with his hurt feelings. Instead, Montresor decides “[he] would be avenged” (Poe 543). Because of the dramatic way Montresor decides to resolve the conflict between himself and his friend, his character is shifted towards an unruly one. Montresor has no regards for those around him, he has no insight to anyone but himself. As a result of the way he chooses to resolve conflicts, he allows the conflicts to take control of his every action.

A seeker flees from their dragon like how Hercules did, up until he changed his was because he knew Meg was in trouble. Hercules’ task was to make himself appear as a god to everyone. A seeker’s task is to be true with the deeper self like Hercules did when winning everyone's trust and love back by being himself. His virtue is hard work to achieve what he wants just like how a seeker's virtue is ambition. Hercules does this in many ways like when he tries to do what he can to defeat each monster that comes in his path.

Odysseus is a man of many great characteristics, but also has some faults that he learns from throughout the book. Odysseus was told to be a brave and smart warrior in the Trojan War. He has a strategic mindset, a determination to return home, and the ability to be a convincing speaker. These characteristics help him succeed in his mission even through all the trouble he went through. One of Odysseus’ most important characteristics is his strategic mindset.