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Characterization of odysseus in the odyssey
The epic hero odysseus
Odysseus journey
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Characterization of odysseus in the odyssey
The epic hero odysseus
Odysseus journey
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Odysseus’ men who went scouting ate the lotus flowers and Odysseus had to carry them, flailing, back to
Leadership is a difficult quality to obtain. There are many characteristics that person needs to have in order to be considered a leader. Most important characteristics to have while in charge are intelligence, common sense, cautiousness, and bravery. Two leaders that are well-known in history are Maria Theresa of Austria and Odysseus, the main character in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey. This epic poem has a main focus of leadership and it is a great piece of text to get the reader to ask questions and try to find out the characteristics that make a good leader.
Correspondingly, Odysseus catches on to the deception of the Lotus Eaters and forces his men to get back on the ships, resuming their voyage back home, which is shown in this quote, "...they wished to stay, to linger there among the Lotus-eaters, feeding on the plant, eager to forget about their homeward voyage. I forced them, eyes full of tears, into our hollow ships, dragged them underneath the rowing benches, and tied them up." (Hinds 149), like Percy Jackson, Odysseus asserts his authority over his affiliates as he steers them away from the Lotus Eaters. Both characters are shown to take command and impose control regarding things that divert their companions from the task at
In the Odyssey, Homer creates comparative relationships using metaphors and similes in order to expand upon themes. One interesting relationship in the epic is that between the poet and the hero. In this epic, the most prominent of the heroes are Odysseus and Telemakhos, and the most prominent poets are Demodokos and Homer. There are many different examples of relationships between the poet and the hero, but one of the more striking relationships is the similarity between the two. Through this comparison, Homer shows that both the poet and the hero cannot achieve greatness without pain or help, but instead need to suffer and need the help of an external guiding hand in order to achieve greatness.
Odysseus and his men had travel to the island of the Lotus eaters when he drove “... them, all three wailing, to the ships, tied them down under their rowing benches, and called the rest: “ all hands a board; come, clear the beach and no one taste the Lotus or you lose your hope of home.” (Book 9, lines 48-52, textbook). Odysseus saved three of his man and brought them back to the ship, saving them from a long weary death. Odysseus also taught his remaining man a lesson and showed his men how clever he was in this dire situation. As Odysseus is fleeing from the Laestrygonians, he “...shouted rapid orders at my shipmates: ‘Put your backs in the oars- now row or die… my ship alone… we… escaped our death yet at heart for the dear companions we had lost.”
Homer’s The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fitzgerald, contains a man named Odysseus who can relate to today’s soldiers of the military by the power of love. Odysseus fights his way back home seeing he loves his wife monumentally, just as military wives and husbands love their spouse or child. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is king and a loving husband to his wife Penelope.
Odysseus is tempted by the land of the Lotus-Eaters he desires all that he can benefit by raiding their home. Homer writes, “Then I sent out two picked men and a runner to learn what race of man that land sustained”(92-93). In line 94 Odysseus then learned that his decisions were made in vain, because Odysseus’ men “.. fell in soon enough, with the Lotus-Eaters,” Odysseus took his pride from defeating Troy and turned it into arrogance. This then created problem with Odysseus and his crew and their ability to get back home. One would think that Odysseus would not run into a conflict like he had already endured, but as stated in lines 458-459 Odysseus didn’t learn.
For Ancient Greece, treating strangers with hospitality is expected. In Odysseus’s recent encounters, he was washed up on the shore of Phaeacia and was welcomed by the king and queen. Though Odysseus is a stranger upon the land of Phaeacia, kindness and aid is brought to him with the words of Alcinoüs, the King of Phaeacia, “I will fix your setting forth, and you may rest secure… until you reach your land and home or anywhere you please.” Treating travelers kindly was quite common in Ancient Greece, thus making “The Odyssey” quite relatable to its listeners. For if you are kind to your visitor, not only will your land receive a good reputation, it also aids in the advancement of trade and culture.
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.
Odysseus was trapped in Calypso Island for ten years and this made his son Telemachus to embark on a journey to find him after he learnt that he was not dead. The story is filled with mysterious and supernatural forces and happenings, but they still keep the characters going on in their expeditions. The Odyssey is an epic whereby the characters are developed
The journey of Odysseus began at the end of the Trojan war, when he tried to make it to Penelope in his home, Ithica. But the gods were not happy with Odysseus, due to his arrogant ways and his lack of faith in the gods. Because of this, his journey home would become a 20 year one. He was moved, of course, a number of times by the gods or by weather, He faced many trials and was stopped at many places. Each place he was brought to ended up being another trial.
In The Odyssey, Odysseus’ journey is created by a cycle of self-created obstacles that are solved by quick witted thinking and ultimately reflect no real desire to learn from his errors or create any character development. Throughout the story, Odysseus expresses a strong desire to return home to Ithaca, however he is constantly thwarted by his own curious and boastful nature. For example, when
The epic “The Odyssey” by Homer, tells the journey of Odysseus and his crew as they tried to find there way home. Their journey was very difficult and took place over many years. Odysseus and his crew face many challenges and obstacles, and he had to make many difficult decisions. Just like Odysseus, I will encounter temptation and make difficult decisions on my journey throughout life.
Throughout the story, Odysseus demonstrates his courage that ultimately allows him to survive. One of these moments was during his journey back to Ithaca, where he faces a race of man eating giants called the Cyclops. Odysseus originally stops his ship there to relish a feast while on his journey back to Ithaca, but while doing so, out of curiosity explores the island. Soon, he finds a deserted house and decides to wait of the owner. The owner was unknowingly one the Cyclops, named Polyphemus.
The Odyssey and Ulysses were meant to be the same character written by two different individuals. Both individuals encountered obstacles at some point in their lives. Odysseus and Ulysses were both considered a hero in today’s society along with their similar characteristics. The heroic qualities and themes presented in both pieces of the literature work emphasized the similarity between the two characters along with their differences.