Essay On Hero And Zero In The Odyssey

Hero or Zero?: Odysseus’s dependence on Athena throughout the Odyssey

In the Odyssey, Odysseus depends almost entirely on Athena rather than using skill to deal with his problems. Odysseus shows this reliance when he is trapped on Ogygia without any way to escape. Athena intervenes to give directions to Odysseus so that he can freely travel on his journey. Also, Odysseus receives, from Athena, free protection, as well as courage for his son Telemachus, without needing to do anything. As a result of all of these actions, it shows that Odysseus would be powerless without Athena’s aid.

Before Odysseus heads to Phaeacia, Athena greatly helps Odysseus when his boat is shipwrecked on Calypso’s island. Here he is forced to stay for seven years away

In the beginning of Telemachus’s journey, he is frequently greeted by Athena disguised as Mentor, who guides Telemachus through his journey in the Telemachy. This action by Athena then later aids Odysseus when he reunites with Telemachus. Towards the start of the Telemachy, Telemachus is a scared child who can not deal with the suitors at all. He told Athena that Odysseus “has gone where he cannot be seen or found and to me has left nothing but sorrow and tears” (1.242-244). However, after Athena visits Telemachus, she instills courage in him and tells him that his father is alive, so that he can hold a meeting in front of the suitors and head to Pylos to find his father. After “this departure [it] leaves Telemachus with the courage and strength to carry out the instructions he has received” (Murrin 505). This confidence within Telemachus then gives him the courage that he needs to fight off the suitors and protect Penelope from forced marriage. After Athena creates this confidence within Telemachus, she then guides Telemachus by stating that he should head to Sparta after Pylos, and through this guidance Athena creates a man with the courage and bravery to risk his life to save his city. By creating this new character from Telemachus, it later helps Odysseus fend off the horde of suitors. In this battle, due to his courage, Telemachus is able to stand up to these suitors

When Odysseus arrives in Scherie, Athena went to work to help him get back home by coming to Nausicaa in a dream. She then “arranges his deliverance by appearing to Nausicaa, daughter of the island's ruler, in a dream and urging her to wash her clothing so that she will have clothing ready when the time comes for her to marry” (Schaps 223). This then allows for Odysseus to move through the kingdom to speak with Alcinous for help. Therefore, without this intervention, Odysseus would have been unable to obtain clothes from Nausicaa, which enables Odysseus to go into the kingdom without being ridiculed by the people, otherwise, it would be very difficult for Odysseus to obtain help from the Phaeacians. Also, John Scott points out that without this help from Athena, Odysseus would have been unable to speak with Alcinous for aid in Odysseus’s journey. He explains, “she induced Nausicaa to go with the washing to the pool so that she might meet Odysseus and direct him to the city” (Scott 5). As a result of Odysseus having a guide, he is able to talk freely with Alcinous, it allows for him to get the necessary supplies for the return back to Ithaca. However, if Odysseus is not directed through the city by Nausicaa, it would result in Odysseus not being able to speak with Alcinous through direct connection. This consequently shows that it would have been very