Aleena Hower Mrs. Patterson Honors English 9 10 May 2024 The Foolishness of Men in The Odyssey Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus is portrayed as a nearly perfect epic hero. The only known flaw that is depicted in Odysseus is his hubris, or excessive pride in himself. However, writers of poetry about The Odyssey often suggest that Odysseus and his men have many more flaws, such as simple foolishness or ignorance of missing obviousness. The additional poems “Argos”, “Circe’s Power”, and “Siren Song” written about Homer’s The Odyssey serve to contrast the original story and suggest a look at a different point of view, representing the theme that human foolishness results in disaster. The poem “Circe’s Power” by Louise Gluck suggests a different perseverance …show more content…
Stallings explains, “And if you return. home after twenty years / you might weep for the hunting dog / you long ago abandoned, rising from the garbage / of its bed, its instinct of recognition still intact”(Stalling 19-22). Stalling examines the deep feeling of recognition that even a dog has for its owner, no matter what disguise is used to deceive the humans. As Odysseus weeps for his dog, the theme of human foolishness is expressed through the failure of humans to recognize someone they know deeply through a simple appearance change. Humans are proven to be easily deceived, making them appear foolish. These additional poems about Homer’s The Odyssey serve to contrast the original story and suggest a look at a different point of view, representing the effect human foolishness has on disaster. Odysseus and his men make many foolish and idiotic decisions that seem to be insignificant in The Odyssey but are easily depicted by pointing them out and exploring them through poetry. Whether it be failure to accept a warning or being easily deceived, humans have a tendency toward foolishness that is accurately depicted in the poems written about The