Examples Of Overconfidence In The Odyssey

Poetry for years has been renowned as a major form of expression in art and literature. A guiding example of this is Homer’s 12,000-line epic, The Odyssey. This epic tells a tale combining years to focus on the life of Odysseus, a soldier who fought in the Trojan War, and the life he lead on his journey home. Throughout his journey, Homer narrates the battles he lives through and shows how Odysseus perseveres with help from the Gods. In the above passage excerpted from Book 9, we are shown Odysseus’s encounter with a Cyclops which teaches the reader an important lesson. Homer conveys how overconfidence can lead to a reckoning within oneself and its repercussions as an important lesson people should follow.

This reoccurring motif of overconfidence’s

In the following quote, the Cyclops says to Odysseus, “Would to god I could strip you of life and breath and ship you down to the House of Death,” (9. 580-581). In the following quote, the monster compares death to a house, showing how hard the Cyclops wants to force the pain of death onto Odysseus. At this point of the passage, the Cyclops' hatred is only amplified, which makes the simile comparing the theme of death so relevant. Odysseus’s pride is what has ultimately failed him, as the Cyclops confirms his wariness toward the hero. This big idea and lesson only continues to grow throughout the passage, as the effects of Odysseus’s actions become bigger and bigger. As this theme of death shows more about the Cyclops and Odysseus’s character, fate becomes a big player in the excerpt. In the Cyclops' words, it’s said, “Or if he’s fated to see his people once again and reach his well-built house and his own native country, let him come home late.” (9. 590-592). In this quote, the Cyclops begins his speech about Odysseus’s fate, which is completely in the hands of the monster. The Cyclops at the beginning of the quote says “[H]e’s fated to see his people,” meaning he wants to make sure this doesn’t happen, as he is cursing him. Odysseus’s fate is being changed by this monster because of his overwhelming confidence, and if Odysseus acted differently, the results could have been worldly unalike. His fate is influenced directly by his attitude earlier on and created a chain reaction Homer intended on detailing. Homer is telling us through this lesson that being overconfident can change the largest things, and in Odysseus’s instance, his fate. Fate and the theme of death helped impact Odysseus, along with his recklessness and creates a lesson worth