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Examples Of Wisdom In The Odyssey

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Recognizing that wisdom is necessary for order, Zeus took as his first wife Metis, “wisest of all, of gods and men”(Theogony 888). Then, when Metis was about to give birth, Zeus, “deceived her mind / ...and thrust her down / into his belly” (Theogony 890-92). Through the consummation of Metis symbolizes Zeus acquires wisdom. The unity of Zeus’ strength and wisdom which Zeus acquires by his cunning brings order to the cosmos. Thus, from the unity of strength, wisdom, and cunning, comes order. Therefore without wisdom there is no order, and likewise order is not possible without strength and cunning. In the Odyssey, Odysseus possesses cunning and strength, but he has forgotten the other half; the unity of strength and wisdom in order. Just like Zeus used cunning to …show more content…

I would dower you with a house and properties (ODY 7.311-314).
Phaeacia was a kingdom where the gods would attend the Phaeacian banquets without disguise, a sign its perfection. Thus, when Odysseus is offered the hand of Nausikaa, he is actually being offered a perfect kingdom. However, by choosing to go home to Political chaos Odysseus reveals his desire to restore order in chaotic Ithaka.
Penelope is the ultimate test to whether the trials of the women strengthen Odysseus’ desire for wisdom. Odysseus has to prove to Penelope that he is actually Odysseus and can only be reunited through cunning. Penelope “spoke to her husband, trying him out”(ODY 23.181), discerning whether he truly deserves her wisdom. Like the unification of Zeus with Metis, only cunning can re-unify the strength of Odysseus with the wisdom of Penelope to give birth to order. In her wisdom, Penelope realizes how deceptive that the gods are, and explains to Odysseus why she needed to try him:
Do not now be angry with me nor blame me...
For always the deep spirit in my heart was fearful
That some one of mortal men would come and deceive me

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216 Words | 1 Pages

In the myth, The Odyssey, the hero Odysseus fights a cyclops named Polyphemius. During their battle, the hero's men were eaten by the cyclopes, and Odysseus uses the cyclop's bad eyesight to his advanage. Odysseus also mocks Polymethius by tricking the cyclops into thinking Odysseus's name was "Nobody." To escape the cave the cyclops trapped him in, he climbs on a sheep's underside and sneeks his way out of the cave.

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845 Words | 4 Pages

Witty Odysseus Wit by definition means “Mentally sharp; keen intelligence”. Throughout The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus represents many ways that he has earned the title of “Mighty Odysseus” by showing Wit for himself and his men. He has shown that he is mentally strong enough, has an overpowering mind, and is able to think about ways that are not obvious while being in so many emotional states. He leads himself along with his men, through the adventures on the trail to the Island of Ithaca. For his mental strength he has earned the right to call himself and for others to call him “Mighty Odysseus”.

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940 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout the story Penelope stays loyal to Odysseus by waiting 20 years for her husband to return. Odysseus shows his loyalty to Penelope by wanting to go home as far as rejecting immortality for Penelope. Penelope proves this when she says “How I long for my husband--alive in memory, always” (88). Odysseus shows his loyalty to Penelope when he tells Calypso to “Look at my wise Penelope. She falls far short of you, your beauty, stature.

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1601 Words | 7 Pages

However, Penelope still loves Odysseus and remains loyal to him by stalling the marriage. She still continues to persist in being hopeful and refuses to believe that Odysseus will never return to her, so she creates several excuses to help her evade marriage for as long as possible. She presents tasks to keep the

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1018 Words | 5 Pages

Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, chronicles the homeward bound voyage of the main character, King Odysseus of Ithaca. After Trojan War which lasted ten years, Odysseus sets foot on another adventure, which also spans ten years, to return to Ithaca. Odysseus is gone from his home for a total twenty years, but upon his arrival back to Ithaca, he finds that his title has been defended by his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus, who have been awaiting his return this entire time. Odysseus and Penelope are meant to be a model couple, so people often argue about which of the two is more admirable. To be admirable is to have faced a struggle with honor and dignity.

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463 Words | 2 Pages

Upon Odysseus arrival to Ithaca, Athena hides his identity to help him defeat the suitors. She turns him into a very old beggar to conceal his identity from everyone, most importantly the suitors. Odysseus reveals himself to his son Telemachus, cowherd and the swine herd. The nurse Eurycleia recognizes him because of a scar he got years ago by a boar’s white tusk. Penelope doesn’t recognize Odysseus at first sight because of the disguise.

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780 Words | 4 Pages

In many societies today, individuals are led to believe that the concept of women possessing their own strength or independence is abnormal. As a result, women experience the world in a constrained way in comparison to men, even if they are in higher classes of society. However, these extensive aspects of females are contradicted in some ancient Greek literature. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer portrays women as a vital and powerful force through the characters Penelope and Circe, who counter the normality of misogyny in Homer’s time. Penelope’s character displays how some women are able to exceed society’s standards and show strength and cleverness when it is necessary.

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381 Words | 2 Pages

struggling against Penelope’s suitors; since Odysseus had not returned for about 20 years, the suitors came in order to assume a role as king of Ithaca. Under the guidance of Athena, Odysseus has decided not to reveal his true identity yet and instead constructs a persona. Odysseus therefore lies both in order to ascertain the loyalty of his family; as well as to respect the Greek ideal of the ideal time to reveal himself to his wife in the best state possible. Odysseus lies in order to prove Penelope’s fidelity.

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142 Words | 1 Pages

The Greeks were about to admit defeat and sail back home, but Nestor spoke up and explained what Agamemnon did wrong. Nestor was known to be wiser than Odysseus, so the Greeks listened to him even Agamemnon admitted it was his fault. This example of Nestor’s wisdom is significant at this point in the myth because if Nector did not mention Agamemnon’s mistake, the outcome of the war would have been different. The Greek camp did not realize if Agamemnon had not angered Achilles they would not have been defeated. The Greeks acknowledged Nestor’s wisdom and Agamemnon fixed the problem by appeasing Achilles.

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774 Words | 4 Pages

Clever can be defined as showing intelligence or skill or being ingenious. Cleverness is an important trait when it comes to dealing with others, especially difficult people. When dealing with difficult people, one must be clever in what they say and how they say it. Homer, the author of The Odyssey, shows the trait of cleverness in the characters of Penelope and Odysseus. Penelope shows cleverness when she tells the Suitors that she will wed the one who wins the archery competition.

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1041 Words | 5 Pages

However, for a woman in Homer’s society, who belongs to either her father and her husband, she is the head of the household for 20 years in the absence of Odysseus. She does not preserve peace in the household, but she takes actions to prevent the destruction of ranks of the household by delaying her marriage so that when Odysseus come back home, he can reclaim the kingship, or when Telemachus is old enough, he can take the throne which is rightfully his. In the position where women have no power, she uses her intellectual strength to control the suitors. Penelope promises the suitors that she will choose one of them to marry after she finishes weaving the shroud for Laertes because it is shameful if she does not do anything for her father-in-law. The suitors eagerly comply to her request without knowing what Penelope plans to do.

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761 Words | 4 Pages

Bravery, cleverness, and determination are three traits a good leader has. In Homer’s epic “The Odyssey,” Odysseus, the hero in the story, is trying to return home to Ithaca after his victory in Troy. On their way back home, Odysseus and his men hurt the cyclops, Polyphemus, and angered his father, Poseidon. With a god angry at them, Odysseus and his men had to overcome many obstacles. These obstacles led them to strange islands that had goddesses and dangerous creatures.

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1401 Words | 6 Pages

These women influenced the conditions of the journey by guiding Odysseus in different directions, and aiding him crucially. Their authority showed the idea behind an old proverb, which states, “Behind every great man there’s a great woman”. Throughout The Odyssey, the women exemplified their power during the course of Odysseus’ journey.     Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, bravely held down the front in Ithaca while her husband struggled to find his way back home. In Book 18, Penelope spoke to the ever-so-desperate suitors about what Odysseus “told” her before he left.

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430 Words | 2 Pages

The Odyssey - Intelligence VS. Strength In the story, The Odyssey, there are many instances that support the term ‘intelligence is more important than strength’.  Odysseus used his mental intelligence to outwit the Trojan warriors.  

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168 Words | 1 Pages

Myrsiadesr compares Penelope’s early recognition in book 19 to a game that only she and Odysseus are playing. Throughout this game only Penelope is aware of it, so she is able to make all of the rules. Odysseus is not aware that his wife recognizes him, before he relieves his identity to her. She is signifying throughout this entire game that she is the one in power. Which is why even after his identity is relieved she continues to test her husband to indicate she is the one in power.

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