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Hubris Caused By Odysseus: A True Hero

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Additionally, Odysseus had made some mistakes like all good heroes. Once when the cyclop, Polyphemus tries to befriend Odysseus. Which, Odysseus disregarded, “If I could take your life I would and take your time away, and hurl you down to hell! The god of earthquake could not heal you there” (479 - 481). Odysseus has insulted Polyphemus and his father, Poseidon. Just after Polyphemus apologize and tries to help him. This act is considered hubris or bad pride. Hubris is the opposite of respect for the gods, a Greek value. Soon after, Polyphemus curses Odysseus to never return home. Although, Odysseus had a reason for insulting Polyphemus. Polyphemus may have tried to deceive Odysseus by making him come back and attacking him. Also in the Land of the Dead, Odysseus met with a blind prophet, Tiresias. …show more content…

Tiresias foretell Odysseus will undergo humbleness and discover a newfound respect for the gods. Odysseus is apologizing by performing a hecatomb for each god. A hecatomb is sacrificing a hundred cattles for every each god. Next, during the feast of Helios’ cattles and Odysseus just woke up. Odysseus prayed, “O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever, you made me sleep away this day of mischief” (948 - 949). Odysseus blamed Zeus himself for making his sleep the day away while his men feast on Helios’

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In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Odysseus taunts Polyphemus about outsmarting and defeating him. The exchange infuriates Polyphemus and causes Poseidon to create a sea storm in response to Polyphemus’ prayer to him to take revenge on Odysseus. Through Homer’s depiction of Odysseus threatening to “‘...ship [Polyphemus] to the House of Death’”, Odysseus’ extreme pride is displayed as he appears to believe he is capable of killing Polyphemus although Odysseus is a mere mortal and Polyphemus is a direct descendant of Poseidon. Odysseus’ inflated ego also convinces him that he does not have to fear repercussions for his actions as demonstrated through Odysseus taunting, “‘as surely as no one will ever heal your eye, / not even your earthquake

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Overall, Odysseus is often portrayed as a “model hero”, but in reality he has many faults such as being untrustworthy, arrogant and

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In the Epic, “The Odyssey,” written by Homer, is the story of a man named, Odysseus, and his experiences and his exploration told through many episodes within the story. Odysseus, as the leader of his men, he lacks qualities of humility, empathy, and focus, which overall prevents him from being qualified as a good leader. In not having humility, it causes Odysseus to often lose focus. During the episode, “The Cyclops,” Odysseus and his men escape the island in which Polyphemus, the cyclops, was keeping them held captive, rather than thinking of his men and immediately leaving, Odysseus takes the time to gloat and risks their safety. (Cyclops.

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Your filthy crimes came down on your own head, you shameless cannibal, daring to eat your guests in your own house—so Zeus and the other gods have paid you back!’”(226). Once again, Odysseus became cocky and foolishly told Polyphemus who he really was: “‘Cyclops—if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so—say Odysseus”’(227). Both of these examples show Odysseus’s

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When they get back to the boat and Odysseus yells out to the Cyclopes his name. Which means a harder journey for Odysseus and his men because Polyphemus is Poseidon's son. In this book Odysseus shows his pride when he yells from the boat and almist gets him and his men killed. In the movie Odysseus pride is most shown when he blames her situation solely on his men.

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In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, by the end of chapter twelve Odysseus is the lone survivor of his crew, saved and cursed by Polyphemus’s prayer. Even though Polyphemus’s prayer intended to doom Odysseus, ironically it actually spared his life. Odysseus is saved by Polyphemus’s prayer because he prays to keep Odysseus alive long enough to return to his ruined homeland. After Odysseus stabbed Polyphemus, the son of Poseidon, Polyphemus prayed to his father, “‘Let him lose all companions, and return / under strange sail to bitter days at home’” (Odyssey 9.451-452).

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The third time Odysseus shows that he had supernatural conflict is in the cyclops adventure, and it was caused by Odysseus and his crew, who tricked the cyclops many times. In the Odyssey, it states that Odysseus taunts at Polyphemus, and reveals his real name after Odysseus injured Polyphemus, and tricked him, which enraged him. After Polyphemus about Odysseus, he requested from his father, Poseidon, the god of sea, to curse Odysseus, and ask for revenge on Odysseus and his crew. As the results, Poseidon alternated the ocean’s courses during the journey

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He reaches out to Zeus, “For hope that one might show me some way of salvation” (Homer 625) and in replication, the god, “closed [Odysseus’] eyes under slow drops of sleep” (Homer 625). Although the quotes display amnesty, they have a deeper meaning than finding salvation. In response to the hero’s call, the god puts Odysseus to slumber, while the crew indulges in the cattle. Moreover, Helios messages the thunder god to kill those who ate his cattle. It was this decree that made Zeus throw a bolt at Odysseus’ men, killing them all.

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First, because Odysseus’ “master strokes” allow his crew to escape from Polyphemus and he “command[s] a dozen vessels,” Odysseus claims responsibility for his crew’s successful escape, and thus, Odysseus claims to be the hero in this section (216). Next, Odysseus’ hubris and disloyalty in this scene highlight the flaws in Homer’s depiction of Odysseus as a hero. First, despite his crew “begging” Odysseus to stop taunting Polyphemus' he does not revealing his disloyalty to his crew and pride. However, in spite of his actions, Homer describes Odysseus as “headstrong”—a positive and complimentary word for selfish actions.

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Just as Achilles is confronted in the Iliad with the problem of balancing his honor with his pride, Odysseus repeatedly faces situations in which self-restraint and humility must check bravado and glory-seeking. In his early adventures, he fails these tests, as when he taunts Polyphemus, inflaming Poseidon. As the epic progresses, Odysseus becomes increasingly capable of judging when it is wise to reveal himself and when it is appropriate to rejoice in his

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Polyphemus threatens Odysseus by saying “‘Come back, Odysseus, and I’ll treat you well, praying the god of earthquake to befriend you-his son I am, for he by his avowal fathered me, and, if he will, he may heal me of this black wound-he and no other of all the happy gods or mortal men’” (160, 564-559). Polyphemus wanted to make a deal with Odysseus; he would have his father make Odysseus’ voyage home smooth, and Polyphemus hoped that Poseidon could heal his eye wound. Polyphemus seemed to doubt that his father would help him with his blindness, which shows that their relationship is not close or strong. After Odysseus threatened to kill Polyphemus and says that Poseidon could not help his blindness, Polyphemus prays to his father, saying “‘O hear me, lord, blue girdler of the islands, if I am thine indeed, and thou art father: grant that Odysseus, raider of cities, never sees his home: Laertes’ son, I mean, who kept his hall on Ithaca.

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Eurylochus convinced the crew to go behind Odysseus’ back and do what they were told not while Odysseus was sleeping by saying “Comrades, he said, you 've gone through everything; listen to what I say. All deaths are hateful to us, mortal wretches, but famine is the most pitiful, the worst end that a man can come to. Will you fight it?...better open your lungs to a big sea once for all then waste to skin and bones on a lonely island”(pg 841 L221-257). When Odysseus found out, he blamed Zeus because he 's the one who put Odysseus to sleep. Helios asked Zeus

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Odysseus has grown from the man he was before, as now he finds comfort and safety in obeying the gods when in the past he did not consider their wishes. Odysseus has only returned due to Athena and he has recognized that and his compliance is founded in his appreciation and respect for her. Odysseus is now a hero due to the obedience he now has to the gods, founded in a sense of humility. Through Odysseus’ experiences on his journey, he learns the value of obedience and dangers of arrogance and ultimately, become a hero through the lessons learned.

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While Odysseus and his crew are slowly moving away from Cyclopes Island, Odysseus tells Polyphemus that he is “Odysseus, Laertes’ son,” whose home “lies on Ithaca” (Homer 459 and 460). Because of his arrogant decision to tell Polyphemus the truth of his origins, he essentially dooms him and his crew. Polyphemus, who is Poseidon's son, asks of his father to punish Odysseus for his arrogance, whom grants his prayer. In cessation, Odysseus’ haughty decision to tell Polyphemus his whereabouts leads to his utter

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Odysseus blinds and taunts the Cyclops Polyphemus, which leads to Polyphemus praying to his father, Poseidon, to curse Odysseus. The curse bestowed upon Odysseus by Poseidon is mentioned in book 9 lines 445-451 of The

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