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Odysseus As A Monster In Homer's Odyssey

1270 Words6 Pages

What is a monster in reality? Sure, you could say they are predators that creep in the night, awaiting their next victim- it could be you. It could be said that monsters are the darkest parts of ourselves that we externalize, to understand them. Or maybe none of those ideas at all. What if, a monster could be the person typing every single letter you are reading right now? Perhaps. Humans naturally fear the unknown, what we do not know or understand; it frightens us. Which is why knowledge holds such a powerful pedestal in the current cultures, we have created as humans, looking up to elders, wise people, priests, monks, and more. They know more than any of us could ever begin to imagine, and we hold them under such a powerful value, but what about someone who does not know? Someone who is oblivious or ignorant of the world around them, what do we …show more content…

The Cyclops, Polyphemus, was a cast out creature for being different in his appearance, values, depicted as ignoring the greek value Xenia, and so forth. Although similarly, the story portrays him as a monster for acting towards Odysseus and his men in a strongly negative and disrespectful way. He …show more content…

Polyphemus's punishment for his previous actions was having his eye stabbed out by Odysseus for their escape, but the cyclops' lack of Xenia and ignorance towards it was what made him into the monster figure. By being ignorant to Xenia he allowed himself to be villainized which was exactly how he was drawn out by those stories, he became the monster. Therefore, allowing his defeat due to Odysseus who was known to be exceptionally wise, which was a powerful

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Homer's Odyssey-How Xenia Is Shown In The Odyssey

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Odysseus Rash Decisions In Homer's Odyssey

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After Odysseus blinded Polyphemus, then revealed himself, Polyphemus screamed out, “Odysseus, raider of cities, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca, never reaches home”(9. 588-590), to Poseidon. He acted like an arrogant monster without thought, and then the monster unleashed the most monstrous revenge on him. By revealing himself he indirectly turned himself into even more of a monster. Then when his crew eats the cattle Zeuss rings out, “I’ll hit their racing ship with a white-hot bolt, I’ll tear it into splinters.

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When Odysseus and his men snuck into Polyphemus’ cave, they are questioned who they are by the giant. To describe their reaction to the cyclops, Homer writes, “The hearts inside us shook, terrified by his rumbling voice and monstrous hulk” (Homer 219). Homer develops diction through the use of specific words to describe Polyphemus, such as terrified, rumbling, monstrous, and hulk. By using these words, Homer develops a very great and intimidating impression of the cyclops. After driving an olive stake through Polyphemous’ eye, Odysseus describes the cyclops while he develops a plot to escape, saying, “The cyclops slept on-giant, lawless brute-” (Homer 225)

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He was clever in knowing this cyclops was Poseidon's son. Telling his real name would get him cursed so he told the cyclops his name was Noman. " Cyclopsm, have some wine, now that you have had your human flesh..." (Line 345) After eating some of Odysseus' men, Odysseus got the cyclops drunk and stabbed him in the eye. While Polyphemus was in pain, Odysseus disguised him and his men under the sheep and they ran out with their lives and Polyphemus' sheep.

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Polyphemus dishonors the gods by thinking cyclopes are mightier than them. This is true because in the passage it states “Stranger, you must be a fool, or must have come very far afield, to order me to fear or reverence the gods.”.

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In The Odyssey, the Cyclops is a monster because of his key differences from mere human beings, specifically his lack of wit and of morals. Depicting these qualities as monstrous support that cleverness and a general regard for human life were heavily valued in Greek culture. Odysseus easily trick the Cyclops bragging, “I poured him another fiery bowl - three bowls I brimmed and three he drank to the last drop, the fool”(9.404-406). To describe the bowls of wine as fiery foreshadows the demise of the Cyclops. Odysseus was able to use his brain, not strength, to make the Cyclops drink himself into a stupor.

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