Resilience In Homer's The Odyssey

There are multiple motifs and themes in the book The Odyssey. This book, written by Homer, is an epic. In this epic, Odysseus’ demonstration of leadership and skill proved that resilience and not giving up eventually leads to success. The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus trying to go home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. His leadership helps him and his crew eventually return home to their families. Throughout the book he also demonstrates skill. This helps him fight his way through the many obstacles he faces trying to get home. Resilience is another very important thing that Odysseus displays across the entirety of the book. This is important because it is what keeps Odysseus going on his journey home. All of this joint demonstrates that not

Resilience was shown many times throughout the story. After Odysseus and his men win the Trojan war, they tried to return home but they were hit by a storm and were blown off course by angry gods multiple times. In book 12, they return to the island of Aeaea for the final time. When they arrive, they bury Elpenor, “ We cut logs in haste and out on the island’s sharpest jutting headland / held his funeral rites in sorrow, streaming tears. / Once we’d burned the dead man and the dead man’s armor,/ heaping his grave-mound, hauling a stone that coped it well, / we planted his balanced oar aloft to crown his tomb.” (Homer 271. 10-15) Odysseus was a very religious man and he followed the common rituals for burial for all of the men from his crew that he could. After they mourn Elpenor, they embark on yet another trip home. During the trip Eurylochus speaks to Odysseus, “you’re a hard man Odysseus. Your fighting spirit’s/ stronger than ours, your stamina never fails….” (Homer 280. 302-03) Eurylochus reminds Odysseus that he is stronger than most men and he has endured much more than else. He also showed Odysseus how much his crew looks up to him and thinks very highly of him. Even when the crew wants to give up, they stay with Odysseus and support him throughout his journey. Ultimately, Odysseus shows resilience throughout the epic and it helped him eventually succeed and return

The skills Odysseus shows in fighting, navigating the seas, crafting, and many other things, help him on his long journey home. After 10 years of voyaging home, Odysseus finally succeeds and makes it to Ithaca. On one of his attempts to go home, he ends up stranded on an island with a Cyclops. Odysseus and his men end up trapped in the Cyclop’s home, and the only way they get out is by Odysseus’ craftiness. He decides to stab Polyphemus, the cyclops, in the eye with a wooden stake. Since Odysseus had told Polyphemus earlier that “Nobody---that’s my name,”(Homer 223.410) none of Polyphemus’ brothers came to help him when he started screaming that “Nobody” was attacking him. Another time when Odysseus was very skillful was when he goes back to his home, and he disguises himself as a beggar. When he pulls back the rags, he is described as “Odysseus master of craft and battle.” (Homer 439. 1) He then fights and kills all the suitors in his home in Ithaca with some help from his son. Before the long journey home Odysseus was one of the most respected and important military advisors and leaders . In the end, his skills and craft aid him in finally getting home to his wife and son.
The Odyssey has a number of motifs which are demonstrated throughout the story and help Odysseus find his way home. His leadership guides his ship crew and they loyally follow him wherever he goes. Resilience helps him push through and overcome