Seven Deadly Sins In The Odyssey

Conquering the Deadly Sins

According to Webster Dictionary, odyssey means, “a series of adventurous journeys usually marked by many changes of fortune.” Generally, the hero displays certain traits which allow the changes of fortune to happen. Homer wrote an epic, The Odyssey, in which Odysseus, a demigod and a hero in the battle of Troy, endures hardships after the battle of Troy in his ten-year journey home from Troy to Ithaca. Homer wrote The Odyssey as an allegory, a representation of abstract meaning through concrete forms such as characters, figures, and events, to present the seven deadly sins. In the allegory, Odysseus metaphorically battles the seven deadly sins, showing that defeating the seven deadly sins yields positive consequences.

For example, Odysseus and his shipmates find themselves trapped in a cave of the Cyclops, a primordial race of giants. Odysseus then thinks about using brute strength to defeat the Cyclops. However, Odysseus realizes that he lacks strength to directly fight the Cyclops, so Odysseus gives one of the Cyclops wine instead and blinds the monster when it becomes drunk, allowing Odysseus and his crew to escape (9.241-526). As Odysseus battles the Cyclops, he battles with himself on his pride. He needs to humble himself to realize that his physical strength alone will not defeat the Cyclops. Because Odysseus does not show off, Odysseus makes clever decisions which lead to his escape. For example, Odysseus retells his story to Alcinous, “And with that threat he let my ram go free outside. / But soon as we’d got one foot past cave and courtyard, / first I loosed myself from the ram, then loosed my men,” (9.515-517). Due to Odysseus defeating his pride, he utilizes his time well instead of bragging; thus, surviving the cave of the Cyclops. Through defeating pride while defeating his challenges in the adventure, Odysseus escapes the Cyclops and keeps on traveling