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The Character Of Odysseus In Margaret Atwood's Odyssey

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I love that Margaret Atwood chose to tell Penelope’s side of the story through Penelope’s point of view. It definitely makes the narrative of Odysseus and his journey much more interesting. However, the change in point of view causes the reader to question who is telling the true story – Homer or Penelope? Personally, I am having a hard time choosing what to believe and what not to believe; more specifically, I am conflicted over the character of Odysseus. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is portrayed as a hero whose only flaw is his pride. In The Penelopiad, he is characterized as almost the opposite. Penelope states that she “had inklings, about his slipperiness, his wiliness, his foxiness…, his unscrupulousness, but [she] turned a blind eye” (Atwood 3). She claims that he was a cheat, a liar, and a thief. Before starting this novella, I had a clear image of Odysseus; but, now I have no idea who he truly is as a character. …show more content…

I assumed Atwood’s diction would be similar to Homer’s since her story is virtually a retelling of The Odyssey from a different point of view; however, this is not the case—Atwood’s diction is very refreshing. The many similes and metaphors scattered throughout the narrative are not only entertaining, but they also paint very unique and specific images for the reader. My personal favorite simile comes when Penelope is explaining how she is able to visit the land of the

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Instead of using a simple simile to suggest the feelings of Penelope and Odysseus and have somewhat of an understanding by the reader, Homer used an epic simile to show exactly how the two felt, in a way that could clearly be understood by the reader, thus enhancing the understanding of the text. Penelope and Odysseus have been apart for too many years, and they have both gone through a lot of suffering, Odysseus on his journey, and Penelope trying to fend off the suitors at home. When they are together again, the love and joy that they feel for one another surpasses any of the feelings of hardship that the two went through, and Homer accurately conveys that through his epic simile. The extension to the simile enforces what the reader already knows, but also invokes a feeling in the reader as well, which would not have been done with a traditional

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353 Words | 2 Pages

Odysseus was all around, irresponsible. In conclusion, Odysseus is not the archetype hero people claim him to be. Odysseus shows characteristics of irresponsibility, unloyalty and pride. Odysseus falls short of what people claim an archetype hero to be.

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921 Words | 4 Pages

The Great Hero AG Most people believe Odysseus was not an admirable because he was arrogant, selfish and dishonest. Odysseus was an admirable character because he is loyal, clever and brave. One way Odysseus was admirable was because he was loyal. Odysseus shows his loyalty towards his men when they encounter the Lotus Eaters.

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1777 Words | 8 Pages

Although it makes sense that someone wouldn’t brag about killing many rich men, it's very different from the Odysseus we first met. Overall, Odysseus goes from arrogant to wise. This would make him a dynamic character since he has had many things happen to him and there is a change reflected in his personality. Previously, he walked into situations feeling invincible. He would always be planning and thinking but overestimating his power often altered the outcome.

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196 Words | 1 Pages

In part one of Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus uses his epic hero qualities to help him out on his quest to get back home to Ithaca. He’s shows superb intelligence when fighting the cyclopes in “Book 9.” That’s a quality of superhuman intelligence that Odysseus possessed all throughout his entire journey. Another epic hero quality that helped Odysseus was help from Greek gods and goddesses. In part two of Homer’s Odyssey, Athena helped out Odysseus when he got back to his home land.

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951 Words | 4 Pages

In one of the oldest pieces of literature, The Odyssey written by Homer, Odysseus is a heroic and admirable commander that goes beyond his own duties to protect his men and return home to his beloved Ithaca. Although some readers think Odysseus is ignorant and a braggart, I believe he is a strong leader and an admirable wartime hero. Even though he is not flawless, Odysseus preservers through many obstacles and remains determined throughout the book. Odysseus has clearly shown both leadership and tactical thinking for instance when he devised a plan to escape the Cyclopes’ cave, respecting Elpenor’s dying wish, and slaying a stag to feed his men. Heroism and leadership can be defined in many different ways.

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836 Words | 4 Pages

In The Odyssey an epic poem by Homer, Odysseus, a hero from Ithaca, is trapped on his way home from Athens and Troy. His son, Telemachus, goes on a journey looking for his lost father. Both son and father want to reclaim their house from the suitors who wish to marry Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. Genghis Khan, Choi Yuna, my brother, An Thai, and Odysseus have traits like strength, thoughtfulness, and attractiveness. People need heroes with these traits because they need role models and someone to guide them through life.

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401 Words | 2 Pages

Odysseus is a leader that portrays both non-heroic and heroic traits throughout the story. These traits reflect his way of thinking and what actions he takes. These traits fluctuate from bravery to overconfidence. Nonetheless, the traits all contribute to the hero and as a result, they contribute to the story. As a hero, there are many admirable stereotypical character traits Odysseus possesses.

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997 Words | 4 Pages

A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.

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1080 Words | 5 Pages

A hero can be defined as a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Odysseus from Homer’s “The Odyssey” exemplifies this heroic definition. During his twenty year adventure fighting in the Trojan war and his ill-fated struggle to return home to his loving wife and son, he is given an opportunity to demonstrate this heroic character. What noble qualities does Odysseus display that prove his heroism?

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268 Words | 2 Pages

In the epic The Odyssey, the epic hero Odysseus shows many hero like traits, in my opinion the most important trait would be loyalty. Odysseus, the hero of The Odyssey, first shows the trait loyalty on the Land of the Lotus Eaters. Odysseus sends three of his best men to check out this island, but bad luck has them and they run into Lotus Eaters who are addicted to the Lotus Plant. The next they know is the three men become addicted also.

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432 Words | 2 Pages

The main character Odysseus in the Odyssey written by Homer is generally thought to be a great hero; however, he shows more traits of a quite flawed character on closer inspection. Around the beginning of Odysseus’ journey home after the war, Odysseus decides to take a detour to the home of a cyclops deciding to not listen to his men’s suggestions to leave while they still could; consequently, it does not end well: “Ah, how sound that was, Yet I refused. I wished to see the caveman, what he had to offer no pretty sight it turned out, for my friend” (9.130-132). This thought by Odysseus shows that he realized his decision to go to the mysterious island wasn’t the most rational one and that his men’s pleas to leave were the better option, but he decides to be stubborn and place his curiosity before his men’s safety resulting in a non-heroic

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865 Words | 4 Pages

In The Odyssey Homer makes Odysseus’ journey to his beloved Ithaca excruciating. Odysseus encounters many friends and foes throughout his journey and has to be a leader throughout his experiences. As an example, he encounters Polyphemus and Poseidon, both of whom make his journey mentally and physically painful. Odysseus faces countless scenarios in which he has to save multiple people in those situations. He also encounters the suitors, who are a group of men that try to marry Penelope, when he returns to reclaim his home.

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1593 Words | 7 Pages

After Odysseus returns from his encounter with Circe, a beautiful witch-goddess who drugs and bewitches Odysseus’s most able crewmen, his men are more than relieved to see him and they flock around him as if he is their master and their shepherd. Odysseus is a man who is respected by his crew and treated as a mortal god by the heavens above. As shown in this scene, his men are stuck in the middle of a cross road without his guidance, pivoting towards all directions but incapable of moving forward with a plan. They are “wailing and crying besides [the] sailing ship”(10.433) without any sense of hope and direction in life. They are missing a leader who will lead them in war and guide them back home; they are missing Odysseus.

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450 Words | 2 Pages

His first trait is being exceptionally skilled continued with cleverness and bravery. Despite Odysseus’s challenges he proves himself a hero because of the actions that show him as skilled, clever and brave. Odysseus is exceptionally skilled in many ways aiding him from each challenge to the next. When Odysseus is trapped in the cave with the Cyclops he decides to us his skills to make a stake to blind the monster, “[He] hewed [the stake] again to make a stake with a point at the end.” (Homer.

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