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The Character Of Odysseus In The Odyssey

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People take pride when building a title for themselves. They know exactly what they want and will do anything to achieve that. This is an example of Odysseus in The Odyssey. In Homer’s, The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, faces many obstacles on his journey home after the Trojan War. Odysseus has been one of the most frequently depicted characters in literature. He has both heroic traits and human weaknesses, which makes him an epic hero. He has defeated a Cyclops, and defeated suitors that were attracted to his wife. Odysseus portrays superhuman strengths in different ways throughout his journey, and exceptional courage. He is very strong and a great leader, and comes upon, but overcomes, many wild beasts. Odysseus excels in using …show more content…

Odysseus demonstrates sharp intellect which proves his intelligence. “But I kept thinking how to win the game: death sat there huge; how could we sleep away? I drew on all my wits, and ran through tactics, reasoning as man will for dear life, until a trick came-and it pleased me well” (Homer 963). Odysseus had a plan for escaping the Cyclops, a plan that a person with great intelligence would come up with. Another way Odysseus shows his intelligence is when he and his men encounter the Sirens on their way back to Ithaca. The Sirens are creatures that live on an island and lure men to death with beautiful singing voices. Odysseus must take this route even though he knows they will not be able to overcome the Sirens voices. He managed to plug his men 's ears with beeswax to stop the Sirens’ voices, but he wanted to hear the singing but knew he did not have enough power to resist them. Odysseus was smart enough to realize his own limitations due to him saying, “So all rowed on, until the Sirens dropped under the sea rim, and their singing dwindled away. My faithful company rested on their oars no, peeling off the wax that I had laid thick on their ears, then set me free” (Homer 978). Odysseus was willing to save his crew from dying first than himself even though he knew he wanted to hear the Sirens sing. Demonstrating the act of putting beeswax in his crew 's ears showed his intelligence with the

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196 Words | 1 Pages

Without these peculiar, but precious traits, Odysseus would never had made it home. Odysseus’s quality of craftiness and quick thinking contributes to his intelligence. When he fought the cyclopes in “Book 9,” he had to think quick on his feet to help save him and the

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997 Words | 4 Pages

Odysseus portrays those three heroic traits throughout his voyage home to Ithaca, which is why he is a hero. Odysseus is highly dedicated to his reputation and ego for the whole of his rocky and treacherous journey. From going up against a cyclops that is five times the size of him, to placing wax upon his crewmates’ ears to mute the singing of the Sirens, Odysseus is brave when he faces his fears and intelligent when he creates lifesaving tools from ship materials. A modern hero can be someone who saves a life or even sacrifices his or her own for someone else. Odysseus can be compared to a modern hero because he risks his own life to protect his crewmates.

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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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500 Words | 2 Pages

In the epic story the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is returning from the Trojan war, and on his way home he finds many obstacles ahead of him. Odysseus is the ruler of Ithaca and he is trying to return home to his land. Many creatures try and stop him from achieving his goal of returning home, but he and his crew have to push through and get home. Odysseus portrays bravery and courage leading his crew through these tough challenges. Odysseus heroically leads his crew and himself through dangerous obstacles, but also foolishly endangers them during the journey home.

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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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752 Words | 4 Pages

Odysseus is most definitely very clever in the way he can think through a circumstance and execute a plan or mission. An example showing Odysseus’s cleverness is when he ran into an incident with the Cyclops. In order to save his men safely from the Cyclops, Odysseus gave the Cyclops wine in order to move past it. It was key that Odysseus did this at the right time or else the plan would not have worked properly. The wine made the Cyclops drunk allowing the men to poke out the Cyclops’ eyes.

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There were many approaches taken by Odysseus in order to show his perception on intelligence and how he used it. For instance, when Odysseus and his men were trapped in the Cyclops’ cave he thinks to himself, “I drew on all my wits, and ran through tactics, reasoning as a man will for dear life, until a trick came--and it pleases me well” (767). What makes Odysseus so intelligent is how diligent of a thinker he was; he thought of solutions almost instantaneously, and they always worked out to some degree. To be fair being a leader comes with making difficult decisions; consequently, his plans don't always fully succeed. Furthermore, while the crew is sailing into scylla he strategizes for what’s ahead, “But as I sent them on toward Scylla, I told them nothing, as they could do

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Odysseus shows cleverness throughout his journey when dealing with all the people he has encountered on his 20 year journey. Although Penelope and Odysseus both display cleverness, Odysseus displays more cleverness because he is able to get his men out of dangerous situations and he deceives others to his advantage. An example of how Odysseus shows cleverness is he is able to get his men out dangerous situations. Many times in the story, Odysseus is put in a difficult situation and he needs to get himself and his men out of that situation.

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The odyssey, an epic told by Homer in ancient greece, has many major themes following odysseus’s adventures. While Odysseus is sentenced to never return home after the Trojan War. He is overcoming challenges to return home to his wife penelope and his son Telemachus. Throughout the story major themes of loyalty, hospitality and vengeance are hidden within the plot. The story continues to show his heroic side with three major traits.

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There are few fictional characters who so accurately depict the ancient archetype of a hero as Odysseus. In Homer’s The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fitzgerald, Odysseus is departing from the Trojan city of Troy in order to reach his home country of Ithaca. Throughout the course of his journey, Odysseus is faces multiple challenges testing his leadership, vigor, and wit in order to prove himself to be a true hero. He accomplishes this by bringing about multiple heroic feats and upholding the impuissant and helpless.

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In the Odyssey by Homer, one heroic trait that Odysseus shows his preeminence which articulates the Greek cultural value of leading your men to victory. For example, the theme is made apparent when Odysseus visualizes “Bow to stem, trying to put heart into them, standing over every oarsmen, gently” (782, book 12). This shows that Odysseus knows his men can overcome the fear of dying and can save themselves. This is important because Odysseus’ trait is guidance and he strongly portrays that.

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574 Words | 3 Pages

Odysseus was a man of great stature and strength; however, Odysseus was not only physically strong, but mentally strong as well (Olson). We can see Odysseus’ mental strength, or cunning, and bravery when he is in the den of Polyphemus and devises the plan to save him and his crew by calling himself nobody and stabbing out the cyclops’ eye. He also recognizes that he

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505 Words | 3 Pages

I woke up, seeing all black. I felt the rocky, texture of the ground. Next to me, was Mr. Jacks. “How did you get out?” I said dazed with confusion.

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541 Words | 3 Pages

The Odyssey by Homer is a book that involves the Journey of Odysseus and his men and the Obstacles they come across. The Odyssey portrays many themes including vengeance, hospitality, courage, bravery and more. Odysseus experiences some good and bad during his journey. He comes across people who help him, but also comes across creatures who hold him back. Odysseus is an Epic hero because of his quick thinking skills, bravery, and confidence for himself and his men.

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620 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the story “The Odyssey” by Homer Odysseus, the main character counters countless amounts of trouble. As king and leader it is his job to keep his men save and get the job done. Odysseus does whatever it takes to keep his men unharmed, and more importantly, alive. All his crew and him dream about is getting back to their homeland, but first they have to pass the obstacles. Odysseus demonstrates good leadership qualities by doing whatever it takes to get the job done, using his advanced cunning abilities to trick his enemy, and constantly saving his crew from dangers.

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