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The Free Will Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

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After leaving Aeaea, Odysseus and his crew are in Hades after Circe has shared lots of helpful advice avoiding danger on his journey. In real time, Odysseus has not been home for 20 years and is sharing the story of his journey home with King Alcinous. While sharing his story, he explains his time in Hades after receiving advice from Circe to go to Hades to see a Theban prophet, Tiresias.
In Hades, Odysseus learned many things in order to get home safely with his crew. He has learned that he has to be a good leader to his crew. Part of being a good leader is not being selfish. If Odysseus is selfish than he and his crew might not get home safely. It’s within Odysseus’ own power that they get home safely. When and if they get home safely, Odysseus’ home will be in a wretched state. But if Odysseus follows Circe’s directions properly, then he and his crew will return home safely and in a good state.
Tiresias’ ghost, a deceased Theban prophet in Hades, approaches Odysseus to drink the blood and tell a true prophecy. The prophecy that Tiresias shares with Odysseus tells Odysseus’ future and gives …show more content…

Circe is helping Odysseus find ways to get home while at the same time being in love with him. Unfortunately for Circe, Odysseus rejects her love but Circe continues to help Odysseus whether his feelings for her exist or not. The one god that is consistently helping Odysseus throughout his journey home is Athena. Athena is Odysseus’ main protector and biggest fan, she helps him no matter what and genuinely believes in him. Poseidon is one of the few gods that isn’t on Odysseus side. Poseidon plans on destroying Odysseus’ crew and ship. Poseidon also attempts destroying Odysseus, but clearly fails. Most of the gods are rooting for Odysseus and the few that aren’t eventually come to realize that they should’ve helped a man in need of getting home and reuniting with his

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His fate and journey are ultimately changed by the actions of others who are selfish, greedy, and foolish. The suitor’s greed gave him the extra desire to finally return to Ithaca, and his journey changed as he became desperate to return to Penelope. The selfishness crew caused his journey to be delayed, as he was forced to travel for ten extra days. The foolish crew, and their need to die with full stomachs caused Odysseus to be alone and stuck on an island with Kalypso resulting in more time away from

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He also learns to be patient. When Odysseus returned to Ithaca, he could’ve very easily charged into his house and killed all the suitors, and probably would’ve died doing so. Instead, he thoughtfully planned out his revenge and executes it perfectly. Finally, during his 20 year adventure, Odysseus convinces himself, and proclaims, that he doesn 't need the gods to succeed. He overcomes his hubris and is humbled, and makes peace with the

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When Odysseus is trapped in Calypso’s cave, Hermes arrives, delivering the orders of Zeus. Zeus tells Hermes, “You are my messenger. Go tell the goddess our fixed intention: that Odysseus must go back home” (181). Upon Zeus’ request, he traveled to Circe’s island. Hermes informs Calypso of Zeus' word by exclaiming that “Zeus orders you to send him on his way” (183)!

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(Book 10, page 159, PDF). Odysseus had left almost always meant to die with only saving a few which may have caused a sense of controversy and confusion. Also Odysseus hadn’t thought of a way to save all of his men, which eventually impacted his journey and his entire crew. Though Odysseus did have several acts of heroic deeds, the amount of failure in a majority of those other acts overpowered them

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He has been held captive for a year and is yearning to be with his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. After a very lengthy year, Circe his capturer shows grace and decides to let Odysseus and his men free. Before he leaves, she gives him instructions

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It exhibits that he is human and can relate to his crew. Realizing his mistakes also shows his intelligence and his will to keep going shows perseverance. In final analysis Odysseus’ impeccable leadership qualities overwhelmingly

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Despite being seen as a god, Odysseus is not self-centered and shows respect to everyone through his prayers, actions, and words throughout his journey at Scherie in The Odyssey. Odysseus first displays respect towards others after being escorted to the town by Nausicaa, where he prays to Athena. He proceeds to say, “Hear me, Atrytone, Unwearied One, Child of Zeus who bears the aegis, and hear my prayer this time… Grant that the Phaeacians may receive me with kindness and compassion” (6.324-327). Even after all of the years of pain that Poseidon has caused to him, Odysseus continues to pray to the Gods, showing that he still has the utmost respect for them.

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Odysseus’ relationship with Circe keeps him from returning home because he stays there for a year. Odysseus says “So she enticed and won our battle-hardened spirits over.” (245:10: 513-514) While Odysseus is there, he is so enamored with Circe that he forgets about the home he loves so much, and the son and wife who he had left behind. Similar to the situation with Calypso, Odysseus is lured to spend time with Circe even though he focused on returning home otherwise. This shows that Odysseus may be a lot more fake than he lets on because for all his talk of wanted to return home he spent a year on Circe’s island not making an effort to return to his homeland.

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Choosing to stay away longer is one of the many selfish choices Odysseus makes while he is away. Another situation where he is quite selfish is when he is with his comrades in the Cyclops's cave, Odysseus takes the “one bellwether ram” and “the prize of the flock” (Homer 9 481-482). He saves the best animal for hiding to himself, and puts himself before his comrades, which shows his selfishness profoundly. By choosing the best of the flock, he is making the choice to save himself first, and lets the consequence of death lie on the shoulders of his comrades instead.

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Even though Circe offers Odysseus good food and shelter, he still insists that he return home, for he has a mission to complete. As it was mentioned before, effective leaders take charge and produce a desired result. In this scene, Odysseus does both. He confronts Circe and tells her that he needs to return home, and he also tells her so he can achieve the desired result: returning to

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Secondly, another god that shows that the gods are helpful in Odysseus’ journey is Hermes. As Hermes talks to Odysseus, the god mentions “the powerful herb I will give you will prevent [the spell]” (X. 260). The. Hermes gives Odysseus advice and an herb that will help the hero rescue his men. By giving Odysseus the herb, the protagonist is immune to the magic spell that Circe wishes to plant on him to add to her collection of human animals.

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“She replies that they must first visit the land of the dead to hear a prophecy from the ghost of Tiresias” (Fitzgerald 387). This proves that Circe is providing Odysseus’ fate at the moment. One last example of fate and destiny in The Odyssey is when Odysseus visits Tiresias, he tells him his destiny as he heads back home. “Great captain, a fair wind and the honey lights of home are all you seek. But anguish lies ahead…

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This also shows that he is inconsiderate because if someone is a good leader, they usually listen to other inputs and act according to that, but Odysseus was headstrong and wanted to continue the taunting. The next time that Odysseus shows that he is inconsiderate is their stay at Circe’s land. The crew members have families at home which they want to see once again, but Odysseus is reluctant to

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The Greek god Poseidon was an important character in the movie The Odyssey, Poseidon was the god of the sea,earthquakes and horses. In the movie the Odyssey, Poseidon allowed Odysseus and his men to sail across his ocean. Poseidon was helped Odysseus and his men fight the Trojan War because they built the Trojan horse to represent Poseidon, until Odysseus was ungrateful of Poseidon helping them win the Trojan War, so Poseidon wants to show him a lesson; no man is capable of doing things without the gods. Not only was Odysseus ungrateful about him helping them win in the Trojan war

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First of all, in the beginning of “The Odyssey”, Odysseus is on Calypso's island. He is shown the time of his life on Ogygia for seven whole years. For example, the story states that "Though he fought shy of her and her desire, he lay with her each

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