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An analysis of Odysseus' characters
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An analysis of Odysseus' characters
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Homer writes about stubborn characters who are challenging for Odysseus because he is losing their trust everyday that him and his crew were not back home to their families. Although he is known for being a cunning and intelligent character, he is not the most mentally stable person. Odysseus has had his hypocritical moments which have caused plenty to question his leadership skills.
Throughout his journey, Odysseus and his men faces numerous temptations. When Odysseus is at Circe’s island to rescue his men, as he and his crew were about to depart Circe tell Odysseus “Remain with me, and share my meat and wine’ restore behind your ribs those gallant hearts/ that served you in the old days, when you sailed/ from stony Ithaka. ”(X.509-511). Odysseus falls into the hands of Circe as she tempts the crew with as much meat and wine they want. He and his crew givegave into Circe’s island, regaining the fat he lost, as the year goes by.
Arrogant Odysseus Ever since the dawn of humanity, one of the most prominent problems of heroes has been their arrogance. Characters whose downfall was set in motion by hubris include Victor from Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Satan from John Milton’s Paradise Lost, and King Oedipus in the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex. Even Odysseus, thought of by some as the greatest soldier of all time, struggles with his ego and arrogant manner in both Homer’s epic depiction and Andrei Konchalovsky’s movie portrayal of Odysseus. However, Odysseus proves to be much more conceited in the film than in the original epic tale.
Odysseus is a man, who has been working on going home for twenty years. He is a leader of his men, and will never give up until he gets to his goal or going home to his family. He is faithful to all his men, and he never deceived them. The faithful Odysseus is very hard working trying to help his men get home.
At various times throughout the story, mainly through the trials, Odysseus made many decisions and forced his crew to go through many potentially lethal situations without preparing his own crew, or situations that were just a waste of time. This then leads to not only all of his crew being killed but the creation of many bad relationships. The first example of Odysseus mistreating his crew is when he and his crew went through the trails, “No more. Come, / let me tell you about the voyage fraught with hardship / Zeus inflicted on me, homeward bound from Troy...” 9.42-44.
The concept of hero has been interpreted in many ways throughout the ages. Hero have gone from knights slaying dragons and rescuing the princess, to heroes who save the world with their supernatural-like powers, to a modern day hero who is someone who has noble qualities and is regarded as a role model. In the epic, The Odyssey, by Robert Fagles, the heroic Odysseus is a well known in Greek mythology. However, although Odysseus is the most respected, honorable hero of Greek mythology he is not a modern hero. A modern day hero is someone who puts their life on the line to save the lives of other innocent people.
In Sophocles’ Philoctetes, shame is evident throughout the first half of the play. Soon after Odysseus starts his conversation with Neoptolemus, the latter starts to feel shameful for what he is about to enter: Neoptolemus refuses to maneuver and “deceive” (55) Philoctetes “with beguiling words”, for which he believes is not in his “nature to practice” (88). Odysseus, on the other hand, while convincing Neoptolemus to deceive Philoctetes to court the latter, expresses shame too. Yet, he explains that the stakes are too high that although it’s not in Neoptolemus’ nature to “consider or articulate such cunning”, the end results would bring joy. Unwillingly, Neoptolemus accepts the duty and encounters an embarrassed Philoctetes.
The Odyssey, the story of Odysseus, a valiant warrior who is trying to make his way back home from the Trojan Wars, offers great insight into the life of the ancient Greeks at the time, who were believed to be the first group of people to establish a full civilization in Greece and to actually speak the Greek language. Not only does this story tell the tale of a struggling man trying to find his way home, it also provides insight of the way that the Greek culture was ran compared to that of other species, specifically the Cyclops that Odysseus and his crew eventually runs into. The encounter between the Cyclops Polyphemus and Odysseus can be seen depicted on an ancient drinking cup, known as a Kylix, that is kept in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts.
Odysseus’ slaughter of the suitors was an act of justice and revenge. The act was revenge because slaughtering 108 men for courting your wife and eating your food is insane. If someone did that present-day, society would frown upon the person who committed such an act. It would be considered mass-homicide and the person would be jailed for life. On the other hand, the act is a form of justice because of the setting of the story.
I wouldn’t let any of my crew / Spell me, because I wanted to make good time.” His poor decision of not telling the crew about the winds, and insisting to sail by himself is another byproduct of his pride. This scene can be directly contrasted to his journey from Phaeacia to Ithaca, as he finally trusts his crew and reaches home peacefully. The significance of this incident very much fortifies the obstacles and predicaments that Odysseus faces on his way home, as well as unmasking the impurities in the character of
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.
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.
A HEROS JOURNEY Comparing The Monomyth in The Odyssey and The Lord of the Rings Ordinary World Frodo Baggins’s story begins when he inherits the Ring and all of Bilbo’s possessions at Bilbo's 111 birthday. Bilbo leaves the Shire, gifting his magic ring to Frodo. During the years leading up to the realization of what the Ring really was, Frodo grew restless and found himself looking at Bilbo’s old maps and wondering what might lay beyond those maps.
In the book The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, is a man who is loved and respected by many. In the beginning of the book, we learn that Odysseus has left on a journey and, since it has been many years since his departure, many people assume that he has passed. On his journey, he portrays his many traits, not all of them being good ones either. Some of his good traits include his cunning, bravery, and hard work ethic. On the other hand, his negative traits are his excessive pride, immense curiosity, and rather large temper.
Although there are some difficult tasks, college helps students grow intellectual mind, train skills and connect the community. The postsecondary education develops potential abilities of students to approach their purposes. Murray says that a general goal for every young people that expresses educational success (253). It means that students reach their goal when they attain adequately education, and college is a ideal place that students can gain knowledge and develop skills. Owen and Sawhill also state, “additional education improves overal wellbeing by affecting things like job satisfaction, health, marriage, parenting, trust, and social interaction” (210).
