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Who Is Responsible For Odysseus's Downfall

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Throughout the epic poem, “The Odyssey,” written by Homer, we readers read through the perilous journeys taken upon Odysseus and his men, while being caught in a web of his hubris leading to his downfall. Ultimately suggesting the lesson to not be too prideful of our actions as it can lead to contributions to one’s downfall While taking the challenge to defeat Polyphemus, Odysseus, and his men end up puncturing his eye with a stake, leading the cyclopes to be distraught in pain. As the men were retreating to their ship, the cyclopes doubled in fury when Odysseus taunted Polyphemus. Odysseus’ men yelled at Odysseus to retreat to the ship as the cyclopes could do more damage than they had done. Odysseus, too caught up in his pride, continued …show more content…

If his men had heard his songs, they would have wrecked and drowned the whole ship. Odysseus had kneaded the beeswax for his men, but left himself with no wax upon his ears. He had instead insisted on being tied down because he wanted to be the only man capable of enduring the temptation of the songs. “...in ardor appealing over the water made me crave to listen, and I tried to say ‘Untie me!’...jerking my brows.” (Homer Book #12 Lines 122-125) This prideful mindset of Odysseus had left his men at risk of death and almost killing his men off. Moreover, he ignored Circe’s warning, but he had also been told to avoid Charybdis by Circe. “...and Charybdis lurks below to swallow down to dark sea tide..if you come up on her then the god who makes the earth tremble could not save you.” (Homer Book #12 Lines 62-65). Her advice ran through and Odysseus asked her to pass Charybdis or fight off Scylla if Charybdis were to cause harm to his crew, to which Circe answers, “Lose headway there along that rock face while you break out arms, and she’ll swoop you over, I fear, once more, taking one man again for every gullet.” (Homer Book #12 Lines …show more content…

Later on in the journey, they travel through where Charybdis and Scylla are bluntly, ignoring Circe’s order. This resulted in a travail of defeating two monsters. “... my men all blanched against the gloom, our eyes were fixed upon that yawning mouth in fear of being devoured...then Scylla made her strike, whisking six of my best men from the ship.” (Homer Book #12 Lines 185-190). Homer implies Odysseus’ pride by losing his men as he preferred to follow his journey based upon his orders besides Circe. Not listening to her, Odysseus lost his men, which also resulted in his voyage being unsuccessful and a messy fight. Odysseus’ hubris leads to his downfall by losing his men and creating a mess within his journey with him and his

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He got his crew killed by staying in the cyclops cave, getting eaten by the cyclops. Odysseus destroyed his own men because Odysseus lied about Scylla and not thinking when they were on the cyclops island. When Circe told Odysseus about Scylla and Charybdis, Odysseus did not tell his crew about how some crew members are going to die. When Scylla appeared, taking Odysseus's six of his best men, Odysseus did noting when his crew was getting captured.

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This text shows that Odysseus can be humble and accept that he needs to listen to survive and he alone can not keep his whole crew alive. Odysseus tends to use his own wit and skills to survive not needing others help, but sometimes he does need to take others advice to

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956 Words | 4 Pages

As a leader Odysseus should be careful to do exactly what will benefit his crew the most. The lack of communication throughout the whole journey home will eventually lead to mistrust and betrayal of Odysseus by his crew. Following Scylla and Charybdis they reach the island of the god of the sun, and because of the crew’s spite for Odysseus they don’t follow his directions not to harm the cattle of the Sun. Just in the events of the journey back to Ithaca alone the reader can see how Odysseus’ inability to be a strong leader leads to the dismantling of a good relationship between him and his crew, which leads to a much more difficult trip. Odysseus’ inability to be a great leader for the group leads to a lot of conflict among the crew members.

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Odysseus displays strong leadership when his men abide by his direction. Odysseus also cares for his men when he does not tell them about Scylla and Charybdis for their own good. “‘Now I say by hook or crook this peril too shall be something that we remember. Heads up, lads! We must obey the orders as I give them’”

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678 Words | 3 Pages

When he received the bag of winds from Aeolus his men asked him what was in the bag. Instead of him telling them that it's a bag of winds that would help them get home, he told them that it's a treasure. “what's in the bag captain treasure declared odysseus the best treasure present any host could have given to a weary traveler nobody touch it you hear” (28) His men did not listen and opened to check out the treasure that bag causing a storm that destroyed 11 ships and swept away Odysseus to the island of Laestrygonians. This shows why Odysseus is a bad leader because he needlessly puts his men in danger when he could have told them what was in the bad instead of telling them its treasure.

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454 Words | 2 Pages

When talking about how to make it off of Circe’s island, she gives him two options: either lose six men to Scylla, or lose all of them trying to save those six. Odysseus asks her, “Goddess, please tell me the truth: is there no other way” (304)? Odysseus is willing to sail through a dangerous sea and meet his fate if he does so. He would sail past Scylla and through treacherous waters to make sure all of his men were safe. Calypso answered, “No, you fool!...

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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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292 Words | 2 Pages

In Odysseus journey he faces great dangers, and in order to succeed in his quest to get back to Ithaca he must be brave. His men look up to him, whether or no they are in a situation Odysseus does or does not know how to handle he will assuage his men by being brave even in the face of danger. To emphasize, when Odysseus and his men arrived at Circe’s island, also know as Aeaea, he divides his his men into two groups and he sends one group, led by Eurylochus, to explore the island. His men stop at Circe’s house, an enchantress, Eurylochus warns the men not to go in but they saw no harm, they go in and Circe drugs the men and turn them into swines. Eurylochus horrified went to tell Odysseus they should leave the island immediately.

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During these trials, many burdens were put on Odysseus’ crew, which led to all of his crew eventually all being killed before returning to Ithaca. The 2nd instance where Odysseus made a wrong choice that affected his crew is when he didn’t even really trust his crew. So he stayed up for days straight and

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720 Words | 3 Pages

He begs his men to untie him and allow him to see the sirens. His crew, bravely, denies his pleas and are subsequently threatened. This shows both Odysseus' arrogance and lack of leadership. Odysseus’ encounter with Calypso, specifically his reluctance to leave her cave, shows his inability to lead his people. Instead of returning to the duties of being king, Odysseus falls to his

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415 Words | 2 Pages

This pride of his is what got him and his men into their situation in the first place. It is obvious in the book and the movie that everything that happened could have been prevented if Odysseus would not have tried to take all the credit for the defeat of the Trojans. During the movie and the book Odysseus’s arrogance, ego, and pride get in the way of him and his men getting home. If it weren't for him they could have all made it home to Ithaca instead of just Odysseus by himself twenty years after he first left

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815 Words | 4 Pages

The men of Odysseus struggled with facing the obligations they had for their lives. The Cyclopes did not take control of their island and did not make responsible choices with his property. Odysseus, on the other hand, took the power he had and helped others along the way. Many have contended with accountability and not many have succeed in vanquishing it. Consequently, it is hard to prosper under the weight of responsibility, but Odysseus

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1042 Words | 5 Pages

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

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508 Words | 3 Pages

In this tale, the witch, Circe, tells Odysseus he has a choice between letting the six headed monster Scylla swallow six of his shipmates or he can risk it all by going against the whirlpool Charybdis. Instead of being honest and upfront with his men, Odysseus keeps this knowledge for himself. A great leader would have communicated the facts and rallied the troops, seeking insight and ideas so that all may survive. Odysseus looked to increase the odds of his own survival by cowardly choosing to battle Scylla knowing he would probably not be one of the six to get eaten.

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2242 Words | 9 Pages

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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