“It always seems impossible until it's done.” Much like Odysseus’s pilgrimage home to Ithaca, my journey through middle school was filled with many twists and turns. As terrifying as it was to row past Scylla’s cave, taking those first steps into the sixth grade hall was a very similar experience. Throughout my middle school odyssey, I learned many lessons such as how to have self-confidence and bravery in tough situations, to be ambitious, and to always persevere. When Homer wrote The Odyssey, he clearly illustrated that Odysseus never stopped believing in himself by rowing past Charybdis, and approaching Aeolus, the god of the winds.
Perseverance helps push a person past their limits to reach their goal. Throughout the book, Odysseus faces many problems he must solve in order to return home to Ithaca. He must escape the Cyclops’s cave, figure out a way to get past the sirens, and dodge the dangerous sea monsters. His determination will help him get back home to see his wife Penelope and return to rule Ithaca. In The Odyssey, Homer presents the idea that perseverance can make a person stronger when they overcome many obstacles and have a goal to work towards.
Odysseus, in The Odyssey by Homer, and I both demonstrate self-restraint. One time Odysseus shows self-discipline is when he’s in the cyclops’ cave and stabbed his eye. The cyclops “squatted in the breach with arms thrown wide for any silly man or beast that bolted” (907). Odysseus restrains himself from running the first time he sees a way out. Instead he stays back and plans for a better way out.
Imagine the craftiness it would take to weave through monster infested seas for ten years. Now, imagine the temptatious traps and how hard it would be to restrain from falling victim to them. In the Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus has to use these traits to survive a long voyage after angering the gods. Even though he is a larger than life character, I can show that I also demonstrate these traits on a daily basis.
Odysseus is the main character in the book The Odyssey, this book is an epic poem with Greek gods, and goddesses. Odysseus in the book has many different features in his personality, but most important he is a hero. This character shows the value of patience in many different ways. The value of patience is a way of life, it is the action of waiting without getting upset or frustrated. This action is important because Odysseus portrays it throughout the whole story.
“The Hero doesn’t Get the Reward; the Hero Pays the Price” (anon). One of the heroes who paid the dear price was Odysseus, a hero who fought in The Trojan War. Odysseus was the man who came up with the plan to build the wooden horse, ending the rigorous fight with it. Odysseus was going back home after earning the victory for his country, which he was king of one of the kingdoms -Ithaca-. But Odysseus faced trials that constrained him ten years late to arrive home.
The Odyssey is often cited as an epitome of the hero’s journey and the monomyth. The hero of the story, Odysseus is on a 10 year battle homeward from the Trojan War to see his wife and son again. With the help divine intervention, Odysseus is able to return home and save his wife from the evil suitors who have continuously tried to win her. One could easily argued that Odysseus is an exemplar of the hero, but there is another story: Odysseus is the opposite of a hero and is not worthy to be called such. He is the villain where the gods are the hero.
A powerful leader shows the strength of a lion and the wisdom of an owl. One gets their men out of any predicament they may find themselves in while staying mostly intact. It’s difficult, but the main character Odysseus often makes the correct and moral decision. Intelligence is greatly valued in the world of ancient Greece and Odysseus is fortuitous enough to have it. In The Odyssey, intelligence is seen as an important trait to the Greeks because quick thinking and careful decisions shows a great likelihood of becoming a strong leader.
According to Homer, a life well-lived is one that has a balance between gaining honor in war and being home with family as well as finding a balance between working hard and enjoying the outcomes of the hard work. Homer depicts a life well-lived in the Iliad and the Odyssey through his descriptions of Achilles’ shield, Achilles’ regret, Odysseus’ need to be home, and Menelaus’ life after war. Homer gives the audience a clear depiction of what a life well-lived is based on his description of Achilles’ shield. In the center of the shield Hephaestus made the earth, sea, sun, moon, and the constellations (I, Bk. 18, 565-571). Next, he made two cities: one at peace and one at war (I, Bk.
John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” Throughout the two pieces the Odyssey and The Journey, individuals chose to take journeys to look for change. In the poem The journey by mary oliver use metaphors the portray the idea that people undertake journeys to reconcile with their past mistakes which are holding them back from being the best version of themselves. In the Cyclops in the odyssey, Odysseus’s curiosity holds him back from reaching his destination.
The Odyssey and The Outliers portray that perseverance is essential to living a happy and successful life because conflicts are overcome and dreams are followed. Some will argue that overcoming conflicts does not take perseverance; However, in The Odyssey, after Odysseus and his men defeat the cyclops, Odysseus gives his men a pep talk to help encourage and inspire them. When Odysseus says, [“by courage, council and intelligence, we escape away”](210-211). He is reminding his men that they persevered through the trials they faced against the cyclops.
Throughout our lives, there will be people we think of as “heroes.” We look up to them and aspire to somehow become the type of person that they are. Some people say that their parents are their heroes and some say athletes are theirs, so therefore, I pose the question: what makes a hero a hero? The Oxford Dictionary defines a hero as “a person, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities,” which is quite possibly the truth, but I believe there is more into making a person a hero. The perfect example of a hero is the protagonist of the epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus.
Heroism, tends to be difficult to define and remarkably ambiguous in literary works. In the Odyssey, however, Homer clearly defines a hero as a humble, determined, and loyal individual; thus, according to Homer, it is not enough to claim to be a hero, but it is also important to exhibit those qualities that Homer values as heroism. Odysseus, despite claiming heroism, upholds these traits inconsistently, as seen in his taunting of Polyphemus. In contrast, Telemachus, Odysseus’ overlooked son, dramatically grows up over the course of the epic and ultimately reveals his truly heroic qualities by the end of the poem. Thus, because Odysseus claims to be a hero, but fails to remain humble, determined, and loyal throughout the epic, he is not a hero.
In the epic poem “The Odyssey” the main character and hero of this story is a wise king known as Odysseus. Throughout the story Odysseus portrays many different characteristics that belong to his personality as he tries to make his way back home to Ithaca. One of Odysseus’ traits is patience, which is used with many different characters as Odysseus uses this skill in his plans and strategies. The trait patience is important because, it is needed in real life scenarios, and can help keep someone calm or composed in tense situations. Patience also is useful because it can help an individual to be able to wait for long periods of times without getting upset or frustrated.
Have you ever felt tempted to cheat on your homework or on a test? Have you been prideful of what your status or accomplishments? In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, the brave hero Odysseus encountered these obstacles of temptations and pride that people today still face. Therefore, temptation and pride were Odysseus’ greatest enemy throughout his journey back to Ithaca, as they distracted him on his voyage, prevented him from getting home, and displeased the gods.
