Examples Of Bravery In The Odyssey

Epic Heros:

Brave, Strong, Smart, or Lucky? By definition, bravery is courageous behavior or character. Most stories, including epic poems, are based around the idea of bravery. Many people hold a common misconception about bravery. They believe that bravery is the same as being without fear. But being brave and being fearless are two different things. Many people skydive, do public speaking, ask questions, or enter relationships not because they are unafraid but because they are willing to overcome this fear. Or perhaps they are willing to go ahead despite the butterflies in their stomachs. To some, this is a foreign concept that prevents them from trying new things. However, others understand that “bravery is being terrified and doing it

It is something that cannot really be thought through. Oftentimes, bravery is a spur-of-the-moment emotion that leaves little time to think your actions and consequences through. Brave people don’t hesitate. They can leap forward when others are still working their way through a problem. In order to be brave, one should not overthink situations. It’s an instinctive action that just happens. If you talk to someone that has just performed a brave act and ask them why they leapt into danger, their response is often “… I don’t know. I just did it.” Odysseus displayed this characteristic several times in The Odyssey. In Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey, audacious is a quality that makes Odysseus heroic. The act of being audacious is the willingness to take surprisingly bold risks, which Odysseus demonstrates in his adventures. In the Adventure of the Cyclopes, Odysseus states that “we climbed, then, briskly to the cave. But Kyklops had gone afield, to pasture his fat sheep, so we looked round at everything inside.” This is an example of being audacious because Odysseus and his crew are unaware of the contents inside the Cyclopes’ cave and entering his habitants without any signal to the “louts.” Odysseus is taking on a big risk because from what Homer tells us, the Cyclopes are uncivilized giants and can be very unpredictable. Entering into the cave without permission might have been a risk that got Odysseys into trouble later because the Cyclopes

In the adventure of the Lotos Eaters, Odysseus saves the three men that he selected to learn about the people on the island, from staying on the island of the Lotos Eaters and not going home. After the men ate the Lotus flower “they longed to stay forever, browsing on that native bloom, forgetful of their homeland.” Odysseus expresses himself as being a savior when he guides them back to the ship and ties them down under their rowing benches. Odysseus then tells his crew to refrain from eating the Lotos “or you lose your hope of home.” A savior, being a person who saves someone from danger, clearly depicts what Odysseus did in this adventure. If he wouldn’t have tied the three men to boat, they would most likely still be on the island not knowing their purpose and most importantly forgetting about home. Odysseus shows another example of being a savior when he plans to tie his crew members under the Cyclops’ sheep in attempt to escape the cave. His thoughts are brought to life when he says “I tied them silently together, twining cords of willow from the ogre’s bed; then slung a man under each middle one to ride there safely, shielded left and right.” This was an ingenious idea since the Cyclopes did not even consider that Odysseus and his crew were hidden underneath his own sheep. Odysseus’ great thinking skills are what allowed the crew to safely exit the cave. This example is a good