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Analysis on the Odyssey
Odysseus character trait analysis
Odysseus character trait analysis
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Heroes are eminent and cherished by the general public; they use their abilities to help others. Odysseus encounters many different obstacles throughout his journey. Polyphemus is Poseidon’s son, and a one eyed giant called a cyclops. Circe is the goddess of magic and witchcraft. The Sirens are half-women and half-bird creatures that lure sailors with their song. The lotus flower is a flower that makes the consumer forget all purpose and just want more lotus. In Homer’s, “The Odyssey,” Odysseus is a character portrayed as a hero through his bravery, wisdom, and loyalty. Odysseus is a figure in the Epic Poem, “The Odyssey,” who is established as brave. He displays several actions that can bring justification to that. After the disaster dealing …show more content…
The journey back to Ithaca was a tedious and treacherous journey to the point that only somebody extraordinarily loyal would dispense time to complete.The Greeks valued loyalty to a great extent. This is supported by the numerous examples of loyalty in, “The Odyssey.” Circe trapped Odysseus and his men at her island. She wanted him to love her but she saw that nothing would stop him from longing for his wife. So she pointed him in the right direction and let him off of her island so he could finish his task. If Odysseus didn't convinced Circe that he didn’t love her and was loyal to Penelope she could have trapped him on the island forever. Before the encounter with Circe, Odysseus showed his men loyalty. After being pummeled by the storm Zeus conjured, The party drifted to the land of the lotus-eaters. Two of Odysseus’s men went to explore the land. However they were offered the lotus and ate it, putting them under its effect. Odysseus showed loyalty when he left no man behind. He dragged the men back to the ship and locked them up. Odysseus’s loyalty paid off in the end when he was rejoined with his wife, and his
As seen throughout The Odyssey, a hero is perceived as a person who achieves great success never before seen and whose legacy lives beyond their years. Since The Odyssey was written around the eighth century BCE, the people that we view as heros in present day tend to embody different traits than the heroes of that time. Even though the word, “hero” does not have one specific definition, a hero is generally categorized as someone who is idolized for their bravery and does anything necessary to defend their people. Although Odysseus embodies the Homeric ideals of heroism in that he accomplishes triumphs that others have not, his successes are the product of divine intervention and his actions were primarily selfish; therefore, he is not a true
One of Odysseus's many qualities is determination. He remains determined throughout the entire saga to get back to his family. During Odysseus's Odyssey he encounters many obstacles, beast, god, and nature. Odysseus must get through all of these hardships before he can make it back to his family and home. On his way back Odysseus is next to Charybdis and she swallows his boat. He must holds on to the branches of a fig tree to survive, "But I clung grimly, thinking my mast and keel would come back to the surface when she spouted. And ah! How long, with what desiree, I waited! Till, at the twilight hour...the long poles at last reared from the sea"(12.560-64). Odysseus shows his determination to get home, because it would be easy for him to just let go and drown, but no Odysseus hangs on so he can see his wife again. Once he is at home he finds suitors at his house. Odysseus kills one of them and the others beg for mercy, ??Not for the whole treasure of your fathers, all you enjoy, lands, flocks, or any gold put up by others, would I hold my hand??(22.65-67). Odysseus is determined to get revenge on all of the suitors and he will not be satisfied until they are all dead. Without his strong will and determination Odysseus would not have made it through his trials. Although determination is a must for a journey such as Odysseus?s cunning is also just as essential.
There are numerous heroes throughout “The Odyssey,” but none of them are as significant as Odysseus. “The Odyssey” is a narrative poem written by Homer (around 800 and 600 BCE) to show the numerous adventures and experiences Odysseus goes through. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus a prominent Greek epic hero is on a quest to return back to his home in Ithaca; to his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachus. Just like real life, not all heroes are picture-perfect; they all have imperfections. In this case, Odysseus is sometimes insolent, and discourteous; but he is still considered an epic hero because of the many heroic qualities he endures. Odysseus proves himself to be an outstanding hero in various ways such as showing loyalty, intelligence, bravery, strength, and courage which are all some of the most momentous qualities found in a hero. If a true hero can prove they are a true hero, makes them a true hero.
Odysseus’ character , as seen in the Iliad, is much like that of a Homeric hero. A hero in Homer’s world entails many attributes other than physical strength including, but not limited to, courage, honor, respect, intelligence, and good morals. Throughout The Odyssey, some of these character traits are illustrated, and some are slightly changed.
Odysseus is a hero because he acts courageously while facing the many challenges he encounters. Odysseus’s shows great bravery when he engages in physical challenges. Odysseus daringly fights against the suitors, while significantly outnumbered: “For I must tell you this is no affair / of ten or even twice ten men, but scores, throngs of them” (XVI, 291 – 293). Even though Odysseus is facing hundreds of men, his bravery keeps him confident that he can win the battle. Odysseus must use his physical strength when Poseidon punishes him with turbulent waves: “Odysseus’s knees grew slack, his heart / sickened, and he said within himself / Rag of man that I am, is this the end of me?” (V, 307 – 309). Odysseus is exhausted from the torrential sea, yet refuses to give up because of enormous courage and his unwillingness to surrender. Odysseus must also cope with emotional challenges throughout his journey. His emotions are tested when he ventures to the underworld, Hades, and must confront his greatest fear, death: “From every side they came and sought the pit / with rustling cries; and I grew sick with fear. / But presently I gave command to my officers” (XI, 45 -47). Although Odysseus is deeply fearful when he comes face to face with the dead, his mental f...
"Odyssey" is an epic story that has been a significant piece of literature since it was first composed and will remain so for ages to come. One of the reasons it has been so is because of the hero, Odysseus.
The Odyssey is a tale that has changed literature and storytelling. In this tale Odysseus is a Soldier from the battle of Troy trying to get home to his island of Ithaca, where he is king. His wife and son must wait ten years while he is trying to make his way home. In Odysseus’s absence wooer’s, or better known as suitors, learn of his absence and travel to Ithaca to win his wife’s hand in marriage. These men come every day feasting on Odysseus’s food and wine, and give his servant’s orders. His son Telemachus, does his best to keep the suitors from ruining his fathers house but he is only a boy, and doesn’t receive the respect of an adult. Telemachus then has a visit from the god Athena, whom Odysseus is friends with, who advises him to travel to find out about his father. In his travels he hears that Odysseus may still be alive. Meanwhile Odysseus goes through a series of adventures and hardships that prove his wisdom. It is interesting in contrast of the Iliad, even though Achilles was much stronger and a better warrior, Odysseus was portrayed as a greater hero due to his wisdom. He uses this wisdom to escape from the Cyclops.
In Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus shows his heroism by always planning ahead which saves him and his men’s lives. For example, in the story of the Cyclops, Odysseus plans ahead by bringing a wine bottle with him as an offering to the person who lives on the island they landed on. It was the island of the cyclops and they went into one of the cyclops cave and ate his food when the cyclops shows up, he finds Odysseus and his men and eats two of Odysseus’ men. Then the cyclops asks Odysseus what his name was and he replied "Nobody". After that Odysseus offered the wine, which made the cyclops really drunk, causing him to fall asleep. Odysseus and his men stabbed the cyclops in his eye (blinding him), the cyclops was screaming for help,
Odysseus is one of the very many prominent characters in Homer’s Epic poems, The Illiad, and The Odyssey. Odysseus has been famed one of the more relatable characters from Homer’s writing, as well as one of the Greatest Greek Mythology Heroes. Homer’s Epic poems highlight many periods of shame and honor for Odysseus. The character analysis of Odysseus through the poem’s timeline shows vast developments and heroic features appear to take form in him. The Illiad portrayed Odysseus as more of a secondary figure behind Agamemnon and Achilles. In contrast, The Odyssey portrayed Odysseus as a hero in the form of an average human.
Fighting the evil, flying, capes, stopping time… What do these words have in common? One word: hero. What is heroism? I think heroism is when a character does an act that is extraordinary. Only the bravest, strongest yet considerate should posses such a quality characteristic. In the piece The Odyssey by Homer, the main character, Odysseus, possesses many features of a hero. I believe that he is a hero because of his bravery and his intelligence.
Odysseus is a hero from Homer’s, The Odyssey. Odysseus was a very intelligent, yet very sly individual. He was a leader of a group of men that he tried to keep alive. During his 10 year voyage, he faced many terrifying difficulties that he could have died from. It is arguable if he was a good leader, but the way that he handled situations and adapted to the world around him makes him heroic. In many situations, Odysseus and his men could have died but due to Odysseus’ ability to adapt to the world around him, they survived. One situation being the men’s’ run in with Polyphemus the Cyclopes. The men were trapped in the cave with the unforgiving beast that had just brutally murdered two of the men. Odysseus thought that if they killed the beast, they would not have been able to move the massive boulder covering the cave and eventually they would have died. .The resourceful Odysseus devised a plan that was successful in getting the Cyclopes to move the stone, and get him and his men out alive and unscathed. Odysseus is an example of a hero because he is able to think and adapt to the world around
The Odyssey paints a picture of the supposed savior Odysseus. The irony of Odysseus’ situation is that he really is not the marvelous hero that many who read The Odyssey see him to be. When imagining a great hero, the words of cruel, unfaithful, selfish, or careless never come to mind, but the son of Laertes sets examples for each attribute. Odysseus makes many poor decisions that cause his dislikable traits to outweigh his few better ones. Several of his more prominent characteristics are exhibited on numerous accounts.
The idea of a true hero is varied from person to person, because each viewpoint has a different idea of the personality that makes one a hero. There have been many fiction and non-fiction heroes that show different character traits, which influence people’s definitions of a hero. However, each person’s unique thought about a hero still focuses about one central idea: a hero must prove himself in order to earn his heroic status. This is the cornerstone of all the opinions about heroes because heroes have to show their heroism in order to become who they are in the end. At the beginning they are inexperienced, ordinary people who go on their adventures, and face their fears and weaknesses, but they develop greatly throughout these journeys. After comprehending what true heroism is and following it only then will they become heroes even though each of them has different traits. In the epic poem The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus gains the title of hero during his journey back to Ithaka, from Troy, by proving to be one. It is through his characteristics and experiences that he becomes the well developed man at the end of the book. In truth, because of his confidence, loyalty, and difficult struggles, Odysseus becomes a genuine hero to the people he defended.
Picture this: a hero of great legends who travels to the underworld and back to get directions to his home from a blind prophet. It sounds like quite an impossible journey, but that is exactly what makes Odysseus all the more fascinating. The Odyssey, an epic poem orally transmitted by Homer, a Greek poet who wrote The Iliad, had to contain some variety of attributes that Greeks valued in a person. That one embodiment of what the Greeks found intriguing in a character is Odysseus. Odysseus is known as what is called an epic hero. An epic hero is a protagonist of a story that represents the most important attributes of a civilization. Odysseus, being based in ancient Greece, is the embodiment of intelligence, loyalty, and strength.
Homer’s The Odyssey is a Greek story that follows the journey of its primary character, Odysseus, back to his home in Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus encounters many challenges in his journey home, from encounters with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the witch Circe and even the ghosts of dead Greeks. Meanwhile, his household in Ithaca is being threatened by suitors of his wife, Penelope, all wanting to inherit Odysseus’ possessions in the belief that he was already dead. Like many epic heroes, Odysseus possesses many admirable qualities. Three good characteristics of Odysseus are—cleverness, bravery and strength—here are some supporting instances from the epic that demonstrates Odysseus possession of such characteristics.