How Does The Odyssey Change

This is his crossing the threshold. Odysseus begins with the Trojan War. Odysseus has not truly began his journey to change, but he is being introduced to a world that is not his own.

“Are you flesh and blood, Odysseus, to endure more than a man can? Do you never tire? God, look at you, iron is what you’re made of” (12.162-164). In the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, the focus is on the journey of Odysseus, the island of Ithaca’s king, after he defeated the Trojans in a war that spanned ten years. He travels far and wide in an attempt to get home to his wife and son, but is repeatedly blocked from doing so by gods, nymphs, and monsters alike. He’s a skilled warrior that fears next to nothing and this poem follows him as he uses these facts to his advantage. Odysseus is persuasive and clever and refuses to shy away from a challenge that requires either one of these characteristics.

In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus' actions and decisions in books IX-XII has shown that even though he is extremely clever and courageous, the great tactician's selfishness and sense if hubris often stand in the way of his success. First of all, Odysseus is exceptionally brave, he has experienced more than any mortal man should and will never cower away from a challenge. For example, Odysseus led his men on a dangerous endeavor in blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus vividly recalls how the monster viciously killed two of his crew, "Then he [Polyphemus] dismembered them and made his meal / gaping and crunching like a mountain lion" (9.316-17). Realizing he would likely be killed, Odysseus rallied his crew and blinded the horrendous beast without fear.

Arrogance is an unheroic quality which often brings harm to others. This quality is evident in Odysseus when he reveals his identity to Polyphemus just when he and his men are about to escape the Cyclops’ island. As Odysseus is about to board the boat, he yells to the Cyclops, “Cyclopes, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raiders of cities, took your eye: Laertes’ son, whose home’s on Ithaca” (Homer 908). Odysseus felt that it was necessary for him to boast to the Cyclops after he had blinded him. This caused him and his men to get into great trouble with Poseidon. Poseidon made sure to make Odysseus’s journey back home as difficult as possible. As a result, Odysseus’s men all ended up dying, and their ship didn’t survive.

Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus acts pompous, arrogant, and believes that he is better than everyone. His actions prevent him from accepting help from others- there are several moments in the book where Odysseus portrays these actions. For example, when entering the battle of troy, Odysseus yells out to the gods, explaining that he does not need them or their help. This action shows arrogance because Odysseus is only worrying about his own self importance.

Because of their curiosity, Odysseus and his men were lead to the cave of the cyclops, Polyphemus. As soon as the men entered the great cave they were not welcomed with the "god's courtesy" that they were expecting but with the harsh rudeness of the cyclops (260). Odysseus knew that the only way to defeat the menacing beast was to outsmart him because they "could never move his ponderous door slab" and would perish in the cave (295). So, odysseus deceived a intricate plan to blind the cyclops which then leads the cyclops to move the cave rock and "set up a howl for cyclopes" who lived near by (395-396). The cyclops thought by just using intimidation and brute force that he could over power the, in comparison, feeble men. Conversely, Odysseus knew that he could out smart the monster and defeat him. In this instance, Odysseus grew as a character because he thought about his actions and overcame a daunting task. This not only affected Odysseus but it allowed him to save his crew, further revealing that Odysseus' wisdom was much more powerful than the brute force of the cyclops. By making the cyclops odysseus' other, Homer was able to display how odysseus developed as a character and how he over came his weakness of acting without

When leaving the beast’s lair, he escapes to his ship, and he yells to the giant shouting “I say, cyclops! If ever anyone asks you who put out your eye, tell him your blinder was Odysseus, the conqueror of Troy, son of Laertes, whose address is in Ithaca”(111). Even in victory, Odysseus puts him and his crew in danger when he takes credit for his brilliance, regardless of the consequences he may face. This nearly fatal mistake teaches him a lesson, to remain humble until the time is right. Odysseus later applies this knowledge when he returns home, disguised as a humble peasant, waiting patiently for an opportunity. One of the more arrogant suiters that took over his home in his absence, Antinoos, takes offence at once of Odysseus minor insults and throws a chair at him, “But Odysseus stood firm as a rack: the blow did not move him, he only threw back his head silently, and brooded over his vengeance” (200). Due to the repercussions he faced from lashing out at the cyclops, Odysseus gained the patience to endure severe aggravation. This completes the return to the ordinary world stage of his journey, applying his newfound knowledge to his situation to improve

Odysseus decides to yell back his actual name, making sure his victim knows who has outsmarted him, “If ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye; Laertes’ son, whose home’s on Ithaca!,” (The Cyclops.502-505). The detriment of his life is now allowing Polyphemus to ask his father to punish Odysseus for what he has done, and if his pride did not get to the best of him and had he been satisfied with just knowing that he outwitted his opponent, he would have been able to sail home without trouble, but he had to taunt Polyphemus. After Odysseus and his men go to the Cyclop’s cave and find that the creature is not there, Odysseus’ men want to take some food and leave. However, Odysseus does not want to take his men’s

As he finally outsmarts the cyclops, Polyphemus, he taunts him, letting his pride and anger take over instead of his mind. The narrator recounts, “I called back with another burst of anger, ‘Cyclops — if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so —say Odysseus, raider of cities, he gouged out your eye, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca!’” (9. 558-562). Odysseus has the chance to arrive home safely, but instead his emotion leads him to lash out. This results in Poseidon's fury, which is easily avoided. This prolongs his journey by multiple years, which draws out his journey to go back to his family. Once Odysseus finally arrives home, Athena disguises him as a beggar. Not being able to control his anger, when another tramp insults him, they start fighting which he could have abstained from doing. The epic states, “Tongue-lashing each other, tempers flaring” (18. 39). Odysseus could have easily stayed quiet and accepted his inhumane treatment, and yet his emotions take control and he starts a fight. Odysseus reveals himself as a greater threat than he wants them to know, and this causes the suitors to have mass amounts of anger and hatred towards the beggar. With the suitors multiplying fury, Odysseus is withheld of precious time he needed to fulfill his roles as a king again. An exceptionally vast consequence for Odysseus foolhardy actions

In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus demonstrates traits of a hero through his intelligence and loyalty. In book nine, Odysseus realizes that if he kills Polyphemus now, the passage leading out of the cave will still be blocked by a slab of solid rock leading to his crew’s deaths as well. After a few days of being trapped in the cave, Odysseus comes up will an intelligent plan. He holds a feast and introduces himself as Nohbdy which works in favor for Odysseus. Odysseus gets Polyphemus drunk which allows him to drive a spike into Polyphemus’ eye, deep enough to blind the Cyclops. The Cyclops yells in pain and howls loud enough to the Cyclopes nearby to hear and rush to Polyphemus’ side. They ask Polyphemus what had happened to him to which Polyphemus

How does power change a man? The Odyssey tells of the journey of a man named Odysseus, along with his crew, who tries to find his way home to his kingdom of Ithaca. Odysseus is seen to change greatly in character from the time he leaves to the time he arrives in Ithaca. In The Odyssey, written by Homer, Odysseus’ character changes from the courageous, trustworthy man he was when he left, into the selfish, ignorant man be becomes as he returns to Ithaca. Odysseus left Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War and defend his kingdom.

In Epic Poem “The Odyssey” Odysseus is the protagonist. Odysseus’ over-the-top ego caused him to lose his men and his son’s childhood, but taught him a valuable lesson about humility. The Odyssey, written by Homer, tells the story of Odysseus and how he faced misfortune in his attempts to return home after the Trojan War. Odysseus is not famous for his great strength or bravery, but for his ability to deceive and trick. To his friends, he was a brilliant strategist. To his enemies, he was a deceiver and a manipulator of the worst kind.

“‘Cyclops- if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so-say Odysseus, raider of the cities, he gouged out your eye. Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca”’ (9. 558-562). Had Odysseus not yelled at the Cyclops saying “say Odysseus, raider of the cities, he gouged out your eye” Poseidon would not have released his wrath on Odysseus and he would have come home to Ithaca much sooner but Odysseus’ ego ruined his homecoming. Odysseus could not let himself leave without telling the Cyclops that he is great. Odysseus could not let himself do something great and have the accomplishment go unnoticed. His ego gets the best of him even at the expense of those around him. A truly great person would stay humble and put their life at greater risk than the ones of those around him. Another way Odysseus reveals his vainglorious character is his disregard for people who try and help him. Odysseus is stranded in the ocean with no hope of survival when he meets a nymph, Ino, who

Is it possible for one minute change of events, or to alter one’s life for years to come? In the case of Odysseus, from “The Odyssey”, he had a questionable change of events when he was kidnapped by Calypso. It had been ten years since Odysseus was with his people, and since the defeat of Troy. The battle of Troy molded him even more into a soldier, but what about being abandoned and stolen from your world? Is it possible that a fight for a life you once knew is enough to make a person think totally different about their life and their morals? The story of Odysseus demonstrates how geographical surroundings and the culture you are put in, can change how you live and think, whether it’s for good, or bad.

Through out the years the meaning of God has changed drastically. In The Odyssey we encountered more than one God, each of which had some sort of supernatural power. In Dante’s inferno we knew of only one God. In both stories the meaning of God, heaven and hell is different. Both characters were on a journey, which involved a woman they loved. They encountered challenges which tested their physical strength as well as their mental strength. Odysseus and Dante showed personal and spiritual growth throughout their journey, they clearly understood the meaning of immortality. Odysseus and Dante became excellent leaders by falling into temptation and learning from their mistakes. The relationship between humanity and the divine was very different in each story. One point was clear, even though