preview

Examples Of Arrogance In The Odyssey

Decent Essays

A leader should possess certain qualities such as heroism ,bravery, and courage. In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus proves that he possesses these qualities on his journey to return to his home in Ithaca. Although one of Odysseus’s greatest weaknesses is his pride and arrogance.

Odysseus proves to possess heroism, bravery, and courage on his journey when he and his men were trapped in the Cyclops cave. Odysseus had courage to makes a wooden stake and use it to gouge into the Cyclops eye in order to escape his island. Odysseus’ actions here “ Now Cyclops, wheezing as the pain came on him, fumbled to wrench away the great doorstone and squatted in the breach with arms thrown wide for any silly beast or man who bolted—hoping somehow I might …show more content…

Like every great leader they each have their good qualities and they also have their flaws. Odysseus is a great leader, but from time to time his flaws shine above his other qualities. Such as his arrogance and his pride on his journey to get back to his family in Ithaca. A great example of one of Odysseus’ arrogance is “Cyclops, in the end it was no weak man’s companions you were to eat by violence and force in your hollow cave, and your evil deeds were to catch up with you, and be too strong for you, hard one, who dared to eat your own guests in your own house, so Zeus and the rest of the gods have punished you.’ (475-479). Another great example of one of Odysseus’ pride is “'So they spoke, but could not persuade the great heart in me, but once again in the anger of my heart I cried to him: "Cyclops, if any mortal man ever asks you who it was that inflicted upon your eye this shameful blinding, tell him that you were blinded by Odysseus, sacker of cities. Laertes is his father, and he makes his home on Ithaka." (500-505). His actions here show that his pride gets him and his men in trouble, right after Odysseus said this the Cyclops prayed to his father to prevent him from traveling back to

Get Access