Why does the main character in a tragedy almost always fall into a series of catastrophic events and suffer while attempting to overcome the struggles? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a tragedy is defined as “a very sad, unfortunate, or upsetting situation that causes strong feelings of sadness or regret.” It is a common misconception among many people how a tragedy is written for the audience to simply mourn and experience emotional catharsis. In fact, however, a tragedy discloses the main characters’ hidden flaws, and allows the audiences to empathize with the characters by indirectly experiencing the moderate and extreme sufferings. This interpretation of a tragedy can be illustrated through several tragic heroes in Greek mythology …show more content…
The cleverest general of the Greek forces, Odyssey finally sails back to his homeland, Ithaca, after ten years of the Trojan War. However, because of Odysseus’ ego and some unintentional accidents, he incurs wrath of gods and suffers through various adventures for another ten years. One significant event that has a huge impact throughout Odysseus’ journey is when Odysseus blinds the son of Poseidon, Polyphemus. After this event, furious Poseidon impedes various attempts of Odysseus to go back to Ithaca. Another significant event is when Odysseus’ servants kill Helios’ cattle when the famous prophet named Tiresias warned Odysseus to be careful when his ship lands on Helios’ island. After this incident, Zeus avenges for Helios by killing all of Odysseus’ men. Throughout this series of ridiculous events, Odysseus still does not give up and he attempts to overcome all kinds of adversities by using his intelligence and intuition. The audiences can also relate to Odysseus by similarly portraying a person in a life long journey; a person can sometimes unintentionally go astray, be surprised by unexpected events, or eve become involved in a disaster that can take away everything that one used to own just like Odysseus did. However, compared to the majority of people who loses courage and immerses in depression, Odysseus successfully overcomes so many unpredictable events and ultimately reaches his goal of the long journey. Thus, by illustrating Odysseus’ persistence and fearlessness, Homer encourages the audiences to have hopes about the future and positive attitude in all good or bad
In The Odyssey, the Greek hero Odysseus must make it back to his home in Ithaca after the battle of Troy. Along his journey, he encounters obstacles that require the upmost perseverance and willpower to survive. Some of these obstacles include a giant cyclops who wants to eat him, lotus-eating peoples that drug his crew, violent storms that
Odysseus, king of Ithaca, was probably on of the greatest warriors in the history of Ancient Greece. It is said that the poet, Homer, wrote the story of the Odyssey. In this story, Odysseus and his crew are trying to make their voyage back home to Ithaca after they have fought with the Trojans. During the long journey, Odysseus will show some of his character traits which include his bravery, cleverness, and wisdom that will assist him with the situations he encounters on his journey home.
Throughout the book the odyssey Odysseus the main character makes mistakes and has character flaws that make his journey home a little longer and gruesome. The two character flaws that I think affect him the most are Pride and Unfaithfulness. They are flaws because throughout the book there are different situations and trials Odysseus goes through on his was back to Ithaca. An example of him showing prideness is when they go to island where the giant cyclopes lives. he displays his pride when wanting to claim a guest-gift from the Cyclops. He tells the cyclopes he will tell his name to him if he receives a guest gift. As well as wanting some hospitality from the giant cyclops. Him and his men could have just left or stolen the cheese inside
Common flaws of humanity get everyone into trouble occasionally, especially characters in The Odyssey. (1) In the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is the main character who spends many years trying to sail home to Ithaca from the war in Troy. (2) He made Poseidon angry with his arrogance and now Poseidon is continuously facing Odysseus with challenges that will keep him from getting back to Ithaca. While on this journey, Odysseus has his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus both loyally waiting for his return. Everyone else believes he was killed in the war, and suitor are all competing to try and marry Penelope, and rule Ithaca as Odysseus once did. (3) (Thesis – subject and opinion) The common flaws of excessive pride, the quest for power, and selfishness create challenges for Odysseus. (4)
Ships, open sea, spells, one eyed monsters, and boundless adventure is but some of the many exciting and thrilling features of the book The Odyssey. Favored by the gods, and a great man of war, Odysseus was a man to be looked upon with respect. After the war between the Trojans and Greeks had finally ceased, it was time for Odysseus and his men to return home, yet fate held another plan. “Just as I have come from afar, creating pain for many, men and women across the good green earth, so let his name be Odysseus, the Son of Pain, a name he’ll earn in full.” –The odyssey chapter 19. Odysseus’s grandfather spoke this quote unto him as an infant, describing how one day he would grow as a man enduring many trials and making it through
Every individual has flaws, but it is up to the individual’s ability to control their imperfection in order for him/her to get out of predicaments. The flaw of one person will also not only affect that specific individual, but also the people around him/her. In the epic, The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is not only a courageous, noble, and decisive hero, but also a leader who desires glory, and holds a great amount of pride and curiosity. This eventually leads him to give out his prudence and other unfortunate events that follow. Due to Odysseus’ flaws, him and his shipmates endure a long journey finding their way back to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
If someone scales the Statue of Liberty, but falls and dies, is he still a hero? If a leader’s last actions carry them to victory, are his flaws unimportant? The Odyssey by Homer narrates the ancient myth of a leader who faces many trials, and despite returning home from war in Troy alone, he is looked upon as a hero for having survived. As flaws of Odysseus and his crew are presented throughout the epic, people of the modern world may begin to understand that there exist several flaws that plague all men. What is consequential is not searching the forever-hidden answer to avoiding them, but understanding and applying them to new objectives. Odysseus of The Odyssey is faced with mental and physical trials on his voyage, and from him the difference
“The biggest risk is not taking any risk...;”(Zuckerberg, Mark). If you take a risk you may succeed or you may fail and become wiser by learning from mistakes. Odysseus goes on a journey and finds out that independence is key to success. Homer and Oliver use characterization to convey that we undertake journeys to find what we’ve lost; In doing so we learn that the risks we take give us experience and teach us how to become independent and to protect others in a selfless way.
The Odyssey, written by Homer, is an epic of the great adventures of Odysseus. It tells of the challenging travels form leaving his home to serve in the Trojan War, to his well-deserved return to Ithaca. Odysseus known as “the man of many wiles” endured many challenging tasks as he traveled in search of his once home. Leaving behind his wife Penelope and son Telemachus, he was forced to leave. Around the sixteenth year Odysseus was gone, many believed that their once great leader was left for dead on an unknown country or was never to return to the land of Ithaca once again. Soon the suitors of over a hundred filled the halls of Odysseus’s palace, trying to marry his beautiful wife Penelope. When
Heroes are known for being strong, brave and helping other people. Sadly if you’re human there’s flaws when you try to help. Flaws are the mistakes we make which make us human. In Hhomer’s “ The Odyssey ” odysseus the main character is very intelligent, but he has excessive hubris that gets in the way on his voyage home.struggles to go home and gets himself into problems along the way. Odysseus can be clever and courageous at times, he knows how to create a plan and successfully get out of problems he started.his situation.
views can be found. A majority of people are on the side of Heard and believe Depp has Who do you look up to most? It may be a sports star or a well known singer. The star back then, Odysseus, may not be so different from the celebrities idolized today.
Humans are the most perfect beings – we are civilized, organized, intelligent, and decisive. Until we aren’t. Every one of us, as humans, is susceptible to flaws, mistakes, and sins – no matter how much we try to deny it. As a result, in order for literary works to accurately represent human characters, the story must depict them with flaws. A read through one of these such literary works, for example, the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, reveals to us much about our flaws as human beings.
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.
Odysseus is one of the greatest epic heros in the history of literature. The Odyssey, by Homer, is an epic poem, which depicts the journey home of Odysseus. Angering many gods, this voyage takes him through multiple obstacles, and ends up taking almost twenty years longer than it should've. Throughout his journey, “The Son of Laertes” must get his crew out of trouble multiple times. He uses his intellect and other strengths to do so, and never gives up, no matter the circumstance. Even after losing everything he needs in a storm worthy of the gods, Odysseus still never gives up, and gets himself out of trouble yet again. Throughout his entire journey, coming home from the Trojan War, Odysseus repeatedly uses many heroic traits to get himself and his crew out of many unfortunate situations. These heroic traits, how Odysseus uses them, and the steps of his journey all come together to illustrate that he is an epic hero. Odysseus characterizes himself as an epic hero based on how he almost perfectly follows the characteristics of an epic hero, gets his crew out of trouble multiple times, and follows the Hero's Journey.
The Odyssey was about Odysseus and his men and how they were going back home. They were coming back from the Trojan War. In the beginning Odysseus and his men were trying to find their way back home. In the middle of the book they had to go to the underworld to get directions to get back home. In the end of the book Odysseus is back home with Penelope and his son.