Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

Not only does Odysseus demonstrate a strong sense of courage in his journeys to prove that he is a hero, but he also shows never-ending perseverance through the countless adversities berating him. Although much of Odysseus’ journey is guided and assisted by various gods, especially in tough situations, what he does is ultimately of his doing and free will, as demonstrated by his tenacity when coming across many hardships. An example of this is later on in Odysseus’ story, as he and his men sail away from the Island of Aeaea to complete their journey home to Ithaca, they encounter many obstacles. The sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis terrorize and put Odysseus’ men and journey into peril, as his crew is struck with the terrifying might of the sea monsters.

Both men show willpower in realizing their goals.  Odysseus's target is returning to Ithaca to his beloved wife and son. He overcomes many

Even though many of his men seemed wary of their journey, Odysseus was always determined to make it back to Ithica. When Odysseus’ ship washed up on the island of the Lotus Eaters, all of Odysseus’ men ate the Lotus flowers to escape from the hardships of life, but Odysseus refused. “I drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, tied them down under their rowing benches, and called the rest”(Homer 211-213). Instead, Odysseus tied up his men and dragged them back to the ship so they could get back on their journey home. Even though it would take 20 years to get home, Odysseus always showed great

All the winds rushed out - storms winds seized them, swept them out to sea, in tears, away from their own native land.”(10.64) Odysseus believed that he was the only man honorable enough to know what was in the bag and that caused the men to become suspicious and untie the bag, blowing them a great distance from their

Out to sea again!’ My men were mutinous fools, on stores of wine … -while fugitives went inland running to call arms to the main forces of the Cicones.” Odysseus is wise enough to realize that the enemy would slaughter him and his men if they stayed. His wisdom is also evident when he landed on the where the Lotus-Eaters live. The Lotus-Eaters are people whose only concern is to eat an addicting plant called the lotus. If one happens to eat the lotus, one becomes obsessed with browsing on the lotus. Odysseus does not send the entire crew out to this land; he sends small party of men to explore the land. When they do not return, Odysseus realizes something detrimental to their journey is on the land.

Odysseus tends to make rash decisions and does not take the full brunt of the aftermath. His men gave up their lives to protect each other and the captain. Odysseus has not used their sacrifices to preserve the rest alive. He only uses his crew for his own agenda. While Odysseus is good at fabricating solutions to get out of a pinch, he is too headstrong and that cost lives. He often confers with himself on plans and heeds no warning or advice. Since Odysseus has authority over his crew, it causes his men to be caught in the “crossfire”. At the island of Polyphemus, his search party came to him. He says, “My men came pressing round me pleading, ‘Why not take these cheeses, and make a run for it? We’ll drive the kids and lambs aboard. We say put out again on good saltwater’“ (Butler 9).

When he does get home he does not recognize where he is. He goes to the palace and regains trust of his fellow servants.He sees the suitors who are awaiting Penelope in marriage.Her last challenge shall be so string a bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axes. Odysseus disguised completes the task and has one final question from his longed wife. She tells the servants to get the bed\, however Odysseus knows you cant get the need for he has made it irremovable and Penelope

As the king of Ithaca and the crew leader of several men accompanying him on his focal return journey from the site of the Trojan War, Odysseus is necessarily loyal to his men, and to his denizens, as otherwise, Ithaca would falter, and the men on board with him would not be able to withstand the lengthy, epic journey as they had done. The demonstrations of this vital heroic character trait are numerous, such as when Odysseus remains alongside his supportive crew men during an assault upon his ships, with only the one upon which the previous portion of the odyssey had been conducted remaining afterward, and when his men are in despair at his temporary absence, coming to them in order to not only assuage them, but more importantly to signal to all of them that he would always be with them; that he would be their natural, passionate

Odysseus has trials and tribulations throughout this entire wandering, and he is faced with tremendously challenging decisions that only courage could allow him to properly make. One of the keys to surviving on foreign soil is the ability to

Odysseus shows great mental strength and bravery through his loyalty,as he sits watching the ocean on a mesmerizing island, that is filled with a

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a series of tough circumstances which seem to be never ending? In this book, Odysseus is lost at sea for 20 years. He is faced with many difficult situations, in which he learns that he has to be very intelligent and brave. Many times he is given the help he needs to go back home to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus, but it gets difficult along the way because of all the people Odysseus must confront in order to continue on. Finally, Odysseus gets home after a long journey and has to kill all the suitors who have taken over his power by eating is food and taking other items.

This shows Odysseus possessing strong leadership. Odysseus has drifts upon the coast of the lotus-eaters island who live upon a flower. When Odysseus finds out what the lotus really does to the men he “drove them, all three wailing, to the ship and tied them down under the rowing benches” (9.48-49). Odysseus shows great leadership skills in keeping his men away from the lotus and leaving as soon as all men were on deck to separate them from danger. Therefore, Odysseus senses the destroying powers of the lotus and makes a heroic moment out of a short routine stop. After sending three men to go scout out who is on the island, Odysseus realizes something is wrong. “Offering the sweet lotus to our friends, but those who ate the honeyed plant, the Lotus, never cared to report, nor return” (9.43-45). Odysseus senses something is up and goes to find his men. He finds them eating the lotus, a plant that makes them never want to leave. For his or her protection, he immediately gets everyone back on the ship and sales off. When things are looking very bad for Odysseus, he makes the best of the situation. Odysseus repeatedly saves all of his men and proves to be not only heroic, but also a tremendous

On the ship that carried the lost warriors, Odysseus’ heroic leadership and desire to bring his men home, fueled the men’s hunger to follow him. Odysseus’ persistence and clear mind are

During his trip home to Ithaca, Odysseus’ was thrown off course by strong currents and dangerous winds where he landed upon the island of Lotus Eaters. He forced those who had eaten of the Lotus back to the ships, where they then cast off again, with not a second glance back at the island of care removing fruits. Afterwards, they landed on an island of Cyclopes, where they were then detained and eaten several at a time by the Cyclops Polyphemus. After blinding him with a heated stake, Odysseus and the remainder of his men escaped, using the Cyclops’ sheep to escape unseen, while mocking the beast as they sailed away.

When he was held captive on the beautiful sea nymph Calypso’s island for 7 years, he thought only of returning home. Or, when Odysseus enters The Land of the Dead, and learns that his mother had taken her own life, he still continues on his way home. Later, when his men eat the holy cattle on the island of Thrinacia and are smitten to appease Helios. Instead of giving up, since he no longer has a boat or a crew, he decides to drift at sea, risking his life in the hope of returning