Odysseus Reflection Paper

Although it is unexpected for a hero, Odysseus’ actions are often the reason why his journey home is prolonged. After he escapes from the Kyklops, the monster yells at him to come back. Odysseus replies: “If I could take your life I would and take / your time away, and hurl you down to hell! / The god of earthquake could not heal you there!” (IX. 571-573). Here, Odysseus announces that he could kill the Kyklops if he wanted to. He forgets that he is only a mortal and not a god. He provokes the Kyklops even more than he has already done, and drives his one-eyed enemy to tell his father, Poseidon, not to let Odysseus see his home again. The fact that Odysseus has hurt his son gives Poseidon even more of a reason to want revenge. Odysseus is arrogant; he does not know when to stop bragging

He is stricken with hunger and longs for nourishment, but he is able to triumph over this temptation by remaining mentally strong: “One day I withdrew to the interior / to pray the gods in solitude, for hope / that one might show me some way of salvation” (XII, 426 – 428). Instead of giving in to temptation, Odysseus heroically prays to the gods. In addition to physical and emotional challenges, Odysseus faces intellectual challenges, and is able to overcome these challenges with quick thinking. Odysseus must utilize his cunning wit when he devises a plan to surprise the suitors in an attack, and hide their weapons: “I / shall signal to you, nodding: at that point / round up all armor, lances, gear of war / left in our hall, and stow the lot away” (XVI, 335 – 338). This challenge tests Odysseus as a tactician, and he is able to succeed with intellectual valor. Odysseus encounters a mental challenge when he is on the Land of the Kyklopes. He quickly tells Polyphemos that his name is “Nohbdy”, and then once the Polyphemos is stabbed, the other Kyklopes think that “Nohbdy” hurt him. Then, Odysseus and his men are able to escape on the underside of sheep. Odysseus bravely risks the lives of his men and himself. Odysseus overcomes all these challenges, using his physical, emotional, and intellectual abilities. The courage he displays in each of these instances makes him more heroic.

In homer's Odyssey the main character Odysseus is a person who only tries to help himself. Although he earns the trust of his men while in Troy, he loses it on his perilous journey home. Many times in the epic he manipulates others, commits foolish acts and is full of hubris. He tries to take shortcuts and as a result of this is men are killed and his boats destroyed. He plays with the lives of his men and he is punished for it. Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness.

One of the major themes of Homer’s Odyssey is the importance of cunning over strength. This also happens to be the case with Odysseus and his long ten year journey home from fighting in Troy. Odysseus uses his intelligence over strength to ‘fight’ through tough times and bring himself home to Ithaca. Odysseus uses his intelligence when he has his men tie him down while passing the Sirens, so he himself will be able to hear their beautiful song, but not be entranced by their singing. He also uses cunning to escape from the Cyclops’ cave without being harmed. He then uses his cunning by storing away all of the armory, shields, and knives from the suitors so he is able to kill them easily.

Odysseus is spoken to by Eurylochus when the ship is nearing an island and still does not realize what he has done to his crew even when Eurylochus says “‘your crew’s half-dead with labor, starved for sleep’” (12.305). Eurylochus’ words go straight through Odysseus, as he only responds with a plea that would put him on good terms with the gods, not what would keep his crew safe and sound. Odysseus does not realize what he has done to so many valuable lives, he only continues to think about himself. Next, Eurylochus continues to step on Odysseus, telling him how inconsiderate it is for him to keep them cooped up on the ship and not letting them off to rest on land (12.306). Still, Odysseus is absolutely clueless on what he has done wrong. The men are fighting against him, yet he stands there and takes it as he does not think what they are saying is correct. After Odysseus finally step onto the island, having already enforced to the crew that the cattle should be left unharmed, he comfortably sits back as they “slaughtered and skinned the cattle” (12.386). If he really worried about the consequences, he would have supervised his crew while on the island. Instead, he fell asleep and left his crew to do exactly what they were not supposed to. Though, when he woke up and saw what the crew had done, he was quick to pray

Ten years after Odysseus destroyed Troy, Odysseus has still not returned to his home Ithaca. Odysseus sets sail on a makeshift raft, but the sea god Poseidon whose curse Odysseus got earlier in his adventures by blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus, who father Poseidon creates a storm. Odysseus’ men had more losses at the land of the Kikones and then were nearly tempted to stay on the island of the Lotus Eaters. Next, the Cyclops Polyphemus ate many of Odysseus' men before a clever plan allowed his soldiers to escape. The wind god Ailos then gave Odysseus a bag of winds to help him return to Ithaca, but the crew opened the bag and went to the land of the giant who was a man-eating Laistrygonians, where they again barely escaped.

Odysseus in The Odyssey displays a strong sense of loyalty and perseverance, maintaining these strong moral characteristics despite the suffering he endures throughout his journey to return home. After being absent for twenty years, held in the city of Troy as “Helios, the Sun God, took away the day of his homecoming” (27), “that very year came in which the gods had spun for him his time of homecoming” (27) and Odysseus is faced with the task of returning to his home in Ithaka. However, this challenge is not an easy one and Odysseus must use strength, determination, and courage in order to make a successful return, keeping that perseverance upon his return.

The definition of a hero is unique for every individual; however there are several regulations that majority of individuals can agree on. A hero must exhibit traits such as humility, kindness, and courage. Once the candidate expresses hubris, displays cruelty, or retreats from a formidable challenge, he cannot be considered a hero. Lastly, a hero candidate must overcome challenges that defy the odds. He must deliver a gift to society that benefits society as a whole; such gifts can be freedom, liberty, or hope. Odysseus in The Odyssey, by Homer, fulfilled these requirements and rightfully earned the title of a hero. Odysseus is well deserving of the title hero because he has put the needs of others before his own, shown signs of

Most of us have heard of the incredible tale of Odysseus and his 10-year-long journey home after the Trojan War. Throughout The Odyssey, we see a variety of very important themes, such as hospitality, perseverance, and intelligence. However, there is one theme that stands out among the others, and it is that of vengeance, because it acts as the basis for the adventure. There are numerous indications that vengeance is on its way, including Penelope’s dream, “… the eagle and the geese, which foretells Odysseus return and his vengeance…,” (Hughes). In The Odyssey, vengeance is sought by Odysseus because the suitors want to marry his wife, by Helios because Odysseus’ crew ate his cattle, and by Poseidon because Odysseus blinded the Cyclops, Poseidon’s son.

If I was Odysseus I would have stayed with Calypso on her island. Mainly because I would have to travel past Poseidon's domain and that would've been suicide because Poseidon hated Odysseus. Another reason why I wouldn't go back to Ithaca is because I would rather stay on an island of luxury. It would have been foolish to risk my life and put my shipmates in danger.

I was once on the Greek side. My change of heart was engendered towards the end of the Trojan War when a Greek warrior violated Cassandra a prophetess, in my temple. I persuaded Poseidon to stir the sea the Greeks would travel. The Greek fleet was scattered. The storm winds blew Odysseus and his crew away from Ithaca, his home. For ten years he wandered to mysterious and perilous lands. He passed through the Lotus land where some members of his crew gave into temptations that presented themselves. Next, they passed through Cyclops Island then to the country of the winds where they met the friendly King Aeolus who gave Odysseus a bag closed tightly with wind. Then, they progressed to the country of the Laestrygons, where cannibals destroyed all of the ships except Odysseus’s.

In the journey of the Odyssey, a Greek hero by the name of Odysseus, thinks that he can do anything and everything without the help of the Gods in his life. Odysseus, through his own person insight and challenges he was forced to face, learned very quickly he desperately needed the strong hands of the Gods! In his ten year journey to return home, he is helped by the Goddess Athena and befriended by Aeolus (keeper of the winds). On his journey, he had to deal with the angriest God of all, Poseidon, who would not allow him to reach the shore to his city. At the end of Odysseus’s journey, he finds humbleness and gets his life back!

“In order to satisfy your request to go back to Ithaca, your homeland, you must pass through the Underworld, or the land of the dead, and meet Tiresias, a wise man,” I, Angel, instruct to Odysseus.

“Laticus...Laticus...Hey LATICUS!” Jamal yells into Laticus’ ear. “Wake up Wake up!! Medusa! She’s- she’s right here!”. In an instant, Laticus wakes up immediately alarmed, with a heart pumping madly. “Where, where, where?!” Laticus screams. Jamal suddenly starts laughing, seeing his partner in crime being scared is absolutely hilarious. “I was just kidding idiot!” Jamal continues on laughing, clearly not caring if Laticus could be effected by this prank or not. Laticus is currently sweating buckets, the sweat on her back could create a river as long as the Amazon. “Jamal! That’s not funny at all!” Laticus says meekly. “Ah who cares! It’s a joke! Anyways, we have to go get the sword. So get your lazy butt up”.

As they were leaving the Island Of Cyclops.Oysseus had told his men to close the ports. His men asked “Why do we need to?, the weather looked fine”. Odysseus had replied by the looks of the sky it looks like a storm was soon to appear. They were sailing through the ocean, the water became hard to maneuver. The men yelled we need to stop and Odysseus agreed. As they were resting on the boat for the water to