Textual Analysis Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

The Odyssey written by Homer highlights the character development of Odysseus, the epic hero, in his journey of self-discovery. Odysseus is accredited with many strong traits including his nobility, smarts, and bravery. Having one tragic flaw, being his arrogance, was put to the test throughout his heroic journey. Homer stripped the protagonist of his arrogance as the story goes on, by giving him many challenges, giving dire consequences for his mistakes, and allowing him to continue to overcome obstacles. The main purpose of Odysseus’ journey was to reach his home as a humbled man. The hero’s journey can be used as a way to look at life’s morals. The reader is able to see the protagonist continue to make mistakes, because of his arrogance and continue to be punished by the gods. Once he overcame this, he is greatly awarded with the security of his home. This essay will analyze the arrogance of Odysseus along with his extraordinary traits, the molding of his identity, and his new found lesson of humility.

In The Odyssey- Part II, Odysseus with the help of his son and loyal servants. They slaughtered all the suitors and maids for the following: they tried to take advantage of his goods, they tried to marry his wife continuously, and destroyed his house. The slaughter of many of the suitors may have been brutal, but it was necessary.

The term “dynamic” is often used in literature to describe a character who changes drastically from one point in the story to another. When reading “The Odyssey” an epic poem by Homer, we see that our protagonist, Odysseus, changes throughout the course of the novel. This essay will argue how he changes, and also what changes him, such as his travels, his relationships, and how fate and the Greek gods affect and change him.

Twenty years from home can be enough to break a man down. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus struggles to get home over his two-decade hero’s journey. While he fought against monsters, women, suitors, and even his own men, his most tremendous battles are against himself, fighting his own officiousness and hubris. This conflict causes his expedition to not only be significantly longer but also notably more difficult. Odysseus’s flaw of curiosity provoked the god Poseidon, who is arguably his most heinous enemy. Once Odysseus’s and his men arrived at the Land of the Cyclopes, Odysseus inquisitiveness prompted him to explore the island, provoking Polyphemus, the Cyclopes. After violating the barbarian’s household, Odysseus quickly finds himself escaping Polyphemus’s wrath, however the Cyclopes was still able to curse Odysseus, calling upon his father, praying, “Should destiny intend that he shall see his roof again among his family in his fatherland, far be that day and dark the years between.

The admirable character or hero in Homer’s The Odyssey is Odysseus. Odysseus shows multiple heroic traits throughout the story, but a clear trait is displayed when Odysseus and his men are sailing through the land of the Sirens. Some might argue differently, that Odysseus has methods that are to cruel or harsh for a leader, but there is evidence to prove this wrong, and support the claim that Odysseus is the hero in The Odyssey.

American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated,” A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” Emerson is an english philosopher that uses intuition to peer into reality. Greek philosophers are looked upon for most of greeks history. Philosophers are knowledgeable and often right. A philosopher such as Emerson uses knowledge to determine what makes the average person a hero in the eyes of society.

In Homer’s The Odyssey, the hero, Odysseus, is not the typical likeable hero. Rather than starting at the bottom and rising to the top, Odysseus, being a privileged man, starts at the top and has nowhere to go from there. Since he already has a home, a wife, money, and respect, he has little motivation. This lack of motivation leads to a long, drawn-out journey, heartbreak for the people in his life, and a hero story that is difficult to appreciate.

1. Odysseus kept his true identity from Telemachus at first, because he did not want Eumaeus to know about his return. Since he would be likely be killed if the suitors found out about his return, he wanted as few people as possible to know about his homecoming. He did not tell his wife, Penelope, about his return, because one of the workers in the palace could share this information with the suitors.

Odysseus is the main character in an epic poem called the Odyssey. In the poem Odysseus has had some bad luck getting home, with some of the gods helping him and some hindering him; his journey towards home is a constant struggle. In this poem we see a man being broke and rebuilt, through constant irony his faith was damaged and without the help of Athena he probably would have given up on his journey. Through his hard work and wise spirit he finally does achieve his goal.

“You can't relate to a superhero, to a superman, but you can identify with a real man who in times of crisis draws forth some extraordinary quality from within himself and triumphs but only after a struggle.” This very strong analysis of a hero by Timothy Dalton, shedding light to the idea that a heroic character who can seem immensely powerful are very hard to relate with, but share similar struggles. To put it in perspective, a superhero often struggles to overcome obstacles and their distinct traits. Likewise, throughout Odysseus’ journey in The Odyssey, Odysseus’ proves himself as an epic hero through his clever thinking, fearless attitude, and prideful behavior.

This main character is a hero that has all the elements of an epic hero. He has supernatural abilities, he faces many magical being such as monsters or sorceresses, and he is tested in multiple ways to exhibit his abilities. His name is Odysseus. Odysseus encounters many obstacles on the way home. He gets passed every obstacle he has came across so far.

His growing caution is evident in his suppression of the heroic urge “to steal up on [Polyphemus]…and stab his chest where the midriff packs the liver” (Homer, Odyssey 9.337), realising it would result in their deaths. The same incident similarly demonstrates the triumph of Odysseus’ metis over bia. This caution and tendency towards forethought is manifest in his Book 10 actions; his reluctance to blindly explore Aeaea, and the careful manner with which he follows Hermes’ advice to retrieve his crew instead of simply killing Circe, the more traditionally heroic action (Homer, Odyssey 10.342-60) demonstrate this. Even after he has apparently won Circe over, Odysseus remains “still wary” (Homer, Odyssey 10.373); in contrast to the bold interaction with Polyphemus, Odysseus’ progress towards caution and emphasis on metis not bia is

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.

During his journey Odysseus used what he has learned from is mistakes to return home and kill the suitors of his wife. On the island of Cicones,and with his encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus learned that bragging can bring great misfortune. On Ithaca Odysseus never brags to the suitors and is able to enter his house with the Antinous and the other suitors knowing his real identity. He takes the punishment of Antinous and the other suitors without saying a word and is able to see those who have invaded his house. Odysseus is able to see who is loyal and who is not and take his revenge with the suitors never knowing who

The Odyssey written by Homer, is one of the best known epic around the world. It is not just an epic full of action and danger or a story that includes mythical creatures, but The Odyssey reveals the truth about humans and the God we serve as well. It shows that humans are still wicked. We cheat, steal, or lie to get what we want. However, even if we may be sly, we also have good traits such as devotion, caringness, etc. The epic also displays that God is a providing God, but He also gets angry at times because of our actions.