Premium Essay

Odysseus Character Essay

In:

Submitted By KaoKao749
Words 328
Pages 2
Odysseus is a character that has a remarkable amount of depth to him. Many of Homer’s characters are well-developed, even minor characters having a background and strong story. Odysseus is an epic hero by many definitions, stretching and branches out much farther than just the limits on English literature. Odysseus’s development allows him to be more than just a Mary-Sue, but to also have flaws and iradmirable qualities. To identify Odysseus as an epic hero, you first need to know what an epic hero is. An epic hero possesses traits such as strength, courage, nobility, a thirst for glory, and confidence. He values his crew and has a longing to get home, even after spending life in plenty with Calypso. He is nothing short of a genius, his intellect showing in situations such as with the Cyclops and the lotus eaters. However, not all of Odysseus’s traits are favourable. Odysseus’s longing for glory and recognition is a major part of his flaws. Odysseus’s jealously over Penelope also led to a loss of lives; with Odysseus killing each of Penelope’s suitors after her little challenge with the bow. He also has issues with giving into temptation, but his character grows and learns from those mistakes. (Such as having his crew tie him to the mast pole to keep him from falling victim to the Sirens.) Odysseus is an archetypal hero for characters in future epics. An archetypal character is the first of its kind; the foundation for others to be built off of. Odysseus was a well-structured character with many traits and flaws that shaped who he was. Later writers of epics used Odysseus as a basis for their main characters, and many epic stories and poems have characters relatable to Odysseus. However, Odysseus wasn’t just an archetypal hero for epic poems, he also set the foundation for heroes of other stories, ranging from other myths like Hercules and Perseus to our

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Odysseus Character Analysis Essay

...Along with cunning, Odysseus and I are both confident. Odysseus shows in confidence in the story countless times. Such as dealing with times where we have to be clutch or watching others be clutch. The time I realized Odysseus was a hero was when he confidently thought of a plan to defeat the cyclops even when he was feeling “a pressure on our hearts, in dread of that deep rumble and that mighty man” (902). This is a tall task to face especially when the cyclopes are so much taller than you and your men. It baffles me so much that Odysseys can just stroll up to a man eating cyclops and totally trick him with ease and no crumbling to fear Another time when I thought he was so confident was when the suitors were trying to shoot Odysseus’ bow though the rings....

Words: 484 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Odyssey Research Paper

...Task Essay Outline: The Hero’s Journey. Directions: Use your completed close-reading charts on “The Hero’s Adventure” and “The Hero’s Journey,” as well as your annotations from “The Odyssey” to complete this outline for your research simulation essay. 10 point classwork grade Introduction Hook Statement - Engage the reader with a compelling quote or question related to the topic How does the Hero’s journey structure contribute to the development of Odysseus’ character as an epic hero and aligns with his journey? Background Information - Provide necessary context about the topic and its significance In the Odyssey, Odysseus goes through many phases/challenges of which align with the “stages” in the Hero’s Journey. These...

Words: 1060 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

English Western Literature

...Sun Hwa Choi English 3 Thursday Evening Class Professor Humphrey Due May 21, 2015 Essay 4: Development of Heroes (+Hamlet) The Heroes of the Greek and Rome poetries share few common uniqueness. They are heroic in that they all sacrifice, they are all intelligent, they all have their own faith or luck, they are all remembered or also known as Kleos and they all wander and deal with many problems. We have read many of them in this course such as Odysseus, Oedipus, Aeneas, Achilles and Beowulf. Then there is the great Hamlet who is not one of the Greek Heroes but a character from a play by William Shakespeare. Today in this essay, I want to compare some of the Greek poetry characters with the Prince Hamlet. First of all, I want to talk about few similarities between Hamlet and one of the Greek poet characters we have learned from this course. In my opinion, the story of Hamlet itself can be very analogous to the story of the poetry Oedipus. Both of the story have a plague or a outbreak going on from the beginning of the story. In the Oedipus the King, it starts with the Plague of Thebes where then Oedipus start to take actions for his people. This is where he shows his heroic features being a great leader for his city and sacrificing himself to solve the problem. The play Hamlet also starts with an outbreak and there seems to be something strange. The play starts with, "who’s there?" (Act 1 scene 1 line 1) by one of the guards. The fact that the play starts out with a question...

Words: 1067 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Comparison of Odysseus and Athena as Liars

...Comparison of Odysseus and Athena as liars Deception, or the act of deceiving or defrauding, is a prominent theme in the Odyssey. Though inherently dishonest, deception can be used to gain information and knowledge. Different characters (and people) use it different ways. This essay will establish that, whereas Odysseus uses deception to help him progress from Nobody back to Odysseus, king of Ithaca, Athena does so to keep her identity secret when she disguises herself. Odysseus ensures his security and protects his identity while deceiving Polyphemus, thus displaying his true cleverness. Odysseus tells Polyphemus that “Nobody is his name,” (9,365) he uses this clever deception so the other Cyclopes do not go after him after he escapes. Also, if Polyphemos knew who Odysseus really was then Polyphemos would've treated him differently. Odysseus wouldn't had received the hospitality that he did. By being his witty self, Polyphemos stated “I will eat you last” because he liked his cleverness which was actually his decievence. Odysseus is in sense a nobody, no one cared if he was king of Ithaca. This was his lowest point as he started to lie more in order to reconstruct his identity. In order to restore his identity, he had to continue with his lies, with that he began his Cretan lies. These Cretan lies deceived Athena, Eumaois, and Penelope. Odysseus used his first Cretan lie to Athena, who was disguised as a Shepard boy, ........ He takes pains to establish a sound character: "I have...

Words: 744 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Argumentative Essay On Homer's The Odyssey

...Odyssey Argumentative Essay As Christopher Columbus once said, "By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination." The journey, and how those obstacles and distractions are overcome, is what holds the valuable life lessons that help us reach the destination. Ultimately, it is not the overall goal, but the decisions we make and the turns we take during the journey that help shape and define who we are as people. In Homer's The Odyssey, the theme of the epic is about how war can change a person. It is evident that the journey is more important than the goal to the development of Odysseus's character and the theme of the epic when Odysseus learns the importance of humility, the value...

Words: 980 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

What Is The Purpose Of The Odyssey Movie

...Wouldn’t it be cool to learn about a character who is hubris and caring at the same time? Yes it would be cool so lets talk about it, but first let me explain the purpose of the essay, the purpose of the essay is to try to get people interested in The Odyssey, and to teach about the greek mythology legends. The book is called The odyssey by Homer and the book is called Oh Brother Where Art Thou by the director named Joel and Ethan Coen which is also the writers of the movie as well. Odysseus is very caring and loving especially on Calypso’s island when Penelope and Odysseus were hugging. Another reason on how Odysseus is showing that he is caring and loving is when him and Penelope are also crying while they are hugging. In the movie...

Words: 620 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Comparing Penelope And Odysseus In Homer's The Odyssey

... written by Homer, is a series of poems that describe the heroics of Odysseus following the events of The Iliad. Throughout the books, there are many characters who show the features of a hero, who is someone who overcomes an impossible task or foe, even themselves, and can be occasionally given recognition for their feats. Two characteristics that a great hero and a great leader need are caution and cunning, and none show these better than Penelope and Odysseus. Penelope shows caution and Odysseus shows cunningness, who show these traits the best, which shows that great leaders need to be cautious and cunning. Caution, as shown by Penelope, illustrates the concept that great heroes need to be cautious. In book twenty-three, lines 94-100, Penelope is in distress, trying to think of how to approach the stranger who...

Words: 645 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Examples Of Persuasive Essay On The Iliad

...Connor Renning Mr. Walsh P.4 World Literature 10/4/14 The Iliad Persuasive Essay Heroes, especially in their presence across all types of literary work, are the very foundation of the values and beliefs found in the societies of where they come from. Honor, regardless of how it is obtained, is a key component to the archetype of a Greek hero. Throughout the entirety of The Iliad the war in which our characters are entwined, amongst the most driving factors in the perpetuation of the conflict are the thirst for obtaining honor, and the fear and/or occurrence of the loss of it. This balance between their thirst and fear of losing it drives their actions and consequently makes the issue of honor the foundation of everything within the epic....

Words: 526 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Wfkghil.P/Uip[|Gd

...The Odyssey Essay Topics We will begin work on the essays once we’ve completed the reading. Between now and then you need to consider the following topics and choose one for your paper. Read over each topic; as we continue to read, listen for lines that will fit with your topic (that you can use in your paper!). You will commit to a topic later. 1. On at least three occasions in the Odyssey, good advice is offered and not taken, and disaster and suffering result. Discuss three such examples. 2. In Part 2 of the Odyssey, Penelope shows that she is a strong woman, and therefore a good match for Odysseus, because she is clever. Discuss three times when Penelope was clever. 3. What is the role of females in the Odyssey? Taking into consideration such characters as Penelope, Circe, Athena, the Sirens, and Anticlea (Odysseus’ mother), discuss how women are portrayed. 4. What is the importance of the father/son relationships in the Odyssey? Thinking about what the story presents about the relationships between Odysseus and Laertes, Odysseus and Telemachus, and Polyphemus and Poseidon, describe what characteristics of this relationship the Greeks valued. 5. The Odyssey contains some very graphic violence, some of which is done in anger and some of which is not. Select examples of each, and explain the purpose of each violent scene. 6. Hospitality, the concept of welcoming visitors and treating them well, was important to the Ancient Greeks. Find examples in...

Words: 274 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Sirens In The Odyssey

...Homer’s The Odyssey is important to the history of literature, but there is one part of Odysseus's adventures that have interested readers since the book was released, the part where Odysseus encountered the sirens. These interested readers often make different versions of this excerpt, from books to short stories to movies. In this essay, though, the focus is going to be purely on a single poem by Margaret Atwood, “Siren Song”, and how this poem and the original text comparably convey the sirens. The tones expressed to the reader from Odysseus’s poem is desperation. Odysseus’s heart “throbbed to listen longer” (20) to the siren’s “ravishing voices” (19). Odysseus was desperate to be released for the ropes that bound him to the boat so that he could go to the sirens. The tone used in “Siren Song” is misery. The siren notes how she doesn’t...

Words: 556 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Odysseus Leadership Qualities

...The Odyssey Essay As Mahatma Gandhi said "A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenched faith in their mission can alter the course of history." This quote greatly relates to Odysseus and his leadership skills, he was a very determined person wanting to make it back home so badly and never gave up hope that he would achieve his goal. Odysseus was a great leader who showed courage and wisdom numerous times throughout his journey. Just as importantly, he thought of not only his own well being, but his crews as well. He was so determined that he made it his priority to stay on track, only veering from course if absolutely necessary. Some important characteristics that a great leader must have are bravery and courage, they must also be wise and witty. Odysseus definitely portrayed all these skills throughout his journey. For example, when he and his men got trapped in Polyphemus's cave, he came up with a clever plan to get them out as safely as possible. He was smart enough at first to tell the cyclops a false name "Nobody-that's my name. Nobody-so my mother and father call me, all my friends". (IX- 410) Tricking the cyclops meant that they wouldn't have been punished for what they did,...

Words: 857 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

What Are Gender Roles In The Odyssey

...Whittaker, Helene. (1995) Renowned professor of classical Archeology and Ancient History at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. Helene whittaker is known for mainly being concerned with the Greek Bronze age. She wrote about the Gender role in The Odyssey, specifically focusing on the women's role and how women's treatment by men can be indicated as sexist. They are usually identified by their looks and treated based on how their physical appearance is, and whether they have power over any men. She makes it clear that throughout Odysseus’ journey to the underworld, he spots and gets a glimpse of different variety of women. She says that throughout the Odyssey, they do not state anything about the women’s accomplishments in their lifetime, but only about their important son's, good looks and pleasingness, and their affairs with gods. She also talks about how women are known for their action and activity towards their sons and husbands, but never for the action and deeds of their own, or how they are, nor what accomplishments they did for themselves. Helene states that it seems in the book Odyssey, the only achievements women could achieve was being pretty and attractive to they eyes of the men. She proves throughout her paper that even Homer made it sound as...

Words: 1092 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Odyssey

...A Modern Hero’s Journey: A Short Play due dates: brainstorming due 4/7 Dr. Harrison cover letter, map, setting, character list due 4/11 English 1h formal essay, inc. WC page due 4/16 Spring 2014 You, or you and one partner, are Hollywood screenwriters who have a brilliant idea for a movie about a modern hero’s journey, modeled on Odysseus’s journey, and given a structure by Joseph Campbell: in other words, you will be showing your hero’s origin and his separation (you’ll have to create your own back story since we don’t observe Odysseus’s origin in The Odyssey), and his initiation and return to his homeland. Your job is to make the story your own by creating your own character names, setting, and back story, and then modeling your journey on the specific encounters Odysseus has, as he makes his way home. You will pitch your story to me (I’m really a famous Hollywood director—my stage name is dr.h--traveling incognito as a San Jose high school English teacher): For me to consider your story and launch you to stardom, your pitch, uploaded to your website(s) must accomplish all of the following: Cover letter: please find a template for cover letters, or create your own, to address me and give me a brief one-paragraph pitch: what is your story and why should I want to read on? Brainstorming: During class time, you will create a googledoc in which you (or you and your partner) brainstorm each of the following. Upload this googledoc to your website(s)...

Words: 891 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Story Map of Troy

...the only place where invaders could land which made defending Troy from the ramparts easy. Characters: Iris Daughter of Thaumas who helped both sides during the Trojan war equally. Helped Hector find war plans of the Greeks and helped Achilles enter a temple. Ithaca This is home to the mythological hero Odysseus and is located in the Ionian sea in Greece Laocoon In Greek and Roman mythology, he was a seer and priest of the god Apollo in the ancient city of Troy. He played a notable role in the last days of the Trojan War; he and his twin sons, Antiphas and Thymbraeus were killed by a giant sea serpent. Menelaus king of Sparta and husband of Helen, the woman who caused the Trojan War. Mycenae In Greek legend, Agamemnon, leader of the combined Greek forces, was king of this place during the Trojan War. Myrmidons They are very brave and skilled warriors commanded by Achilles Nestor He was an Argonaut, helped fight the centaurs, and participated in the hunt for the Calydonian Boar. He and his sons, Antilochus and Thrasymedes, fought on the side of the Achaeans in the Trojan War Odysseus He was one of the most influential Greek champions during the Trojan War. When Agamemnon, to test the morale of the Achaeans, announced his intentions to depart Troy, He restored order to the Greek camp. Palladium An image of Palla Athena that was sacred to Trojans. During the war it was stolen by Odysseus and Diomedes. It was said that Troy would not fall as long as the Palladium stayed within its...

Words: 351 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Grammar for English

...English Essay Writing Rubric 1. Name, Date, Class, Teacher’s Name in upper left corner: 5 points. John Smith 11/2/06 Third Form English—RDD 1 2 3 4 5 2. Title in regular 12-size font, centered, important words capitalized. NO quotation marks, italics, bold, etc. Craft a pointed, engaging, and succinct title: 5 points. e.g. Like Father, Like Son 1 2 3 4 5 3. First sentence, interesting and including author, title, and main topic: 5 points. In The Odyssey, Homer builds the essential bond between Telemachus and Odysseus through introducing them as men connected by situation and character. 1 2 3 4 5 4. Thesis paragraph continues. It offers three sentences that could act as topic sentences for each of the body paragraphs and ends with the thesis statement: 15 points. # 2—Both Odysseus and Telemachus first appear in the narrative as isolated, powerless, and grieving for each other. #3—They both receive divine assistance and encouragement… #4—Finally, father and son reveal their heroic qualities as they set off in search of one another. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 5. Three supporting body paragraphs, each with textual proof: 10 points each paragraph. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6. Quotations properly introduced...

Words: 465 - Pages: 2