...Odysseus’ Journey: A Path to Redemption In Homer's The Odyssey, the protagonist Odysseus sets off on a 10 year journey to reclaim his throne as king of Ithaca after the Trojan War. Throughout his journey, Odysseus constantly struggles with temptation. Odysseus faces the challenge of overcoming his weaknesses to obtain redemption from the gods. Odysseus' chances of returning home are compromised by his flaws and those of his crew; however, Odysseus possesses the necessary virtues and qualities needed to reclaim his throne. One flaw that dooms Odysseus is hubris. When Odysseus and his crew become trapped in the Cyclops’s cave, Odysseus uses his intelligence and cleverness to escape. After the escape, Odysseus brags and reveals his real name to Polyphemus, yelling from his ship “…if any man…should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so—say Odysseus…he gouged out your eye” (Homer 9.558). Polyphemus is enraged and curses Odysseus' name to Poseidon, praying that his father will delay Odysseus’ return. Poseidon curses Odysseus and his men by causing storms and winds to prevent him and his crew from returning home. If Odysseus didn’t let his pride influence him in this instance, he may have returned to Ithaca earlier and saved the lives of many of his men. Another example of Odysseus’ pride compromising the success of the journey was when the crew was facing the Sirens. The Sirens are dangerous sea enchantresses that lead sailors to their deaths through song. Instead of putting...
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...Aeneas Physical pilgrimage to Italy was as important to him as it was for Odysseus to Ithaca. Allegorical pilgrimage is similar to that of Odysseus. He seemed to lose track of his destiny particularly during his relationship with Dido in Carthage. Similarly Odysseus reflected that same lose of connection while he stayed at Calypso Island. We learned from the story that the value Aeneas places on his family is particularly evident in the scene which he escorts his father and son out of Troy, bearing his elderly father on his back. He behave no less honorable towards the gods, always seeking to find out their wishes and conform to them as fully as possible. His ability to accept his destined path despite his unhappiness in doing so, makes him a grateful hero and worthy of the honor of the gods deposited upon him. His pilgrimage never loses connection with spirituality. Aeneas was continually enriching his spirituality and reminded by the gods his duty. His words to Dido in books four and six expressed his commitment to obey fate rather than indulge his feeling of genuine romantic love. Aeneas’s self personal investment in the future of Rome increased as the story progressed. The events of book five , in which the Trojans sail away from Carthage toward Italy, and book six, in which Aeneas visited his father in the realm of the death, depict Aeneas’s growth as a leader. In book five, he showed his sympathy for...
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...Gabriela Riccardi Dr. Clinton Period 5 Odysseus vs. Antinous Odysseus and Antinous share some of the most important qualities to be a leader, how they use them though, makes the two men polar opposites. Antinous is the “top” suitor for Penelope, while Odysseus is Penelope’s husband who has been making his journey home for over ten years. Although she can see that her husband and this man are alike in some ways, the worst in Antinous keeps her holding onto the best in Odysseus. Antinous is cruel and abuses the small amount of power he is given by being named “top” suitor. Antinous is disrespectful of the gods, he shows us this when he hits the stranger (Odysseus) with a chair. You are supposed to take in any stranger with open arms incase it is a god in disguise; Antinous however, disregards that ancient moral and yells at the old beggar. Antinous also shows that he is unlike Odysseus because he isn’t observant. When the chair bounced off Odysseus’ back and didn’t hurt him, Antinous should have known that something was not right. They are alike< on the other hand, because they both show leadership. Antinous is the best choice for Penelope, according to the other men he is competing with, and they support him when he bullies other men. Odysseus started out going on the same path as Antinous, but luckily his adventures to get back to Ithaca changed him severely. Odysseus is a ruler who knows what is best for his crew, and he learns his lesson about boasting when the Cyclops...
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...Is Odysseus a hero? Everyone hears the word “hero” from time to time, but has it ever occurred to any of those people, of what a hero is to them? Some define heroes as someone they admire or even someone with super powers. Just know that a hero is someone who is not perfect. Heroes have imperfections like humans do. If one were to read The Odyssey, one of the most controversial questions that would be asked if whether or not Odysseus is a hero. Certainly, some may say he is not because of all the terrible things he did throughout, but remember a hero has flaws. Otherwise than that Odysseus is a hero. Throughout his journey, it is shown that he possesses many qualities of a hero such as intelligence, the strength he shows, the hardships he encounters and how he deals with them, and so on. According to The Odyssey written by Homer, it is shown that a hero has a quality of being a risk taker, a trait Odysseus demonstrates in his adventure. The part where Odysseus stabbed the Cyclopes in the eye is considered a huge risk. “Straight forward they sprinted, lifting it, and rammed it deep in his crater eye” (Homer, 414). The reason is, is because Odysseus already knew what the Cyclopes was capable of. If he was not successful then he along with his crew would become the Cyclopes dinner. Odysseus also shows how smart and cunning he is. When he is talking to one of the suitors he says “ I too once lived in a lofty house that men admired; rolling in wealth I’d often give to a...
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...Odysseus and Dante Dawn Anderson September 24, 2013 World Literature Professor O’Neil South University Online Abstract The travels of Odysseus and Dante are plagued with many trials and tribulations. Odysseus is trying to return home to his wife Penelope, but Odysseus has angered the God and they make it extremely difficult for him to achieve his goals. Dante and Virgil travel through the circles of hell in order for Dante to search for his humanity. The plot of these two stories are evident when comparing the epic characteristics, epic conventions, and comparing the different religious backgrounds of the time period in which these novels were written. Both the Odyssey by Homer and Dante’s Inferno were written to reveal culture and tradition of life and values that each epic portrays. In the Odyssey by Homer the main character Odysseus is a man struggling with multiple obstacles while trying to return home after twenty years fighting in the Trojan War. In the Inferno, Dante is on a journey between good and evil, with references to heaven and hell. The Gods or angels are used in both books by helping Odysseus and Dante to grow in faith and attain their own potential dream. Odysseus faces challenges on his journey home are plagued by the wrath of the Gods. Dante is challenged by going through hell in search of his humanity. Throughout the Odyssey by Homer Odysseus must face obstacles and struggle to be able to overcome these obstacles by using his mind and...
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...Odysseus is a captain, above all. One who is in command, who must make important decisions. Now, though some of these decisions may have resulted in the death of his crew mates, I think it is important to consider his heroism in other areas of his life. From being the man who brought about the destruction of the Trojans during war time to his many warnings to his crew of the dangers of their journey, his heroics have far outweighed his villainous acts. It is hard for me to say, but sacrifices needed to be made, and he did what he could to bring his men home, however unsuccessfully he did so. First up, we have the making of the Trojan Horse. Athena, favoring Odysseus, came to him and instructed him to create a giant wooden horse to trick the...
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...is evident in determining the outcome of every adventure and obstacle that the hero, Odysseus, faces during his lengthy, perilous journey home following the events of the Trojan War. Man’s free will is overshadowed throughout this epic poem by the use of prophecy or the direct influence of the gods to ultimately foretell and decide the outcome. The choices Odysseus makes may have direct consequences and influence on his life, gaining or denying him favor with the gods. He cannot; however, change his fate or escape their will. The influence of the gods is shown early on in The Odyssey during a meeting of the gods where they decide amongst themselves that the time for Odysseus to return to his home in Ithaca has come. At the time of the meeting, Odysseus is trapped in a suspended state of inactivity on the island Ogygia with the goddess Calypso. No matter the remarkable wit and cunning the hero is shown to possess, it is the decision of the gods at this meeting to send Hermes to pave the way for his release from the island. Zeus to Hermes: “Hermes, you’ve been our messenger before. / go tell that ringlet nymph it is my will / To let that patient man Odysseus go home. / Not with an escort, mind you, human or divine, / But on a rickety raft-tribulation at sea- / Until on the twentieth day he comes to Scheria / In the land of the Phaeacians, our distant relatives, / Who will treat Odysseus as if he were a god / Who will take him on a ship to his own native land / With gifts...
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...are different but in some ways parallel and end with them back with their true love. Both Dante and Odysseus have a woman who waits for them and in their travels must search themselves and make the right choices to get back to them. Odysseus longs to be with his wife Penelope and Dante to be with the woman he wants to marry Beatrice. Both men are very much love the woman in their lives, go to their own hell and back and can think of nothing other than finding their way back to them. Beatrice even after death has a spirit that is very much in love with Dante. She has faith in him, and asks Virgil to guide him through hell to bring him back to her. As written by a professor in psychoanalysis, "Dante the voyager through this arduous voyage, a voyage that initially descends into ever deeper, ever more terrifying levels, is the love of and the love from two people: Virgil (his 'Psyche') and Beatrice (his 'Eros')" (Szajnberg, N. M., 2010). Dante travels through hell with Virgil's guidance to find his Beatrice that is lost on earth after suffering an early death. Dante's Inferno does not tell a lot about Beatrice but does show her deep love for him and that she will do what it takes to be with him again. "For I am Beatrice who sends you on; I come from where I most long to return; Love prompted me, that Love which makes me speak"(Inferno). Penelope is very much in love with Odysseus even if he has been away so long. Many men come wanting to marry Penelope but she waits for her husband's...
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...Odysseus is the main character of the Odyssey. Throughout all of the Odyssey, Odysseus figures himself out. The mastermind goes through many conflicts both inner and outer. He is described as a leader of his crew of men. Odysseus is not the epic hero he is supposed to be. Odysseus depends on his crew. If he was alone on Kyklopes’ island he would have probably died at first. This is because the Kyklopes picked up one of his crew members and devoured him instantly. Odysseus is always deemed as the hero, the leader, and the mastermind. But, the mastermind of war could not have gone so far without men helping him paddle his boat. An example is in the citation above, “I chopped out a six foot section of this poe and set it down before my men….”...
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...Is Odysseus truly a hero? In the Odyssey he is portrayed as a stout man with superior fighting expertise. But is that all a hero is made of or is there more? I hope to prove to you, the reader, that although Odysseus was a good man, father, and husband, he isn't the hero he seems to be. In my eyes a hero is someone who does everything for the good, jumps into situations others are hesitant in venturing, and lying their life down for others. First of all we must recognize the fact that he fought in the Trojan war for a good cause. And on his adventures home he had to do what was necessary for him and his men to survive. Also, even through all the hardships he had to endure, like the slaughter of his men, he stood firm and did the best he could....
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...We all have a personal journey we go through in life, no matter how privileged you may think you are, there will always be a struggle you must face. Odysseus was the king of Ithica, a job that many only could wish they had, he had it all, but he made a mistake. He upset the gods and made his journey home from Troy anything but smooth. His mission was to return home while enduring the many obstacles life threw at him along the way. For me, I had to endure the equally terrifying obstacles at my destination, which was now my home. This is my journey of discoverance, fright, and finding my place. When I got news that I had to leave my life there behind were leaving the only thing I knew as home, I was sad. Since I’m not an epic hero, like Odysseus,...
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...Is Odysseus admirable or not? In “The Odyssey,” the main character Odysseus commits many foolish actions that affect his men. First off, Odysseus is a braggart who brags when he gets the situation his way. Next, he is very curious when a situation is present, affecting his men negatively. Lastly, he is cursed because of the actions he commits with the cyclops in his journey. Due to his clumsy actions, Odysseus is not an admirable leader because he is a braggart, curious, and cursed. Furthermore, Odysseus is not an admirable leader due to him being a braggart, being a very curious person, and is cursed. Firstly, when he blinded the cyclops, he made a foolish decision to scream out all of his personal information when on his ship getting away...
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...Would Odysseus be considered a hero in our time? Well in the epic poem “The Odyssey” by homer the character Odysseus is brave due to his heroic acts. His determination to bring him and hi crew back home and facing all the challenges he has to go through. Odysseus is a hero because he looks out for his crew, spends years trying to get them back home. Odysseus is clever due to his smart choices. He also protects his men like a hero would do and gains their loyalty by saving them from the cyclops also known as polyphemus.he tricks him by telling him his name is name is “nobody” and then disgusting his men as sheep so polyphemus would unwittingly let them out of his cave and save his men. In our time polyphemus would be seen as a bully and odysseus...
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...Define heroes in your thinking. Whenever I have that question, the first thing pop up in my head is Odysseus. The story that talk about him was wrote long time ago by the Homer. He was wrote at the greatest heroes in Greek mythology. With me, Odysseus is describe the word heroes mean. Odysseus is not just the person that are strong, brave, have superpower, but the three major things make Odysseus be a hero are leadership skills, intelligence, have weakness and overcome it. One major thing that make him be a hero is his leadership skills. The leader is the one that need to take care of everyone and take responsibility on them. When they landed on land of the Lotus Eaters, they were hungry and the people offered them the lotus. He tell them...
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...Rowing through rough seas, trying to keep all of his 12 ships alive, Odysseus, King of Ithaca, headed home from the long war with Troy. Odysseus, now considered a war hero, had the task of getting himself and all of his men back safe to Ithaca. The only problem was that he faced many difficult challenges along the way. A cyclopes, giants, and a beautiful sorceress were some examples of these. Although Odysseus had some shining moments, he also made some bad ones. Odysseus was strategic in navigating obstacles, however, his arrogance clouded his judgement, leading to his crew’s demise. Odysseus had many great strategies while navigating back home to Ithaca. His arguably best strategy was praying to Athena early in his journey. When Odysseus...
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