Odysseus has all the defining characteristics of a Homeric protagonist. He is strong, resourceful, and confident, which makes him a great leader. However, Odysseus has a number of flaws, including his constant desire to achieve glory combined with excessive pride that sometimes blinds him in his adventures. Book IX of The Odyssey is structured as a series of flashbacks that reveal the wanderings of Odysseus and his men. As Odysseus tells Phaeacians the tale of his battle with the Cyclops, it becomes apparent that Homer’s protagonist is smart and cunning. He possesses the ability to deceive and plan thoroughly, which adds to his charm and strength as a leader. However, Odysseus’ confrontation with Polyphemus demonstrates how arrogant and foolish The Odyssey’s hero can be.
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Odysseus decides to linger in the Cyclops’ cave after stealing some of his food, which puts his men in danger. They keep telling Odysseus to leave, but he tells them he wants “to see the owner himself, in the hope that he might give me a present” (Homer). Such arrogance leads to Polyphemus eating two of Odysseus’ best men after he returns to his cave. After the monster imprisons his ‘guests’ in order to feast on them later, Odysseus comes up with an intricate plan to escape. It includes blinding Polyphemus, hiding his identity by using ‘Nobody’ as an introduction, and finally escaping the cave by clinging to the bellies of the Cyclops’ sheep. However, as soon as Odysseus and his men manage to get on their ships, the story’s protagonist rejects any sense of self-preservation and reveals his identity to the Cyclops. Polyphemus then prays to his father Poseidon to call for vengeance on Odysseus. Therefore, despite being smart and deceiving, the story’s protagonist shows how prideful and foolish his actions can be.
In conclusion, it is important to acknowledge that Odysseus is a strong and clever man. He can use his smarts and leadership skills to escape dangerous situations, an example of which would be his wanderings in the land of the Cyclops. However, Odysseus rarely thinks ahead if his pride is threatened. The only reason why he refuses to hide his identity with Polyphemus is that he wants everyone to know of his great deeds. His excessive pride and desire for glory makes him an unlikeable character.
Work Cited
Homer. “Book IX.” The Odyssey, translated by Samuel Butler, 800 B.C.E. Classics MIT, Web.
Homer’s The Odyssey contains the most extensive account of the adventures of an epic Greek hero Odysseus. However, for many decades critics have argued whether or not Odysseus is, indeed, a hero. Reading The Odyssey, one notices many differences between Odysseus and the typical heroic images in other ancient myths, such as Achilles in The Iliad.
Odysseus shares some characteristics with other epic heroes, for instance, his physical strength, but also has many other qualities, which distinguish him from a traditional epic image, such as wit, cunning intelligence, patience, and stateliness; moreover, he also possesses some negative qualities that are not generally attributed to epic heroes: for example, pride, unfaithfulness, and poor leadership qualities. Positive traits help Odysseus in his journey and grant him the support of higher powers, whereas other, less exemplary qualities, halt him on his way to Ithaca by creating various obstacles.
Wit
Odysseus’ wit has been the subject of many critical studies and explorations. Indeed, legendary epic heroes are not typically shown to be fluent in words. Odysseus, on the other hand, freely uses rhetoric to achieve his goals. For example, Zerba discusses the episode in the land of the Phaeacians with regards to Odysseus’ wit and his use of language: “his performance impresses Alkinoos, lord of the Phaiakians, so much that the king likens him to a singer of tales […] who has spoken both knowingly […] and with a pleasing form […] in his words” (314-313).
Zerba argues that it is Odysseus’ story that helps him to get a new ship and crew from the Phaeacians: “Odysseus’ tale of his wanderings in the court of the Phaiakians […] is delivered in the effort to secure safe passage to Ithaka and to acquire guest-gifts that will enhance his status, is in this sense provisional” (317). However, despite the need to win the audience, Odysseus also uses rhetoric to establish his authority; in his storytelling, he is always somewhat distant from the listeners: “Odyssean charisma, in both the personal sense attached to the character of the man and as a predominant mode of discourse in the epic as a whole, involves standoffishness and deferral” (Zerba 324).
The distance establishes a particular kind of hierarchy and the audience’s respect towards Odysseus, which is vital for him to gain help from the Phaeacian king and to earn a passage home.
Strength
Another quality, which is, on the contrary, typically heroic, is Odysseus’ strength. It is also crucial in the Phaeacian episode, as Rankine shows in her article “Odysseus as a Slave.” According to Rankine, having no status or resources upon arrival to Phaeacians poses a substantial threat of enslavement for Odysseus: “The structure, however, follows that of our examples of enslavement: the entry of an outsider, the mock cooption of the outsider into the community, and the trial of this potential opponent, which leads to his domination” (44).
In this case, the contest becomes a way for Odysseus to establish his authority and prove himself a strong opponent. Despite the fact that The Odyssey does not elaborate on the fighting skills of Odysseus until the later books and the slaughter of Penelope’s suitors, during the contest Odysseus proves his physical strength in front of the audience, including the Phaeacian king Alcinous (Homer VIII.216-223):
Up he sprang, cloak and all, and seized a discus,
huge and heavy, more weighty by far than those
the Phaeacians used to hurl and test each other.
Wheeling around, he let loose with his great hand
and the stone whirred on—and down to the ground they went,
those lords of the long oars and master mariners cringing
under the rock’s onrush, soaring lightly out of his grip,
flying away past all the other marks.
Rankine claims, “Athletics amount to surrogate warfare and the captors want a formidable opponent they can claim to have dominated, as they would have done in war” (43). However, this scene shows Odysseus not as an equal to Phaeacians, but as their superior, and thus earns him respect and freedom instead of a threat of captivity.
Stateliness
Being the rightful King of Ithaca, Odysseus is shown as a majestic figure throughout the story. The importance of his stateliness is highlighted by the influence of Goddess Athena on Odysseus’ appearance. She casts a veil to make Odysseus seem broader and more beautiful at several points during The Odyssey. Firstly, when Nausicaa’s maids find him by the river (Homer VI.237-246):
And then, once he had bathed all over, rubbed in oil
and donned the clothes the virgin princess gave him,
Zeus’s daughter Athena made him taller to all eyes,
his build more massive now, and down from his brow
she ran his curls like thick hyacinth clusters
full of blooms. As a master craftsman washes
gold over beaten silver—a man the god of fire
and Queen Athena trained in every fine technique—
and finishes off his latest effort, handsome work,
so she lavished splendor over his head and shoulders now.
The change in Odysseus’ appearance is noticed by the princess, who becomes attracted to him and thus decides to take him to her father, the Phaeacian king.
The second time when Athena influences Odysseus’ appearance to make him appear more majestic occurs towards the end of the story (Homer XXIII.174-184):
And Athena crowned the man with beauty, head to foot,
made him taller to all eyes, his build more massive,
yes, and down from his brow the great goddess
ran his curls like thick hyacinth clusters
full of blooms. As a master craftsman washes
gold over beaten silver – a man the god of fire
and Queen Athena trained in every fine technique –
and finishes off his latest effort, handsome work…
so she lavished splendor over his head and shoulders now.
He stepped from his bath, glistening like a god,
and back he went to the seat that he had left.
Odysseus’ appearance is important here, as it is a moment of revelation when he shows Penelope his true identity after spending the day in disguise. Penelope admits that he looks “the way he looked,/ setting sail from Ithaca years ago/ aboard the long-oared ship” (Homer XXIII.196-198). The revelation is significant not only because it marks the hero’s return, but also because Penelope’s cooperation eventually helps Odysseus to defeat the suitors and to re-establish his authority as the king.
Cunning Intelligence
Arguably the most important quality Odysseus possesses and the one that helps him the most on his journey is his cunning intelligence, and there are two factors that account for such importance. Firstly, Odysseus’ intelligence is one of the main reasons for Athena’s affection towards the hero and thus, her help, which saves Odysseus’ life on numerous occasions and grants him safe passage home. Athena admits the fact that she favors Odysseus’ for his cunning intelligence: “That’s why I can’t forsake you in your troubles— /you are so winning, so worldly-wise, so self-possessed!” (Homer XIII.376-377). Athena comes to Odysseus’ aid right from the start of the poem, allowing him to escape from Calypso’s island.
She also saves his life from Poseidon’s wrath after Odysseus blinds his son Polyphemus, helps Telemachus to grow from boyhood into manhood so that he would become a reliable ally to Odysseus after his return, negotiates with the gods that want to inflict harm on Odysseus, and so on. The Goddess’ influence on the story is substantial, which makes Odysseus cunning intelligence an essential quality for his return home: “Athena and Odysseus are the perfect partners in the cunning arts (kerdea)” (Mitova 2).
Zerba stresses another important aspect of Odysseus’ intelligence: his skepticism. In Odysseus’ wanderings, Zerba argues, his skepticism and mistrust are vital for him to stay alive: “As an instrument of survival for those who have been alienated from the ones they love and exposed to the ebb and flow of rumor, skepticism offers a way of coping with a world that is deeply contingent, opaque to understanding, and fraught with competing views” (317). For instance, Odysseus’ skepticism prevents him from falling under the spells of Circe and Calypso (Homer IX.29-33):
Calypso the lustrous goddess tried to hold me back,
deep in her arching caverns, craving me for a husband.
So did Circe, holding me just as warmly in her halls,
the bewitching queen of Aeaea keen to have me too.
But they never won the heart inside me, never.
Despite the fact that Odysseus still had to spend several years on Calypso’s island and over a year with Circe, his intelligence has prevented him from sharing the fate of his teammates, who remained in captivity for the rest of their lives.
Patience
Patience is another characteristic that helps Odysseus in his journey, particularly due to the numerous cases where he uses a disguise to conceal his identity. For example, even as he finally reaches Ithaca, he cannot appear at his palace’s doorstep in his real appearance; he has to disguise himself as a beggar in order to devise a plan to slaughter Penelope’s suitors who have been taking residence at his home.
Disguise allows Odysseus to penetrate into the palace, to get enough support by revealing his true identity to Penelope, Telemachus, and some other trusted characters, and then to take the suitors by surprise, murdering them and reclaiming his power over Ithaca. While in disguise, however, he experiences a lot of humiliation from the ignorant suitors and the maids who sleep with them. For instance, Odysseus is mocked and insulted by Melantho (Homer XVIII.366-378):
She was Eurymachus’ lover, always slept with him.
She was the one who mocked her king and taunted,
“Cock of the walk, did someone beat your brains out?
Why not go bed down at the blacksmith’s cozy forge?
Or a public place where tramps collect? Why here—
blithering on, nonstop,
bold as brass in the face of all these lords?
No fear in your heart? Wine’s got to your wits?—
or do you always play the fool and babble nonsense?
Lost your head, have you because you drubbed that hobo Irus?
You wait—a better man than Irus will take you on,
he’ll box both sides of your skull with heavy fists
and cart you out the palace gushing blood!”
A similar scene happens during the suitors’ feast, when Ctesippus insults Odysseus, throwing an ox hoof in his face (Homer XX.321-339). In both scenes, patience and self-restraint are vital for Odysseus not to disclose his real identity too soon, which would ruin his plan and put his life in danger. Thus, patience is a beneficial quality that helps Odysseus to return as the King of Ithaca in the conclusion of the story.
Pride
Odysseus’ pride acts as the counterpart to his patience, and it is one of the few negative qualities that cause substantial trouble to Odysseus and show his less heroic side. The best part of the story to examine the portrayal of Odysseus’ pride is the Cyclops episode in Book IX, which “presents a conflict between civilized humanity and a subhuman culture trapped in a primitive pastoral stage” (Dayton 1). Odysseus and some of his crew members are captured by Polyphemus.
The Cyclops eats two of Odysseus’ men each day until Odysseus develops a plan to escape. He and his men blind Polyphemus with a wooden staff and manage to flee from the cave. Before blinding the Cyclops, Odysseus tells him that his name is Nobody, which helps them escape: when Polyphemus calls to his neighbors for help and tells them that Nobody injured him, the other Cyclopes disregard the alarm and don’t help Polyphemus to catch Odysseus. However, as soon as Odysseus feels safe on board of his ship, his pride takes over, and he calls to Polyphemus again (Homer IX.558-562):
Cyclops—
if any man on the face of the earth should ask you
who blinded you, shamed you so—say Odysseus,
raider of cities, he gouged out your eye,
Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca!
Odysseus’ pride would not let him leave his heroic actions unknown, so he reveals his name to the Cyclops. Such arrogance is punished straight away: Polyphemus prays to his father Poseidon to punish Odysseus. For the rest of Odysseus’ travels, Poseidon represents the main opposing force to Odysseus: “Poseidon, after delivering an angry monologue, causes a storm, and Odysseus reacts with a despairing monologue in which he wishes he had died at Troy […] The raft is then hit by a wave that knocks Odysseus off and destroys the boat’s rudder and superstructure” (Scodel 9). Thus, Odysseus’ pride is a negative quality that causes a lot of trouble for the hero.
Unfaithfulness
As Rankine notes, “It has not been unusual for modern readers (such as Toni Morrison) to raise the question of Odysseus’ polygamy” (41). Indeed, whereas there are numerous occasions in the text that show Odysseus’ love for his wife Penelope, he has sexual intercourse with both Calypso and Circe. Despite the fact that Calypso held Odysseus captive, which implies that “to assume Odysseus is free to act as he wants with Calypso would be as inappropriate as reading the American slave woman’s coitus with her master as voluntary” (Rankine 41), his last intercourse with the Nymph can hardly be deemed forced (Homer V.248-251):
Even as he spoke
the sunset and the darkness swept the earth.
And now, withdrawing into the cavern’s deep recesses,
long in each other’s arms, they lost themselves in love.
Odysseus also spends over a year with Circe, despite not being affected by her guile. At first, he appears with the intention to kill Circe and to free his men, however, he decides to spare her life and becomes her lover instead (Homer X.383-386):
Straightaway
she began to swear the oath that I required—never,
she’d never do me harm—and when she’d finished,
then, at last, I mounted Circe’s gorgeous bed …
Overall, Odysseus’ infidelity to Penelope causes a significant delay in his return to Ithaca and poses a danger to his men and his life, too.
Poor Leadership Qualities
Another character flaw that can be found in Odysseus is his poor leadership qualities. Despite being respected and even feared by his teammates, Odysseus fails to be an effective leader throughout the story, which causes significant troubles and delays. For instance, instead of sailing straight to Ithaca after the victory in Troy, Odysseus and his crew sail to Cicones. After killing the men of Ismarus, Odysseus and his men share their gold and their wives; however, when Odysseus commands his crew to go back to the ships and set sail, they do not listen, and this results in other Cicones coming to avenge the murdered men and killing many of Odysseus’ teammates (Homer IX.50-62):
Then I urged them to cut and run, set sail,
but would they listen? Not those mutinous fools;
there was too much wine to swill, too many sheep to the slaughter
down along the beach, and shambling longhorn cattle.
And all the while the Cicones sought out other Cicones,
called for help from their neighbors living inland:
a larger force, and stronger soldiers too,
skilled hands at fighting men from chariots,
skilled, when a crisis broke, to fight on foot.
Out of the morning mist they came against us—
packed as the leaves and spears that flower forth in spring—
and Zeus presented us with disaster, me and my comrades
doomed to suffer blow on mortal blow.
Another Odysseus’ leadership failure can be seen in the episode with the Cattle of the Sun. On the island of Thrinacia, where Odysseus and his crew were beached for over three weeks, Odysseus’ men disobey him and slaughter the cattle of Helios, causing the Gods’ wrath as Zeus punishes them, inflicting another shipwreck, which no one but Odysseus survives. In the end, Odysseus returns to Ithaca alone, having lost both of his crews, which once again proves his poor leadership qualities.
Weakness
Some critics have also mentioned Odysseus’ weakness and passivity throughout the story: “From the moment Poseidon raises the storm until he reaches the river, Odysseus is unable to plan effectively […] Odysseus’ inability to make and carry out a reasoned decision is a pointed demonstration of his broader inability to act effectively” (Scodel 11). Indeed, at times it seems like the only force that drives Odysseus home is the divine help of Athena and other gods.
For instance, when Poseidon casts waves to wreck Odysseus’ raft, the hero is aided by Athena, Ino, and the river god consecutively (Scodel 13). The help of the gods follows Odysseus through his journeys, implying that he would not be able to survive and reach Ithaca on his own: “He is helped by both gods in a way that makes him less of ‘a hero developing with his circumstances’” (Mitova 4), mainly due to his character flaws that cause significant troubles throughout The Odyssey.
Conclusion
Mitova argues that the multi-dimensional nature of Odysseus’ character is implied by the hero’s name: she explains how the name Odysseus comes from Greek ôdusao, “which can have both an active and a passive meaning” (3). The closest alternative in English would be the word ‘trouble,’ therefore meaning that Odysseus can both cause trouble and be the trouble: “Odysseus has two aspects, a victim and a victimizer” (Mitova 3).
The diversity of character traits, positive and negative, seems to be a feature that distinguishes Odysseus from other epic heroes to the extent that makes the audience wonder if he can be named a hero at all. To me, the plot of the epic answers the question conclusively: the constant divine help, for example, is a strong indicator of Odysseus’ righteousness by the ancient order, whereas his successful return to Ithaca’s throne establishes his status as an epic hero, who has successfully combatted his enemies and obstacles on the way to his goal.
It is true, however, that “Odysseus does not represent ‘the commonest aspirations and failures of human nature’ – he is like no other mortal man in the Homeric epics” (Mitova 4). The fact that the poet decides to show his beneficial qualities, as well as the less exemplary characteristics, creates a new concept of the epic hero portrayal, making the character more believable and more relevant to the real world.
Works Cited
Dayton, John. “The Negative Banquet of Odysseus and the Cyclops.” Web.
Homer. The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fagles, edited by Bernard Knox, Penguin, 2006.
Mitova, Katia. “The Makers of the Odyssey: Athena and Odysseus.” Web.
Rankine, Patrice. “Odysseus as Slave: The Ritual of Domination and Social Death in Homeric Society.” Reading Ancient Slavery, edited by Richard Alston, Edith Hall and Laura Proffitt. Bristol Classical Press, 2011, pp. 34-50.
Scodel, Ruth. “Odysseus at Sea.” Papers and Monographs from the Norwegian Institure at Athens, series 4, vol. 2, 2014, pp. 9-15.
Zerba, Michelle. “Odyssean Charisma and the Uses of Persuasion.” The American Journal of Philology, vol. 130, no. 3, 2009, pp. 313–339.
In Homer’s Odyssee, both Odysseus and Athena are shown to be not only cunning but also witty in their characters. They are shown to lie in many instances and for different reasons. They outdo themselves with their lies, and this is illustrated in the discussion.
In the first book, Athena disguises herself as Odysseus’ old friend, Mentes, and seeks out Telemachus, Odysseus’ son. This is in a bid to convince him that his father is still alive. She also advises him that he should banish the suitors from his father’s estate. This is the first of many lies to come. In that instance, Athena lies so that she can rebuild hope in Telemachus, who has resolved that his father is not coming back as he believes that he is dead. She also convinces him to set out for Pylos and Sparta to seek information about his father. In this instance also, Athena lies because she is fond of Odysseus, and she wants to safeguard his estates from the suitors (Ameis, Hentze, and Cauer 99-105).
Secondly, she visits Telemachus disguised as Mentor and predicts that his quest would be fruitful. He also encourages him to take heart, ‘Telemachus, you are to be no thoughtless man, no coward, if truly the strong force of your father is instilled in you; such a man he was for accomplishing word and action.’ (Ameis, Hentze, and Cauer, 267-272). Athena subsequently disguises herself as Telemachus and scouts the streets to recruit sailors who are to set out with Telemachus. Athena uses dishonesty to speak the truth and to guide Telemachus.
In both these instances, Athena lies with disguises, but she does this in the belief that it is for the greater good.
Odysseus, on the other hand, is shown to be more cunning than Athena in his deceptions. When he encounters Polyphemos, he lies about his identity and what happened to his vessel. He tells him that his name is Nobody. ‘Nobody is my name. My father and mother call me Nobody, as do all the others who are my companions’ (Ameis, Hentze, and Cauer 366-367).
This turns out to be valuable when he blinds Polyphemos with a hot stick because Polyphemos shouts that Nobody is attacking him, therefore, his servants do not rush in to help him. Odysseus also tells him that his ship was wrecked by Poseidon, Polyphemos’ father, who is the god of the sea. ‘Poseidon, Shaker of the Earth, has shattered my vessel. He drove it against the rocks on the outer coast of your country, cracked on a cliff, it is gone, the wind on the sea took it’ (Ameis, Hentze, and Cauer 279-285). By doing so, he protects his ship as Polyphemos would otherwise destroy it. In a nutshell, he does it for the sake of survival. This is an explicit example of how sly Odysseus can be.
When Athena meets with Odysseus after his ship has turned to stone and sank to the bottom of the sea, she disguises herself from him; he then does the same until she reveals who she really is to Odysseus. Athena is disguised as a shepherd, and she directs him to hide in Eumaeus’ hut, in the same stride, she informs him that his son went out to look for him. She is disguised as a mortal, and when she asks him who he is, he lies to her. He even deceives her about his origin. She then reveals who she is and praises him for his treachery.
Odysseus heeds to Athena’s advice and heads for Eumaeus’ home disguised as an old vagabond. He claims that he is from Crete and that he fought alongside Odysseus, he even assures Eumaeus that he may see his former master. Eumaeus does not believe him because he thinks that his master is dead. Odysseus then tricks Eumaeus to sleep with the pigs while he takes his place in the cot. Athena finds Telemachus to inform him that his father is back, and she directs him to Eumaeus’ house, where he finds the vagabond.
Odysseus does not reveal himself to his son, he only does that after Eumaeus leaves to inform Penelope of the return of his son. This further shows deception on the part of Odysseus. Athena is also shown to be crafty in this instance because she prepares a meeting between father and son outside the palace. This is due to the fact that if they met in the estates, they would be regarded as suspicious since beggars do not convene with princes. They then plan how to enter the estates without arousing suspicion.
In another subsequent incident, Odysseus shows up in his estates dressed as a beggar. Athena is the one who provides him with this disguise. ‘For I will wither the handsome flesh that is on your flexible limbs, and ruin the brown hair on your head, and about you put on such a clout of cloth any man will loathe when he sees you wearing it; I will dim those eyes, that have been so handsome, so you will be unprepossessing to all the suitors and your wife and child, those whom you left behind in your palace’ (Ameis, Hentze, and Cauer 396-403).
He is scorned and shunned by the people of the estates; nevertheless, he does not declare who he is. One of the suitors even kicks him, the others show reluctance in sharing their food with him. When he meets his wife, Penelope, he still does not reveal who he is, but he assures her that her husband would be back in approximately one month. He bids his time, waiting for the best time to pounce.
Only when he is bathing does she notice a scar on his foot, which she recognizes. However, Athena then distracts her. Penelope decides to remarry the man who would shoot an arrow through twelve holes set in an axis. She is aware that only her husband can do that. In this case, she matches her husband’s craftiness because she aims to draw him out with the challenge, and she succeeds.
In all the instances that Athena speaks to Odysseus, she is subtle, she shows fondness. This is contrary to the harshness with which she speaks with Telemachus when she convinces him that he needs to take up the responsibility of running the household. In no instance does she speak to Odysseus without revealing who she is. This shows that she is loyal to Odysseus and that she has a soft spot for him.
In the book, deception is a salient feature. Athena uses it so that she can secure the palace on behalf of Odysseus in preparation for his return. On the other hand, Odysseus uses it mainly for security. He does not want to reveal his true identity because he has many enemies.
Work cited
Ameis, Karl Friedrich, Karl Hentze, and Paul Cauer. Homers Odyssee. Amsterdam: A.M. Hakkert, 1964.
The views of life and character traits one should possess to be a role model are not identical in different cultures. Eastern and Western cultures vary in terms of understanding heroism, and Rama and Odysseus illustrate some of these differences. Although the characters have some traits in common, Odysseus is an intelligent hero and “a man of masterful cunning,” whereas Rama is “an ideal man” and embodies virtuous heroism (Homer 21; Rajagopalachari 23).
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The things that make Rama a hero and a famous character include his origin and unusual physical characteristics. As one of Dasaratha’s four sons, he is considered “half-Vishnu” since his mother has been given the largest share of sacred food after the Putrakameshti ritual (Rajagopalachari 4). Rama presents one of the key deities of Hinduism and is commonly known as the seventh material appearance of Vishnu on earth, which leaves traces on his appearance and physical abilities. As proof of his divine origin, he is blue-skinned, extremely tall, and has “strong shoulders” and unlimited physical power (Rajagopalachari 10).
For instance, when competing with other men, including famous princes, Ramachandra proves that he is the only person to “lift, bend, and string the bow of Siva” and be able to marry Sita (Rajagopalachari 14). Rama’s enormous power makes him extremely dangerous for any living creature, but he always applies it to achieve good purposes.
Contrary to Odysseus, Rama can be regarded as the embodiment of virtue, saintliness, and righteousness. It is because his decisions are driven by compassion, love, and the purity of the soul, which is not the case of Odysseus. Even though his power enables him to defeat enemies and reach his goals effortlessly, Rama, as a moral leader, has no sordid and malign desires, as well as flaws in terms of dharma or the proper way of living.
Rama’s righteousness finds reflection in his willingness to create harmony and care for animals and people to protect them from evil powers. In the wayang cult, Rama is usually depicted as a “polite, gentle, fair, wise, and protective figure of the universe” (Widijanto et al. 556). Apart from his great deeds, specific positive features that make Rama an ideal man include being “strong, virtuous, brave and lovable and with all other princely qualities” (Rajagopalachari 4). Therefore, Rama’s character is basically a set of positive traits, and it enables him to stay sane and good in any situation.
As the well-known characters in their cultures, both Rama and Odysseus possess the qualities of talented warriors and respect family values. Similarly to Rama, Odysseus belongs to the descendants of Zeus, the king of all gods, and uses a special bow as his favorite weapon (Homer 6). Concerning other similarities, both heroes demonstrate brilliant talents during wars to defeat the scariest enemies and care for their wives.
To some extent, the willingness to reunite with their partners or families encourages both of them to do something remarkable and overcome difficulties. For instance, on his way home, Odysseus is destined to stand multiple trials, such as escaping Polyphemus, the Sirens that lure sailors and bring death, and Scylla and Charybdis (Homer 7). Rama’s great actions include rescuing his beloved Sita from captivity, rejecting Shurpanakha, and defeating Ravana and the rakshasas (Rajagopalachari 84). Thus, he redresses an injustice, destroys the evil empire, and manages to save his family.
Concerning the basic differences that shed light on the peculiar characteristics of India and Europe, Odysseus and Rama use intelligence in dissimilar ways. Odysseus is known as “a man of masterful cunning,” and this hero manages to transform deception into one of the leading martial skills and strategies (Homer 21). Apart from using his natural talents to invent the Trojan horse strategy earlier, “the cunning Odysseus” pretends to be a different person to get himself “a clock and tunic to wear” (Homer 150). In his turn, Rama does not value agility and is more direct and honest in expressing his intentions.
Prior to the battle with Ravana, instead of resorting to a stratagem similar to Odysseus’s horse, Rama supports the decision to build a bridge to get to Ravana’s possessions. Lord Rama does not try to conduct a sudden and unexpected offensive. Instead, he sends him a message saying, “Great sinner, your end is approaching, Rama waits at your fortress gate, ready for battle” (Rajagopalachari 178). Therefore, unlike Odysseus, Rama does not use his intellectual abilities to achieve goals at whatever cost.
Another difference between Odysseus and Rama is their attitudes to family life and the problem of infidelity. Despite being married, Odysseus engages in relationships with other women, including Circe, and lives with her for a year (Homer 116). In contrast, Rama is fully devoted to his wife even when they are separated. He openly rejects other women willing to be with him by saying, “I do not care to live the life of a man with two wives” (Rajagopalachari 84). Therefore, although both heroes love their wives, their attitudes to promiscuity vary greatly.
The mentioned differences shed light on the ideal heroes in Eastern and Western cultures and further the understanding of dissimilarities between India and Europe. Odysseus is not faithful and perfectly honest, whereas Lycaon, another Western hero, cooks his own son to test Zeus’s pansophy. Such examples show that an ideal hero in Western mythology is not obliged to be perfect in terms of commonly accepted moral values. For instance, even though telling lies to achieve particular goals does not belong to appreciated behaviors, the cunning nature of Odysseus does not belittle his accomplishments and success in martial arts.
Odysseus is “excused for overstepping boundaries” since he is still extremely strong and intelligent and outperforms anyone in terms of inventiveness (Planinc 412). Using his example, it is possible to say that an ideal European hero possesses outstanding abilities and is sometimes allowed to deviate from moral norms if the ends sanctify the means. At the same time, judging from Rama’s characteristics and behaviors, a perfect Indian hero presents an unattainable ideal in terms of commitment to principles and moral and spiritual values.
The characteristics of Odysseus and Rama can be used to make suggestions concerning the differences between Europe and India. For instance, Rama’s devotion to his principles, including his and his wife’s purity and loyalty to one another, can characterize India as the country of idealists. At the same time, Western people are stereotypically believed to be giving them pride of place in the utility of actions, their effectiveness, and profitability. Following this logic, the cunningness of Odysseus is not the case of amoralism or a barrier to being glorious and respected, and this person’s disputable actions allow him to succeed and escape traps.
Conclusion
To sum it up, despite similarities between them, Rama and Odysseus represent heroism in quite different ways. Rama, the idealized version of a hero, fights and defeats enemies with his visor raised and does not tend to be flexible and versatile to avoid danger. The heroism of Odysseus is manifested in the way that he applies his unrivaled intellectual abilities and pliantness to achieve great goals and stay unharmed in any circumstances.
Works Cited
Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Emile Victor Rieu. The Penguin Group, 2003.
Planinc, Zdravko. “Expel the Barbarian from Your Heart: Intimations of the Cyclops in Euripides’s Hecuba.” Philosophy and Literature, vol. 42, no. 2, 2018, pp. 403-415.
Widijanto, Tjahjono, et al. “Wayang Deconstruction in Recent Indonesian Novels.” Proceedings of the International Seminar on Recent Language, Literature, and Local Cultural Studies (BASA 2018), Atlantis Press, 2018, pp. 553-561.
Ancient Greek mythology remains one of the most popular due to its vastness and sophistication. A large number of characters and implemented concepts allows for a variety of analyzes. This paper aims to examine the myths of Odysseus and Oedipus from the unifying idea of hubris.
There is no doubt that both of these legends are among the most famous to the general public. The history of Odyssey is full of both military adventures and a long journey full of dangers. Oedipus’s life is much more tragic, connected with a prophecy handed down even before his birth. The hero becomes a hostage to circumstances and incurs the wrath of the gods. Although many parallels can be found in ancient Greek stories, one of the essential commonalities is the concept of hubris.
This word has several meanings since the essence of the concept has changed over time. First of all, this word is translated from Greek as “pride” (“Hubris”). As a rule, all epic heroes are quite proud, sometimes to the extreme, leading to their downfall. However, despite this quality, it is not a fundamental character trait for either Oedipus or Odysseus. On the other hand, the word was interpreted as wrong actions against the order established from above (“Hubris”). This interpretation is much closer to what is happening in the narrative since almost all ancient Greek heroes oppose the gods. Odysseus’s road home was complicated because of Poseidon’s will, who was angry with the traveler. Oedipus angered the gods by killing his father, albeit unknowingly, and also suffered from higher powers’ intervention.
In this sense, the closest to these characters’ stories is the meaning of hubris, which is used by modern literators. According to their works, it is a fatal mistake that leads the hero to suffer or even death (“Hubris”). This is precisely what happens as with Odysseus, who earned Poseidon’s wrath, harming his son and accidentally revealing his name. A fatal mistake is Oedipus’s murder of his father, Laius, committed out of ignorance. The cause of the heroes’ misadventures is an accident, which leads to the suffering of the characters themselves and the people around them. Together with Odysseus, the crew of his ship also suffered, and the mistake of Oedipus brought the plague on Thebes. However, although these characters are very different, they are united by the pride, confrontation with the gods, and, most importantly, a fatal mistake.
Being the son of Ithaca tsar, Odysseus, and Penelope, Telemachus has encountered a significant number of hardships while growing up. His childhood and adolescence were joyless, as the mother’s love and care and the custody of a wise educator Mentor could not substitute his father, who had gone to war with Troy. The poor son knew nothing about Odysseus for twenty years, as during this period, the Trojan War and Odysseus’s journey to the motherland took place. All the ordeals he had to overcome made him a mature and well-rounded hero.
Still needing the care of his father, young Telemachus had to protect Penelope from persistent suitors. This mission was not feasible for him at that moment, but he undertook this responsibility without hesitation. For example, when the character tried to control the suitors, they were amazed by his bold and grown up voice. The author describes “so Telemachus declared. And they all bit their lips, amazed the prince could speak with so much daring”. This factor contributed to turning from an unsure boy to a mature and strong man.
Another display of the character’s courage is his decision to start the journey searching for his father despite all the multiple stories of his death. In Sparta, the brave juvenile managed to reveal some information about his father and assure that he was still alive, so the efforts were not senseless. Moreover, the goddess Athene, seeing the attempts of Telemachus, suppled him with her help. Athene tells Telemachus: “I do not think you could have been born and reared without the gods’ will”. She warned the character of the ambushment organized by Penelope’s suitors and contributed to the meeting with Odysseus by advising to head for Eamaeus.
This way, the bravery, loyalty, and nobility of the juvenile are worthy of being highlighted. The journey, the childhood without father and the necessity to protect his mother at young age appeared to be an ordeal for his identity, which he managed to overcome it with dignity and strengthen his character. His insistence, moral principles, and virtuous intentions were noted by the goddess Athene, who offered her help. For these reasons, Telemachus has become a hero, who is made an example for young people even after thousands of years after the happening.
Athena is one of the main characters of the great epic story “Odyssey” by Homer. She is a goddess, but she finds it necessary to help Odysseus in all his voyages, fights, challenges, and disguises. As she is a goddess, she has to conceal her essence. For this purpose she uses disguises in her appearance and in the appearance of Odysseus. She does not use disguises to entrap someone, but to protect Odysseus from vicious dangerous people, to help him in his challenges. It is surprising to see such a parallel as “the narrator has more in common with Athena, whose interventions ‘from above’ he records, than he does with Odysseus. This would be an accurate assessment were it not that Athena herself adopts Odysseus’ perspective, confirming his bent toward suspicion and disguise intervening only to further the goals he has himself set” (Doherty 174). Thus, in successive parts Athena assumes the aspect of female less often, which makes her and Odysseus the constituent parts of the hero’s image.
Athena goes down from Olympus having the appearance of Mentes. She looks for Telemachus, Odysseus son, who is sitting amongst his mother’s admirers. The goddess makes Telemachus believe that his father is alive, and sets him against those admirers. Odysseus was creative and capable of great endurance, and the gods paid heed to him, and it was due to his temper. Athena recognized in Odysseus a male person identical to herself, so she feels urgent to carry of him as of her own son. Moreover, the great goddess managed to recognize in Telemachus a devoted son. The boy is young, so in his position some incitement is required to take control on the situation. In fact Athena conducted Telemachus’ change to virility and advised him how to arrange everything. Though she was disguised at the moment she showed herself to the boy, Telemachus understood that he had faced a god (Moore 1).
Athena is Odysseus’ companion, his deity-counterpart. She is able of taking any appearance, “to take on strategic disguises in order to slip out of the traps set for him along the way”; ability of being in disguise appears to be a powerful weapon of the hero. Finally the main character turns to Ithaca; only disguise helped him to take the matters into his hands (Hawhee 51). Athena helps Odysseus during his adventures. Both father and son are guided during their voyages by the great goddess in disguise; Athena encourages them for good actions, helps them to overcome all difficulties. The whole epic seems to be devoted to making parallels between Odysseus and his son Telemachus: their appearances do not differ much, their tempers coincide, and they both are guided and protected from enemies by the great goddess (Tracy 46). Athena is the most powerful of Odysseus’ protectors. She directs his steps according to her own plans in order to prevent his death, and to help him in his adventures. Athena assures Odysseus of her aid, predicts success, and helps him to be disguised (Lombardo XXVII-XXVIII). Odysseus was made more beautiful than he is by the great goddess, so Telemachus thought him to be a god. “Athena keeps making Odysseus alternately ugly and beautiful; she also gives supernatural beauty to Telemachus, Penelope, and to Laertes. Even the island of Ithaca receives a disguise from Athena, who disguises it from Odysseus” (Sowa 252).
Works Cited
Doherty, Eileen Lillian. Siren songs: gender, audiences, and narrators in the Odyssey. University of Michigan Press, 1995.
Hawhee, Debra. Bodily arts: rhetoric and athletics in ancient Greece. University of Texas Press, 2004.
The main character of the epic poem Odyssey is Odysseus, the ruler of Ithaca and the brave warrior who is ready to do everything possible and impossible to return home to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. Some gods do not seem to be very generous and prevent Odysseus’s returning home. The companions and friends that accompany the main hero on his way experience the same difficulties as Odysseus. Though he is courageous and fearless, he dislikes being deceived by gods that promised to leave him and let him go to his native land. The family of the main character consists of a wife Penelope and a son Telemachus who was only a month when Odysseus went to the Trojan War.
On his way home Odysseus faces dangers and difficulties, he is forced to fight with cruel creatures and to resist temptation of abandoning the thoughts of home. The main character of the Odyssey encounters a great number of problems and mean people and gods that tend to hinder him to turn back to his kingdom, however, he meets a lot of people that help him and provide him and his companions with water and food.
As the most important goal of the protagonist is to come back home and see his family, he acts in accordance with his principles and against the gods’ decisions and desires. The only goddess protecting Odysseus is Athena who recognized in Odysseus a male person identical to herself, so, she feels urgent to carry of him as of her own son. Odysseus was creative and capable of great endurance, and the gods paid heed to him, and it was due to his temper (Moore 1). However, it turned out that being gods’ favorite is not enough because the fate can change your position in society as well as can change the wind that was supposed to bring you home.
A Brief Summary of the Odyssey
Odysseus is a brave warrior who finds himself at Trojan War, though he did not want to participate in that battle. After ten years of the war, Odysseus sets off in order to return home where a beloved wife Penelope and a son Telemachus are waiting for him, but he does not know that his adventures will last for ten more years; so, the whole journey of Odysseus took about twenty years. The kingdom of Ithaca is the native land of Odysseus who is the ruler of this land which “breeds brave men” (Homer and Mackail 68) and these men would not change their native land to any earthly blessings. Some actions of Odysseus at war were not valued by gods, so, he had to suffer from severe temper of Zeus and Poseidon who were doing everything in order to prevent him returning home. As Odysseus travels along the seas, he meets many people and various creatures. Some of people and creatures he encounters are kind and generous while others are cruel and mean because they try to either captivate Odysseus as Calypso did or kill and eat him and his friends as Cyclops tried to do.
Nevertheless, Odysseus happened to be under Athena’s protection and all his adventures where he could find himself in danger were not difficult because the great goddess helped him in his every task when it did not cross the pass of Zeus or Poseidon. The goddess’s favorite, Odysseus was lucky and brave, his temper and persistence on the way to his goal made him a courageous leader and a wise ruler. Moreover, when Odysseus finally returned home, he found his house full of his wife’s admirers that would not leave the treasures of that land; this was the reason they wanted to marry Penelope who did not want to believe that Odysseus would not come back from the war.
Odysseus as the Ruler of Ithaca
As “[b]ook 9 of the Odyssey contains the first flashback in the western literature” (Matthews and Platt 46), it is necessary to take into account the story narrated by Odysseus about his adventures in the cave of the goddess Calypso and on the island of Cyclopes. Though Odysseus was a wise ruler of the kingdom of Ithaca and a brave warrior, he could do nothing with mighty gods that tried to kill him and destroy his fleet. The main character was brave enough to struggle his whole life but he was not sure that his kingdom, his people, and his family would manage to cope without him. Thus, Odysseus decided to participate in the unequal battle between his temper and brevity and mighty Olympic gods that were considered to be the strongest ones in order to achieve his goal and return to Ithaca. However, he did not know that gods had prepared a great number of ordeals that the main hero had to undergo.
So, the first adventure led Odysseus to the island where a beautiful goddess ruled because she was ordered by Zeus to release Odysseus after seven years of captivity. Calypso was admirable and charming, though she was not going to simply help the main hero because she wanted to make him stay on her island and forget his native Ithaca, his friends, and family. Calypso tried to captivate Odysseus and force him to marry her. However, her plan turned out to be a failure for the Ithacan ruler would not agree to change his family and country for a “splendid (a) home he may have in a foreign country” (Homer and Mackail 68). Although Calypso was a goddess, she did not manage either to force him marry her and live with her on the island in her cave or to capture and make him stay against his will. As we all know, a woman’s desire can cause a great number of troubles and she becomes furious when not having what she wants the most.
The next journey which was a real ordeal for Odysseus on his way to native Ithaca was the island of Cyclopes. These creatures were created as separate ones and they lived in harmony and did not have to work as the land was fertile and rich in harvests. On this island travelers wanted to have some rest and met a Cyclops who wanted to eat them instead. However, it is necessary to take pity on the Cyclops who had found strangers in his cave that ate his provisions and tried to steal everything that he was accumulating.
In this case, Odysseus and his friends were acting like genuine thieves and they deserved for being punished. The work should be appreciated regardless whether this work is performed by human beings or other creatures, though Odysseus and his companions decided to use the ‘hospitality’ of Polyphemus. It turned out that Odysseus and his crew did not realize the appearance and nature of the genuine owner of the cave. Nevertheless, they should not have entered the dwelling of a stranger in the absence of the owner, it was wrong to think that the creature whose cave was enormous and stocks of food were as large as were enough to feed the whole crew would let miserable people escape with his provisions. Odysseus let Polyphemus the wine from his ship and blinded him with a heated spear in order to escape from the cave of the Cyclops and not to be eaten by the Cyclops.
As you can see, journeys of the Ithacan ruler were successful and unsuccessful, though every time he found a way from the difficult situation he found himself in. Different creatures, gods, and goddesses were trying to prevent his returning to Ithaca, though their attempts failed because of his temper and brevity. Odysseus saw a lot of strange things which can be considered common for ancient mythology and he turned out to be a wise leader and a fearless friend.
Gods and goddesses are an integral part of the ancient mythology; they are embodiment of people’s hopes, fears, desires, and beliefs. Gods play an important role in the development of Odysseus’s character as their tasks and problems set for the main hero make him stronger both mentally and spiritually. Some gods are likely to help Ithacan ruler, while others do everything to destroy him and make him suffer because of deaths of his friends and people he appreciate. Thus, Odysseus’s crew was doomed to experience the same difficulties as their leader because they were together with him.
Zeus was obsessed to destroy Odysseus’s fleet and make him struggle for the right to return home to his family because Odysseus did not admit that he would not win the Trojan War without the help of gods. Though Odysseus did not want to participate in the Trojan War, he had to do this because he was a brave man and all brave men fought on that war. The reason of the Trojan War was a woman who was taken away from her home. This fact was outrageous and courageous warriors from all parts of the world had come to fight for the beautiful woman and the genuine rights of a wife.
Poseidon had his reasons for taking vengeance on Odysseus because the latter had blinded his son Polyphemus, the Cyclops. Though Odysseus was favored by the goddess of wisdom, Athena could not help him with such mighty gods as Zeus and Poseidon. Athena was trying to make the Ithacan ruler take appropriate decisions in certain situations as well as influenced his son and son’s decisions. Athena is Odysseus’ companion, his deity-counterpart. She is able of taking any appearance, “to take on strategic disguises in order to slip out of the traps set for him along the way”; ability of being in disguise appears to be a powerful weapon of the hero. Finally the main character turns to Ithaca; only disguise helped him to take the matters into his hands (Hawhee 51).
Gods and goddesses play an important role in the fate of the main character; their interventions prevent him from reaching his goal or help him in achieving it. So, throughout the story Odysseus demonstrates that gods control the lives of mortals and regardless of their brevity and temper; mortals should esteem gods and their benevolence. Athena treats Odysseus as her counterpart in the male body. She does everything possible in order to help the Ithacan ruler to come home and embrace his wife and a son. Telemachus is the son of Odysseus; he experiences the help of a wise goddess as well as his father because Athena found his strength and brevity similar to those possessed by Odysseus.
The next phase described in the book by homer is the process of returning home. Though this process took the whole book to describe all adventures and events faced by the main character, it is necessary to emphasize the moment when the hero came back home and found it full of uninvited guests. These people appeared to be the admirers of Penelope’s beauty and Odysseus’s kingdom’s richness. Telemachus was too young to make them leave their home, though led by Athena’s prompts he found strength in himself and set off to search for his father.
Penelope is the wife of Odysseus; she is beautiful and she is the mistress of the great kingdom. As all people believe that Odysseus would never return home, she became a nice bit of goods for those who wanted to get the kingdom of Ithaca. Penelope was influenced by the great goddess when she decided to introduce an examination of the most appropriate applicant to be her husband in the form of a contest. The task was to twang the bow of Odysseus and aim a target through twelve axes. As the bow was tight, no one managed to perform at least a half of the task, though a bagger came and fulfilled the requirements of the contest.
As only Athena knew that this bagger was Odysseus, people in the yard did not recognize him. When everything was over, Penelope made out a trick in order to check whether the strange really was her husband. She made an attempt to deceive him and told her nurse to “take his bed outside the bed chamber that he himself built. Bring the bed outside this room, and put bedding upon it with fleeces, good coverlets, and blankets” (Homer and Mackail 189). These words made Odysseus angry and he told everything about this house and the bed chamber. When Penelope had heard what he told her, she realized that this man was her husband. I believe that such feelings can be based only on pure love and mutual trust. If you can trust your significant other, you can be considered Odysseus and Penelope of the modern time.
Conclusion
Gods and goddesses can influence the lives of mortals, though they did not manage to defeat the brave temper of Odysseus. All attempts to make Odysseus abandon his idea to return home were not successful as his desire to embrace his family was stronger that the power of gods. Though Odysseus is an ancient hero, we can take into account his mistakes and not underestimate the power of fate.
Works Cited
Hawhee, Debra. Bodily Arts: Rhetoric and Athletics in Ancient Greece. University of Texas Press, 2004
Homer, and John William Mackail. The Odyssey. Plain Label Books, 1932
Matthews, Roy T., and DeWitt Platt. Readings in the Western Humanities. Sixth Edition. Volume One. New York: McGraw-Hill 2007
Moore, Rees John. “Voyaging with Odysseus: The Wile and Resilience of Virtue”. Humanitas 13(1), 2000
Odysseus was among the most famous kings in Greece. He was a legendary king of Ithaca and arguably the hero in the poem called Homer. Odysseus was the son of Laertes and Anticlea, and husband to Penelope who they were blessed with a son called Telemachus. Odysseus is regarded as the hero of the Trojan War which took ten years before Odysseus finally won. The Trojan War is a major event particularly to the Greeks and Greek mythology at large. It helped shape the Greek religion and literature. The ten-year journey is captured by Homer in the book, Odyssey, where the Odysseus ships were blown too far away lands by the strong winds. Many events happened in those lands resulting in the death of all the soldiers and the return of Odysseus as an old beggar in his homeland. This essay will look into the strengths and weaknesses associated with the life of Odysseus.
Strengths
Odysseus’ strengths and weaknesses were mainly witnessed during the Trojan War. His determination was one of his greatest strengths during the Trojan War. This was mainly due to the prophecy in which it was said that he would return home if he went to Troy. He ensured most of the prophecies towards the success of the war were fulfilled through his active involvement. In book 10, Odysseus and Diomedes killed Rhesus so that his horses could not reach the Scamander River. Homer in his book describes how a determined Odysseus came up with the idea of the Trojan horse which ensured the Greek army conquered Troy. He was diplomatic and his skills came to the fore when disagreements arose in the war camps. He persuaded heroes such as Agamemnon to return to the Greek camp. He also instilled morale and order in the war camp especially when the camp was faced with many injuries.
Flexibility is another virtue he possessed. He learned to listen to other people’s advice and particularly took the advice of the blind prophet, Tiresias. Odysseus was patient as witnessed during the time he returned to Ithaca. He spent many days disguised as a beggar so that he could acquaint himself with the latest development in Ithaca, particularly regarding Penelope. His cunningness helped shape his life as a hero and king. A case in point was when he used a Trojan captive to frame Palamedes thus causing him to lose his life through stoning (Hyginus). This ensured Odysseus remained the winner when he held a strained relationship with his rivals.
One of his weaknesses was his pride. Homer in odyssey tells of how he brags when they are safe thus prompting Polyphemus to throw a rock that almost sank their ship. Odysseus had a weakness when it came to dealing with women. He spent almost one year enjoying himself with Circle until he was reminded of the journey home by his men (Homer, 1866). This caused more delay to their return to Ithaca. His unforgiving nature was his undoing especially when he fails to forgive Palamedes for exposing him. This leads him to conspire with a Trojan prisoner to kill Palamedes.
Conclusion
Odysseus has been regarded among the few people who helped shape Greek mythology and also the hero of Odyssey. The strengths and weaknesses during the Trojan War helped him grow and develop in character. Odysseus’ character is indeed one that will continue inspiring a future generation.