Odysseus Essay

Abigail Retallick
Odysseus Essay
Sophomore English
20 May 2008
When one contemplates the essence of a hero, one can only be reminded of the Greek archetype Homer recorded. The story of The Odyssey was an oral narration told from generation to generation about one man's odyssey home. By writing down this epic poem, Homer's Odysseus became the catalyst for the generic champion. The characteristics of Odysseus that are the cornerstones for most legends are cleverness, perseverance, and confidence.
Being quick-witted is critical to the stereotyped valiant figure, and Odysseus was constantly using his brilliance to get out of problematic situations. In fact, he was so sharp, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, became fond of him and eventually went to Zeus, the god of all gods, to ask for Odysseus to be allowed to return home. She would also affect Odysseus's appearance by changing him into an old suppliant or "mak[ing] him taller and stronger to look at and [giving] him a crop of busy hair, like a cluster of hyacinth flowers. As when a plating of gold is [lays] over silver by some clever craftsman, who [is learning] all the secrets of his art from Hephaestus and Pallas Athena, and knows how to make works full of grace, so Athena cover[s] his head and shoulders with beauty" to influence those around him (79). Odysseus also ended the ten year Trojan War. He created the Trojan Horse, which contained all of the Greeks’ finest soldiers, and placed it outside of Ilion. Once the Trojans had brought the horse into the gated city and had gone to sleep, the Greeks emerged and conquered the city. There was also a giant cyclopes, Polyphemus, from whom Odysseus escaped. By blinding the one-eyed monster, Odysseus was able to tie himself and crew members onto the bellies of sheep and to slip past the enraged Polyphemus.
The hero's persistence is another admirable quality. For example, Odysseus endured many hardships as he spent 20 years away from his comely wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus. In other words, Odysseus' tenacity helped with the tribulations throughout his long period away from home. The many battles he had to face were in themselves arduous. For instance, he had to choose between the deadly whirlpool, Charbydis, who would "[swallow] up the water in a terrible fashion" and destroy his ship and crew or the monster, Scylla, who would eat six of his crew (142). Odysseus chose the lesser of two evils and steered his ship towards Scylla’s cave. He then had to watch his men "shrieking and stretching out their hands to [him] in the death-struggle" only to be consumed by the six headed monster (143). An additional example occurred soon after his men were consumed, when Odysseus' crew came upon an island where Helios' cattle were placed to graze. There, Eurymachos, a trusted crew member of Odysseus, convinced the rest of his shipmates to feast with him on the cattle of the gods. Zeus saw this ignonimous act and destroyed all of Odysseus's men, as well as his ship. However, Calypso, the daughter of Atlas, saw this and saved Odysseus, only then to hold him captive for seven years.
Although intelligent and determined, Odysseus' self assurance can easily be mistaken for narcissism. His cockiness occasionally lead to a few hiccups in his long journey. Poseidon's fury was originally aroused by Odysseus' pompous actions. Polyphemus was Poseidon's son, and when Polyphemus had discovered Odysseus in his cave, he told him his name was Noman. However, after escaping, Odysseus shouted his true name to taunt the blind cyclops. As a result, Odysseus was the target for Posiedon's wrath. One can also sense Odysseus' self-importance when he is under disguise and constantly reiterates his greatness.
Odysseus, the original hero, is a fine example of Greek culture and respectable qualities. However, his ego sometimes prevented him from his desired boon. All in all, Odysseus was greatly admired and honored, and his flaws were overshadowed by his persistence and adroitness.