Odysseus was a Greek soldier who suffered a great journey just to be reunited with his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus. Throughout his journey Odysseus displayed many traits characteristic of epic Greek heroes. These traits, which were valued by the Greeks and defined Odysseus as one of the epic heroes, included: wit, pride, loyalty, faithfulness, and strength. Odysseus used his wit to win the Trojan War and to ensure the survival of his crew on the journey home. After being blocked outside by massive walls that surrounded Troy, Odysseus planned to build an enormous wooden horse and hide Greek soldiers inside the belly of the horse. After the horse was assembled, the Greeks pushed it to the gates of Troy and evacuated the armies, so that …show more content…
While having to go through all the hardships and obstacles that characterized his journey, the only thing that kept him hopeful to go home to Ithaca was his faith in seeing his family. When Odysseus and his men found themselves on an island called Aeaea, where the witch-goddess Circe resided Circe fell in love with Odysseus and turned his crew into swine. Odysseus admitted to Circe that even though she was better than his wife, Penelope, Circe’s love would never compare to the love he had for Penelope. Odysseus met the messenger god Hermes who gave Odysseus an herb named moly. Moly was an herb that would shield Odysseus from magic. When Odysseus went to meet with Circe she realized that he was unaffected by her magic. After being overpowered by Odysseus, Circe agreed to turn his men back, but under her terms. Odysseus agreed to being forcibly in love with Circe and trapped on her island for seven years for the return of his men. Odysseus showed his love and loyalty to his family and crew by sacrificing himself for seven years under Circe’s captivity, so he could go home to see his family and protect his
“She replies that they must first visit the land of the dead to hear a prophecy from the ghost of Tiresias” (Fitzgerald 387). This proves that Circe is providing Odysseus’ fate at the moment. One last example of fate and destiny in The Odyssey is when Odysseus visits Tiresias, he tells him his destiny as he heads back home. “Great captain, a fair wind and the honey lights of home are all you seek. But anguish lies ahead…
When they land on the island his men are held captive and are turned into animals. This is Odysseus’s response to the situation. “After Circe releases his men from the spell, Odysseus spends a year with her” (pg 506). In this situation,
Odysseus’ men didn’t want to leave because all the good food keep them always coming back for more, but Odysseus didn't want to leave for another reason, Circe. After a whole year had passed Odysseus’ men came to him pleading to leave and return home. Odysseus came to his senses, finished things with Circe and they started their voyage home. What Circe revealed in Odysseus was a weakness that he has with women who aren't his wife, she proved that when things involve women especially women that he isn't married, he lets temptation get the best of him. After all the main reason he didn't want to leave was because he was attracted to
She attempts to persuade him to leave Penelope and stay with her, but she is only enchanting him. After seven years, Hermes finally frees him from her island. Odysseus sets out and travels with his men, eventually meeting Circe. She seduces Odysseus’ crew with her powers and lures them inside. Odysseus would have fallen for her spell too if it was not for his assistance from
She welcomes Odysseus to her home, the island Ogygia, and she keeps him under a trance for seven years as her lover. Calypso promises immortality to Odysseus if he stays in her island, and she refuses to let him go back home, only when Hermes comes and says to let him free as ordered from the Gods (“Calypso and Odysseus”). Both Calypso and Circe are obstacles in Odysseus’ journey, and for similar reasons. They are merely seen as objects and serve no other purpose than tricking Odysseus and becoming his
Odysseus also exhibits his intelligence when meeting Circe the Witch. When Odysseus arrives on Circe’s island, all of his men except Eurylochus go to greet her. After their meeting, Circe makes them forget about their desire to return home and gets them drunk. Once the men are intoxicated, she turns them into pigs. Eurylochus reports the events back to Odysseus, and when Odysseus is on his way to save his men, Hermes visits him.
The natives there gave Odysseus and his men an intoxicating fruit of the lotus. After Odysseus and his men eat the fruit, they forget all of their thoughts about home and decide to eat more of the fruit. The only way that Odysseus can get him and his men back home is by dragging his men back to the ship and lock them up, Odysseus decides to go along with it. When Odysseus went back to Ithaca, He made the wise choice to go and see his wife Penelope. Odysseus was so brave to go see his wife because he didn’t know if she was going to recognize him at all or want to be with him for the rest of her life.
The odyssey, an epic told by Homer in ancient greece, has many major themes following odysseus’s adventures. While Odysseus is sentenced to never return home after the Trojan War. He is overcoming challenges to return home to his wife penelope and his son Telemachus. Throughout the story major themes of loyalty, hospitality and vengeance are hidden within the plot. The story continues to show his heroic side with three major traits.
The last key point that is important to realize is that Odysseus thinks through his choices and advice. We have already seen that Odysseus is a thought out planner and a social situation genius, yet he is also wise with the choices and advice he decides to take. When Odysseus returns to Circe for the funeral, Circe gives Odysseus some significant advice that can help him get home. She tells him about the Sirens and the monsters and gives him advice on what routes to take and what precautions to take. Odysseus could of easily ignored this information, seeing as he is a crafty man who thinks very highly of himself, but Odysseus realizes that the advice will benefit him and his crew, so he decides to put this advice to use.
Throughout his journey, Odysseus and his men faces numerous temptations. When Odysseus is at Circe’s island to rescue his men, as he and his crew were about to depart Circe tell Odysseus “Remain with me, and share my meat and wine’ restore behind your ribs those gallant hearts/ that served you in the old days, when you sailed/ from stony Ithaka. ”(X.509-511). Odysseus falls into the hands of Circe as she tempts the crew with as much meat and wine they want. He and his crew givegave into Circe’s island, regaining the fat he lost, as the year goes by.
A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.
A great leader, a warrior and a husband that became famous because of the concept of Trojan horse and the Greek hero, he was ODYSSEUS. In the world that full of war there might be a leader that will protect and fight his kingdom like Odysseus. In the present day, the politicians might be the hero of his or her community from different risks, enemies, consequences and problems. The movie of The Odyssey, Odysseus tempted many times like when he affair to Calypso, a nymph, but he realized that his wife and son need and wait him no matter what happen but he don 't have ship to get out on that island of Calypso. Hermes the messenger of gods and goddesses, persuades Calypso to let Odysseus build a ship and leave.
The journey of Odysseus was a long and grueling time, but his love for Penelope was strong enough to get him home to her. He faced many trials on his journey home, facing many foes and many temptations. He was not alone on his journey, he was accompanied by his men, who fought with him during the Trojan war. Would his fellow soldiers endure?
Again, Odysseus seems to be so entranced by Circe’s beauty, that he stays with her for a year. Not only does the hero sleep with the enchantress, he forgets about his journey home until his comrades remind him. Even more so than Calypso, Odysseus has absolutely no qualms about having an affair with another woman, and taking his time to return to his wife. The only thing he mentions to Penelope about Circe are her “cunning magic wiles (23.320),” as though her trickery and magic were the only reasons for his stay
In my opinion I think he was a heroic person, back at the chapter “Death in the Great Hall” He was disguised as a beggar and was able to string his own bow and shoot it thru the holes of the axes and revealed himself as Odysseus and killed all the suitors in his house and took back his land. Back when he was at the cyclopes island He blinded the cyclops and shouted his name and told the cyclops that he needs no one to help him. he is a powerful man, then, later on, he got cursed by most of the gods and he was to die, but that didn 't stop him.