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Student number Heroic Attributes of Odysseus.
Book 9 of the Odyssey “In the One-Eyed Giant’s Cave” provides better understanding of the character of Odyssey, his emotions, cunning and the features of character. Heroism during the times of Homer certainly differs from the modern definition of the word, as it focuses more on the ability to outwit others, capture new lands and resources and exploit every opportunity that presents itself. Portrayed by Homer as a clever and resourceful man, Odyssey was a true Greek hero, who, nevertheless, was not free from imperfections such as excessive pride (hubris). The essay explores the way Homer portrays Odyssey and his adventures on the island of Cyclopes. After …show more content…
First of all, Odyssey is shown as a very clever and resourceful man, who can pretend to be friendly, if necessary, but then ruthlessly engage in violence. Because the Cyclops were considered a rough and uncivilized race of giants, Homer gave the moral right to the superior race of the Greeks to hunt for a goat on their territory, break and enter into the private property of the cave, snatch food and, ultimately, appropriate a flock of sheep(McGroarty, 163). The audience sympathizes with Odyssey when Polythemus returns home, finds the uninvited guests and devours two of them, imprisoning the rest. What is more important, Odyssey ultimately did not kill the giant, but only blinded him, so that he lived with his handicap, suffered and spread the word among other Cyclops, reminding them of the resourcefulness of the Greek(Johnson, 105). Odyssey’s ingenuity and inventiveness (seen in other episodes, too) is marred by his excessive pride. It was not enough for him to escape the island with the giant’s sheep. Odyssey loudly pronounced that he was the “raider of the cities”, the “son of Laertes” and the one who “makes his home in Ithaca” (Homer, book 9, 561-562). While such approach meant that his name would bring him more glory by spreading across the lands, in practice, the glory came at a cost of the safety of his ship crew, since Poseidon was in control of the
Student number Heroic Attributes of Odysseus.
Book 9 of the Odyssey “In the One-Eyed Giant’s Cave” provides better understanding of the character of Odyssey, his emotions, cunning and the features of character. Heroism during the times of Homer certainly differs from the modern definition of the word, as it focuses more on the ability to outwit others, capture new lands and resources and exploit every opportunity that presents itself. Portrayed by Homer as a clever and resourceful man, Odyssey was a true Greek hero, who, nevertheless, was not free from imperfections such as excessive pride (hubris). The essay explores the way Homer portrays Odyssey and his adventures on the island of Cyclopes. After …show more content…
First of all, Odyssey is shown as a very clever and resourceful man, who can pretend to be friendly, if necessary, but then ruthlessly engage in violence. Because the Cyclops were considered a rough and uncivilized race of giants, Homer gave the moral right to the superior race of the Greeks to hunt for a goat on their territory, break and enter into the private property of the cave, snatch food and, ultimately, appropriate a flock of sheep(McGroarty, 163). The audience sympathizes with Odyssey when Polythemus returns home, finds the uninvited guests and devours two of them, imprisoning the rest. What is more important, Odyssey ultimately did not kill the giant, but only blinded him, so that he lived with his handicap, suffered and spread the word among other Cyclops, reminding them of the resourcefulness of the Greek(Johnson, 105). Odyssey’s ingenuity and inventiveness (seen in other episodes, too) is marred by his excessive pride. It was not enough for him to escape the island with the giant’s sheep. Odyssey loudly pronounced that he was the “raider of the cities”, the “son of Laertes” and the one who “makes his home in Ithaca” (Homer, book 9, 561-562). While such approach meant that his name would bring him more glory by spreading across the lands, in practice, the glory came at a cost of the safety of his ship crew, since Poseidon was in control of the