Book 10 of The Odyssey follows Odysseus as he continues to travel, with the main priority of returning to his homeland and reuniting with his family. Odysseus’s leadership, as well as his loyalty to his crew members and family, is constantly threatened by many obstacles along his journey, with things like temptation and greed. Book 10 begins with Aeolus giving Odysseus a sack of winds that will blow him home, telling him to keep it closed or else they will return to his island. Odysseus, tempted by drowsiness, dozes off. He later wakes up to the baffling of his crew members, who have opened the sack of winds. Aeolus refuses to help them a second time and they set sail to the land of the Laestrygonians, or cannibals who devour part of Odysseus’s
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The luxuries that Circe offers Odysseus allures him to stay with her “till a year had run its course” (507). The luxuries deeply consumed his mortality, as it took him an entire year until he snapped out of this fantasy and back to his main priority, reaching his homeland. In addition to, his new focus revolves mainly on “feasting in [Circe’s] halls” (480). He deeply disregards his return home by focusing on the elegant presence, taking in Circe’s valuables as long as possible to fulfill his human flaw, tempting greed. Also, Eurylochus mentions previous occasions where Odysseus leadership lacked stability and threatened the lives of his crew members, “just as the Cyclops trapped our comrades in his lair” (471) and thanking Odysseus’s “rashness” in a sarcastic tone (473). This emphasizes how Odysseus’s temptation for greed to stay in the Cyclops’s lair triggered events that negatively impacted the rest of the crew, concluding that Odysseus only has his best interest at heart as he risked the lives of his crew to live in the lair for a little while, another form of self advancement, or a mortal flaw. Also, his crew demands to leave their fellow friend behind, in order to enter “the magic halls of Circe” (481). They ignore the death of a “close kin,” to enjoy Circe’s luxuries (477). The mortal crew members give in to their greed, so consumed by indulgence to the point where the death of a friend does …show more content…
Eurylochus claims how Odysseus “tempts fate” (467) by getting off track and “stumbling blindly” (468) into Circe’s luxurious life. Instead, his main focus should revolve around returning safely to his homeland but his greedy intentions get the best of him, a mortal flaw. Also, Eurylochus refers to Odysseus as “hotheaded,” causing Odysseus to kill him that instant, as he showed unappreciative of his leadership skills (472). Unlike the rest of the oblivious crew, Eurylochus questioned Odysseus’s authority, best interest, and greed, causing him to die on the spot, as he threatened exposure of Odysseus’s flaws. Although Homer uses negative diction to describe the mortals, he uses positive diction to portray the Gods, referring to them as “lustrous” (492). Homer uses this positive diction to show how the correlation between the two greatly differs, as humans give in to their temptations and desire intense self advances, unlike Gods who openly share their luxuries with commoners. Additionally, Odysseus’s pains are exaggerated, in order to receive even more indulgence from the Gods because of their empathy. Circe refers to Odysseus’s experiences as “pains” (495); “punishment...endured...hostile” (496); “haggard, sere” (500); and “long and hard” (501). Homer
The luxuries that Circe offers Odysseus allures him to stay with her “till a year had run its course” (507). The luxuries deeply consumed his mortality, as it took him an entire year until he snapped out of this fantasy and back to his main priority, reaching his homeland. In addition to, his new focus revolves mainly on “feasting in [Circe’s] halls” (480). He deeply disregards his return home by focusing on the elegant presence, taking in Circe’s valuables as long as possible to fulfill his human flaw, tempting greed. Also, Eurylochus mentions previous occasions where Odysseus leadership lacked stability and threatened the lives of his crew members, “just as the Cyclops trapped our comrades in his lair” (471) and thanking Odysseus’s “rashness” in a sarcastic tone (473). This emphasizes how Odysseus’s temptation for greed to stay in the Cyclops’s lair triggered events that negatively impacted the rest of the crew, concluding that Odysseus only has his best interest at heart as he risked the lives of his crew to live in the lair for a little while, another form of self advancement, or a mortal flaw. Also, his crew demands to leave their fellow friend behind, in order to enter “the magic halls of Circe” (481). They ignore the death of a “close kin,” to enjoy Circe’s luxuries (477). The mortal crew members give in to their greed, so consumed by indulgence to the point where the death of a friend does …show more content…
Eurylochus claims how Odysseus “tempts fate” (467) by getting off track and “stumbling blindly” (468) into Circe’s luxurious life. Instead, his main focus should revolve around returning safely to his homeland but his greedy intentions get the best of him, a mortal flaw. Also, Eurylochus refers to Odysseus as “hotheaded,” causing Odysseus to kill him that instant, as he showed unappreciative of his leadership skills (472). Unlike the rest of the oblivious crew, Eurylochus questioned Odysseus’s authority, best interest, and greed, causing him to die on the spot, as he threatened exposure of Odysseus’s flaws. Although Homer uses negative diction to describe the mortals, he uses positive diction to portray the Gods, referring to them as “lustrous” (492). Homer uses this positive diction to show how the correlation between the two greatly differs, as humans give in to their temptations and desire intense self advances, unlike Gods who openly share their luxuries with commoners. Additionally, Odysseus’s pains are exaggerated, in order to receive even more indulgence from the Gods because of their empathy. Circe refers to Odysseus’s experiences as “pains” (495); “punishment...endured...hostile” (496); “haggard, sere” (500); and “long and hard” (501). Homer