The Importance Of Trust In The Odyssey

Trusting people other than oneself can mean the difference between life and death. Whether the other person has more power or better insight, by trusting others and accepting their help, one can accomplish far more than they could alone. All of the different narratives of The Odyssey display the importance of trust and the harmful consequences that occur when one refuses to have faith in those around them. Odysseus’ lack of trust delays his homecoming, while Telemachus’ and Penelope’s willingness to trust others is rewarded with information, life, and ultimate happiness. Odysseus has a habit of distrusting everyone due to the abuse he suffered from Poseidon. His distrust is useful in certain situations; when the Cyclops Polyphemus asks where his ship is …show more content…
His shipmates beg him not to say anything more, but Odysseus continues to taunt the giant, leading to another near-capture. Odysseus’ trust in his own cleverness and tact causes him to believe more in his own skill than in the advice of his shipmates. Soon after their narrow escape, Odysseus is gifted with a bag of winds by Aeolus but does not tell his crew what is inside. Communication is a sign of trust, and the absence of an explanation from Odysseus indicates that he does not trust his comrades. He does not take any blame for himself; instead, he calls his crew “mutinous” and begs Aeolus for more assistance. Much later, when Odysseus’ remaining companions have been picked off, he finds himself in another situation where he should trust the hand that is offering salvation. Caught in the midst of one of Poseidon’s storms, Odysseus denies the help of a nymph and decides to attempt to survive on his own: “I fear another immortal weaves a snare to trap me… I’ll do what seems best to me.” Odysseus begins to succeed only when he follows the nymph’s instructions; then, he is kept alive by both the nymph and Athena. Because Athena does