Characteristics Of Odysseus: An Exceptional Leader

Decent Essays
An exceptional leader always makes decisions that benefits his followers rather than himself. Great leaders also aren’t heavily influenced by their emotions when they make choices. I believe that Odysseus is a very inadequate leader since he doesn’t follow these examples. When Odysseus and his men successfully escape the cyclops, he becomes consumed with hate. He channels this anger towards the cyclops and taunts him. On line 392 on page 383, Odysseus says to the cyclops “How do you like the beating that we gave you, you damned

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    When braving the sea and facing throngs of daunting tasks while leading a crew, one must be an excellent leader. Odysseus, the Greek hero featured in Homer's the Odyssey, has to find his way home after a ten-year Trojan War. Along the way, he encounters many ferocious beasts and arduous challenges that he must triumph over. With the trust of his crew, he has a responsibility to get them home safely. Overall, Odysseus is an unsuccessful leader because he puts their lives in danger, does not stop them from making bad decisions, and he cannot prevent any casualties.…

    • 836 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Yes, according to the Hero's Journey Odysseus is indeed a hero. The first stage of a hero's journey is a call to adventure. This begins when Odysseus is called to the battle of Troy. After the invitation, there is the refusal of the call which is shown when Odysseus tried to stay with his wife and son instead of going into battle. In most of the book, Athena continued to constantly save Odysseus and helped him on the journey therefor completing the third step in a hero's journey which was having a mentor.…

    • 231 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Odysseus was an effective leader for many reasons. First of all, Odysseus was an effective leader because he was intelligent. An example of this is in the Cyclops cave. He figured a way out of the cave and that was to give the Cyclops a lot of wine and made him fall asleep so they could escape. Another way Odysseus was an effective leader because he was courageous.…

    • 171 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is an outstanding leader with many beneficial traits that he uses to his advantage. Having a very persuasive and smart mind helped Odysseus on his track home. For example, when he and his men were trapped in the cave with a cyclops. He used his mind skills and outsmarted the cyclops to escape from the cave. Also, he was able to persuade his crew to follow his orders, even though he may not make right choices.…

    • 218 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Odysseus Leadership Essay

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages

    John Maxwell once said, “Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others.” Odysseus, a hero in the epic The Odyssey, becomes an example of this in his attempt to return to his home. While sailing, he decided to sail by a large creature and lose only a few men, compared to sailing by a whirlpool and possibly losing everyone and his ship. Odysseus also gets his crew to blind a large one-eyed monster and hide under his animals to free him and his crew. Odysseus was a strong leader and did everything he could to help his crew because of his decisions to sacrifice some men rather than possibly lose them all and to escape from a monster by hiding under his livestock.…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In The Odyssey, Homer writes of Odysseus, a good leader. Odysseus does make mistakes, for example when he leaves Ismarus he says, “I sacked the city, killed the men” and then he takes the riches and wives as plunder (9. 46-47). In this situation Odysseus acts similar to a pirate and goes against the Greek value of order. Also, when Eurylochus and the crew asks to land on the island of the Sun God’s cattle Odysseus says, “I’m one against all, the upper hand is yours” even though this island is where Odysseus was told he will have their greatest disaster (12. 322-323). Odysseus giving in leads to the death of his entire crew and ship.…

    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Odysseus Heroic Qualities

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Although some readers think his actions are reckless, I believe Odysseus is a clever, heroic leader. In my opinion, someone is heroic if they put something at risk to complete a task, and are courageous in doing so. To be a good leader, one should inspire people and work alongside them to accomplish a goal. A leader should be compassionate and diplomatic.…

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    How could Odysseus be a good leader despite all the faults he has made as a leader ? In my opinion, Odysseus was a very good and courageous person but was NOT a good leader in any way. I know that my point of view on this subject is very strong but hear me out here. I know you may be wondering “what proof does she have that Odysseus was a bad leader?” And actually I have quite a few, now let’s get started.…

    • 84 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Odysseus is seen as a hero and leader by all his comrades who returned from the Trojan War. According to his fellow commanders, like Menelaus, he has strength, courage and restraint. In Ithaca, preceding the war, Odysseus was viewed as a kind merciful king, adored by his people. Though when voyaging home, Odysseus displays his stubbornness in making decisions, overcome by the need to gain glory and prestige above all else.…

    • 1296 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In conclusion we see how Odysseus is a great leader and husband and father. Maybe what it takes to be a good leader is just determination to do what is right no matter the cost. We see how Odysseus did that throughout his time in the Odyssey. There is no greater killer of men than a lack of will and determination. In all of mythology Odysseus is truly one of the most brave and courageous leaders.…

    • 755 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One would think that good leaders would not try to demoralize their crew, even if the circumstances are not going in their favor. Likewise, Odysseus is showing the lack of his leadership by not making the logical decision by not listening to the song of the Seirenes. He again is lacking in Homer’s expectation of Arete by not showing excellence or being a good leader, which should be the goal in one’s life. On the outside, Odysseus is perceived as a good leader and person, but once one starts peeling the layers back of his personality his true colors start to show. He also puts an unnecessary burden on the shoulders of his men and himself that would have been avoided if not for Odysseus’s narcissistic morals.…

    • 1948 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    766) this quote shows that Odysseus is very full of himself and believes that he can handle whatever the Gods throw at him (like the cyclopes). Odysseus also believes that if he tells them about these terrible monsters that they are about to encounter then his men will panic so instead of warning them he leads them blindly into the lion's den. Odysseus soon realizes that he can't in fact defeat these monsters and is forced to listen as the men he lead blindly into the den cried out his name as they were gruesomely killed. This is a huge blow for Odysseus’s pride because not only was he the person who was supposed to watch out for and lead these men but he also deceived, them which; ultimately lead to their deaths. In conclusion, because of Odysseus's inflated pride he is lead through a series of terrible events with the Gods ultimate goal being to humble him.…

    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Strength, determination and devotion are a couple of samples of attributes, which a leader ought to have. Attributes of a decent leader may differ subjective depending on each person 's preferences, nonetheless, I trust that generally speaking there are a couple of characteristics that are basically imperative. All through a man 's life, the encounters they continue shape them and incorporate them with a person. Like the lugals in Mesopotamia, it is a leaders commitment to ensure and serve. In the Mycenaean human advancement the Wanax remained at the highest point of their social stepping stool.…

    • 1528 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus demonstrates bravery as a trait of exceptional leadership when he fearlessly rescues his crew from permanently being transformed by Circe’s magical potion. After Eurylokhos, one of Odysseus’s crewmen, leads a search group onto the island of Circe, he returns from Circe’s hall so horrified he is unable to speak, with “blinding tears” pooling in his eyes (Homer 172, 272). By questioning Eurylokhos about the events that took place at Circe’s house, Odysseus learns his men are in some sort of danger, and therefore is determined to retrieve them at once. Odysseus commands Eurylokhos to lead him back to the house from which he came, but Eurylokhos begs Odysseus to let him stay behind, and Odysseus,…

    • 251 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Odysseus Character Traits

    • 1047 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In his journey, his excessive pride and self-confidence diminishes and his patience increases. Odysseus has the defining character traits of a Homeric leader: strength, courage, nobility, a thirst for glory, and confidence in his authority. His most distinguishing trait is his sharp intellect. Due to these qualities, he had a lot of pride in himself. But, by the end of the…

    • 1047 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays