Examples Of Being Selfless In The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a book about the travels of a man who is trying to find his way back home after being suspended from land by Poseidon, the greek god of the sea. He goes on lots of travels, like Polyphemus, Calypso and her island, the sirens, and finally getting back to his wife, the reason he’s trying to get home. Although many qualities of a good hero are; having inhuman strength or ability, being selfless, or one who shows great courage, I would have to disagree that Odysseus shows those qualities.
This is because he has no enlarged strength or ability. Although he may be physically strong, he isn’t emotionally strong because crying on an island everyday for seven years does not seem emotionally strong to me. Although some things he does, like spend twenty years at sea takes guts, he overall as a person does not. I feel there is a difference between …show more content…
Odysseus never thanks the gods until absolutely necessary, even though they help him get home. The only time he thanks them is when he’s forced to, “‘Come, we’ll cut out the noblest of these cattle for sacrifice to the gods who own the sky.” Not only does he give thanks to them once, but he doesn’t come up with the idea to, his second in command, Eurylochus, does. They are stuck on an island, famished, and they give thanks only when they desperately need the god’s help. After Odysseus is condemned by Poseidon, the gods do a lot in their power to stop Poseidon’s rage. Not only are they going against their fellow god, but possibly striking up a war for some human who needs to get back to his wife. Another time he shows he is selfish is when he goes into Polyphemus’ cave. Instead of awaiting the return of the giant to do anything in the house, he takes the food and drinks because he feels that he is a guest and therefore must be privileged in the way of getting what he wants. I feel if Odysseus were in Polyphemus’ shoes, he would have reacted the same way or