Odysseus Courage Analysis

As September’s theme is courage, individuals oftentimes use monthly themes to connect them with their personal life. But as the English class spends their time dwelling and analyzing the fictional book, The Odyssey, written by one of the most esteemed epic poets of all times, Homer, their time is being used not only to make a personal connection, but an analytical correspondence between Homer’s characters and the theme of courage. Although, most do not even know how to define courage, for the actions just come to heart. Courage can be defined as the first step to bravery; to stand up-literally and figuratively-when no other person dares to. The Odyssey, being filled with acts of bravery, is about a man named Odysseus. After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces many obstacles from sea monsters to land-dwelling monsters, only trying to achieve his goal …show more content…
A third out of many possible examples of courage in The Odyssey is found in Book X, The Grace of the Witch, after Odysseus’s men have been captured by the sorceress Circe and been turned into swine. Upon being informed of this unfortunate event from some of the men that ran back to the ship, Odysseus reacted to this, describing, “When I heard this I slung my silver-hilted broadsword on, and shouldered my long bow, and said, ‘Come, take me back the way you came,” (Book X, lines 278-280). Odysseus’s quick response to preparing himself to save his men by himself is an act of courage on its own, for Odysseus does not know whether he will come out of his encounter with the sorceress alive, dead, or human. Odysseus’s need to protect his men is not only bravery, but has shown his honor and the brotherhood he shares among the men who risk their lives for him. At that moment of Odysseus’s men being held by Circe, Odysseus wished nothing more than to see his allies safe. Courage has lead to being