The Destruction Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

Albert Einstein says that a man is defined by values rather than his success. Odysseus has many victories but he follows his morals religiously and does not break them regardless of desperation. Odysseus’s expedition was a treacherous trek that seemed near impossible. Odysseus had many opponents. One of them was Polyphemus (cyclops), the son of Poseidon, who trapped Odysseus and his crew in his cave. Another opponent Odysseus encountered was Calypso (nymph) who imprisoned Odysseus on the island of Ogygia. He also made the hard decision of choosing to sail into either Scylla, the sea-monster, or Charybdis, the whirlpool. These opponents were difficult to evade but Odysseus always had a plan to save his men from trouble. When Odysseus and his …show more content…
Calypso imprisons Odysseus on her island and forces him to be her immortal lover. Calypso was so desperate for a lover, that when Odysseus arrived on the island, she felt the need to imprison him and make him a slave to her love. Odysseus says, “The enchantress in her beauty fed and caressed me, promised me I should be immortal, youthful, all the days to come; but in my heart I never gave consent through seven years detained.” (VII,273) Odysseus clearly values his wife’s loyalty and love over Calypso even though she took care of him. Odysseus shows strength because even under Calypso’s strong influence he never gave up his love for Penelope and he gave up the luxuries of a god to go back to Penelope. Even though Calypso imprisoned Odysseus, she truly loves him because although she is forced to let Odysseus go back home she says, “Son of Laërtês, versatile Odysseus, after these years with me, you still desire your old home? Even so I wish you well.” (V,212) Calypso helps Odysseus go home and verbally declares that although she isn 't happy about him going home, she still has nothing but kindness in her heart for …show more content…
Polyphemus’s imprisonment of Odysseus was a short-lived victory that left him blind due to Odysseus’s intelligence and wit. Calypso’s (nymph) enslavement of Odysseus made him realize that even though living amongst a goddess was appealing, his true roots were still at home with Penelope whom he truly loved. Odysseus’s choice between Scylla (sea-monster) and Charybdis (whirlpool) shows that he wanted to take minimal risk when it came to the lives of his men due to his loyalty and commitment. In conclusion, Odysseus shows that no matter how drastic the measures were for him he never abandoned his values proving the way you approach any situation can make a difference in the