Fearless and cunning, yet modest, Homer portrays Odysseus as the ideal Ancient Greek hero in the Odyssey, especially during his encounter with Polyphemus and his humble attitude around king Alcinous. One of the most prominent examples of Odysseus’ courage is when he is able to gather up enough audacity to challenge Polyphemus, the horrendous cyclops who captured and ate four of his men. When Odysseus and his men are trapped in the cyclops’ cave, only Odysseus is smart and brave enough to make a plan to get his men out. He is getting ready to execute his plan while keeping up his men's confidence, “And all the while talking to my men / To keep up their morale” (9.374-375). The plan, which consists of getting Polyphemus drunk with wine and then
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Despite numerous warnings from his crew not to go on the island, Odysseus’ curiosity and greed overpowers common sense. If Odysseus didn’t have this much hubris, then he would’ve avoided losing four more crew members and being cursed by Poseidon. Although Odysseus already had enough resources, excessive self-confidence led him to believe he would win a ‘gift of hospitality’ from the inhabitants of an island that people already warned him not to go on. Although Odysseus is humble and smart, his flawed judgment and arrogance don’t make him the ideal Ancient Greek hero. For one, Odysseus is the only member of his crew to make the journey home, and is unable to save his men. He cares little about people other than himself and has a constant need to make himself known, even when it’s not the smart thing to do. He may be able to stay level-headed and courageous in the face of danger, but it is his need to prove he’s better after he has already won the fight that causes his tragedy. He has moments of anger and excessive pride which causes him to act without much thinking, and those moments reveal that he is not the god-like hero people think he is, but just another human
Despite numerous warnings from his crew not to go on the island, Odysseus’ curiosity and greed overpowers common sense. If Odysseus didn’t have this much hubris, then he would’ve avoided losing four more crew members and being cursed by Poseidon. Although Odysseus already had enough resources, excessive self-confidence led him to believe he would win a ‘gift of hospitality’ from the inhabitants of an island that people already warned him not to go on. Although Odysseus is humble and smart, his flawed judgment and arrogance don’t make him the ideal Ancient Greek hero. For one, Odysseus is the only member of his crew to make the journey home, and is unable to save his men. He cares little about people other than himself and has a constant need to make himself known, even when it’s not the smart thing to do. He may be able to stay level-headed and courageous in the face of danger, but it is his need to prove he’s better after he has already won the fight that causes his tragedy. He has moments of anger and excessive pride which causes him to act without much thinking, and those moments reveal that he is not the god-like hero people think he is, but just another human