The Tragic Hero Essay: Odysseus: The Static Hero

Odysseus: The Static Hero For most interesting stories, the main character is flawed and goes experiences many changes throughout the story. These characters learn about themselves and change accordingly. However, Odysseus, from The Odyssey does not share these same qualities. Throughout the story, Odysseus understands some of his flaws and is cunning enough to overcome them, but he does not bother to try and change his weaknesses into a feasible defense and does not change as a character overall. He has repeatedly been cunning with too much arrogance and likes to follow his worldly desires more than a reunion with his wife and family. Within The Odyssey, Odysseus was already known to be a hero of the Trojan War. From Sparta 's king and queen, …show more content…
Within him, there is part that wishes to return to his family and kingdom. However, his actions do not follow his wishes. He has been with Calypso for seven years. He does not put his cunning to the table as he had with the Trojan War or with the Cyclops, Polyphemus.. Within seven years, Odysseus should of been able to manipulate out of Calypso 's clutches and back to his homeland if he had truly been inspired to return home. While ethically wrong, it is not entirely surprising that a mere mortal man would not be swayed to stay on an island with an infatuated goddess. He only begins his journey homewards when Zeus himself intervenes and forces both Calypso to give him up and for Odysseus to start his journey home. His weakness is his lust and his inability to contain it. In Book Ten, he has once again fallen in bed with another lady, Circe. He had a chance to kill her, "I drew the sharp sword that hung by my thigh and lunged at Circe as if I meant to kill her," (ll. 341-343). However, he had chose to bed her, "I climbed into Circe 's beautiful bed," (ll. 369), and with his men, eat and live in luxury for a year before returning home, "Meanwhile, back in Circe 's house, the goddess had my men bathed, rubbed down with oil, and clothed in tunics and fleecy cloaks. We found them feasting well in her halls," (ll. 471-474). If he had just killed her or even threatened to end her life, he could of been reunited with his men without staying on the island and delaying their return. Instead, he indulges himself with luxury and another beautiful lady that has fallen for his charms. Again, he does have a small will to return home to his wife which is one the reasons why he left, but he is weak to advances of beautiful