How Does Odysseus Show Courage

Courageous Odysseus No one except Odysseus has had enough courage to take down a giant, row past a monster, and fight their enemies. In Homer‘s epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus is a man who goes on a persistent journey home from war. The journey is full of challenges and death, but in the end, he gets home. Through Odysseus outsmarting the Cyclops, fighting against the suitors, and getting past Scylla, The Odyssey shows that courage is necessary to save lives. Odysseus displays much courage when he outsmarts a Cyclops.

Odysseus’s was a very intelligent man and did not let his emotions rule. When facing the cyclops, Polyphemus, he shares, “…with my fighting heart, I thought at first to steal up to him, draw the sharp sword at my hip and stab his chest where the midriff packs the liver- I groped for the fatal spot but a fresh thought held me back.” But when he thought his plan through and weighed the outcome, he realized, “…at a stroke we'd finish off ourselves as well—how could we with our bare hands heave back that slab he set to block his tavern's gaping maw?” His revised plan to blind the cyclops would enable him and his men a better opportunity to escape the cave.

In “Book 9”, Odysseus displays heroism as he recounts his encounter with the Cyclops Polyphemus. Despite the danger he faces, Odysseus devises a clever plan “Here was the plan that struck my mind as best,” (233) to blind the Cyclops and escape from his clutches. This act showcases Odysseus' resourcefulness and bravery, as he puts his life on the line to protect himself and his men. However, in “Book 22” of The Odyssey, Odysseus' actions during the slaughter of the suitors raise questions about his heroic nature. After Odysseus successfully eliminates the suitors who had taken over his home in his absence, there is a gruesome and excessive display of violence as he orders the execution, “hack them with your swords, slash out all their lives,” (474) of the maids who had been coerced into serving the suitors.

The Odyssey by Homer is an epic poem about a hero’s perilous ten-year journey home with twelve ships and hundreds of men. During this voyage, however, Odysseus and his men face the wrath of Poseidon, the wiles of Circe and the Sirens, and the peril of the monsters Scylla and Charybdis. In the end, Odysseus loses everything except his determination to return home to his beloved wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus. Even though he experiences many difficult challenges, Odysseus is a hero who exemplifies the Greek cultural values of bravery, wit, and loyalty.

This novel is a world of mythology filled with numerous characters having different adventures throughout the story. However, Odysseus stands out the most out of the others with some unique tragedies occurring in his life. Despite having to abandon his loved ones, Odysseus is courageous with the potential of having strength, cleverness, and the ability to be patient while understanding the consequences

[He]wished to see the caveman” (Book 9, 130-131). Because of Odysseus' selfish curiosity and the fact that he “ refused” the idea of his men, wanting to know more of what lies ahead, it is clear that he is self-centered, and is indifferent to others' ideas. This resistance to the idea shows how he has no care of the outcome of his men, and that he always thinks his ideas are better. Because of this, Odysseus’ men lost their lives. However, he was able to think of a plan of getting him and his men out of the cyclops cave and defeating the cyclops, so his bravery and guile saved more lives than lost.

Their odyssey includes years of sailing the open sea, as well as encounters with numerous dangerous monsters. Though the trip home is already going to be long and exhausting, Odysseus makes it even worse for himself and his men by leading them along several unnecessary detours. For example, Odysseus makes a mistake that adds extra time to his journey when he disrupts the life of an angry cyclops on his island. Out of curiosity, and not caring to measure the consequences, Odysseus leads his men into the cave of the beastly cyclops, Polyphemus. The cyclops traps the men in his cave, so Odysseus tricks Polyphemus into sleeping, which gives Odysseus the opportunity to blind him.

After Odysseus and his men are on the boat, he calls out to Polyphemus, “Cyclops- if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so- say Odysseus raider of cities, he gouged out your eye, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca”(IX). His pride from escaping the Cyclops’s lair gives him a rush which causes him to tell Polyphemus his name. By telling the Cyclops his name, Odysseus seals his fate for the rest of his journey home. Once Polyphemus learns the name of his attacker, “,,,[Polyphemus] prayed and the god of the sea-blue mane Poseidon heard his prayer”(IX). Polyphemus is able to curse Odysseus’ journey home, because he knows his name. Once he curses Odysseus, the man’s way home becomes distorted, drawn-out, and difficult. Because Odysseus lets his pride get the better of him, his simple journey home becomes years of twists and

In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus illustrates courage, determination, and intelligence which help him overcome enemies in order

While he is trapped in the cave with the cyclops, he has to come up with a plan so he and his crew could escape. He tells his company,"/A man under each middle one to ride there safely, shielded left and right"(Homer 9.340). This takes an immense amount of bravery from Odysseus to tell his shipmates because he promised that they will all get out of the cave alive. Taking his huge risk might of have concluded in the death of his crew, but he and companions later on made it out harmless. When someone is audacious they are putting themselves at harm so they could protect others. When Odysseus and his crew are leaving the island, the cyclops is angered and yells. Odysseus loudly says,"/tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes's son whose home's on Ithaca"(9.418-419). Odysseus was extremely daring to say this because he now has given Polyphemus his true identity. Odysseus wants to tell the monster who stabbed him in the eye and that anyone who messes with his crew are going to be put into a bad shape. Odysseus displays the characteristics of an epic hero because he protects his crew while putting himself in harms making him very

Odysseus tends to use strategy over strength to be a hero when it comes to challenges. Instead of beginning with fighting the Cyclops, he takes his time and sets up a plan. Everytime he enters a new island, he does not start telling everyone that he is Odysseus, king of Ithaca. Instead, he charms the people he meets and uses his wise words that cause them to help and pity him. Odysseus represents what being a hero is actually all about. Throughout the novel The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus continuously shows his personality of being an admirable hero to everyone by using strategy instead of strength.

Odysseus, king of Ithaca, was probably on of the greatest warriors in the history of Ancient Greece. It is said that the poet, Homer, wrote the story of the Odyssey. In this story, Odysseus and his crew are trying to make their voyage back home to Ithaca after they have fought with the Trojans. During the long journey, Odysseus will show some of his character traits which include his bravery, cleverness, and wisdom that will assist him with the situations he encounters on his journey home.

Annabeth had figured Polyphemus would still have a grudge about that name, and she was right” (212). Annabeth confronts the cyclops on her own to distract him and uses her wits to think of a way to throw the cyclops off balance. Annabeth rightly believes that using the name Nobody will bring out Polyphemus’s hatred and cloud his mind, thus putting him mentally off balance. The bravery and ingenuity displayed by Odysseus and Annabeth are highlighted as positive traits to have in both Ancient Greece and modern times. The authors want their readers to develop these characteristics as part of their personality, thus they show the positive consequences these traits had for both Odysseus and Annabeth.

Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and the main character in homer’s The Odyssey, was gone for twenty years before finally returning to his family and his homeland. He struggled through many hardships and lost many loyal companions. The King of Ithaca would not have made it home without the assistance of the Greek gods. Despite all of the help and advice that Odysseus receives from the gods, he is a very brave man because his courage and daring in the cave of the Cyclops, his inability to give up and abandon his men on Circe’s island, and his flawless following of the gods instructions are acts of bravery that is uncommon in most men.

My name is Nohbdy'"("The Cyclops" lines 312-315). Odysseus' astuteness is apparent in this situation because he refused to reveal his identity to Polyphemus while he was vulnerable. His decision prevented the other Cyclops from coming to aid of Polyphemus. By precluding this beforehand, he demonstrated his heroic quality of wiliness. The ingenuity established by these actions personifies Odysseus as a hero.