Identity In The Odyssey

This taunting and injuring of the Cyclops would only result in the wrath of Poseidon for hurting his son, Polyphemus. Odysseus makes the hurried mistake of admitting to Polyphemus his name and his home town. In the following, Odysseus makes a rushed decision of admitting to Polyphemus his name and his home town: “Cyclops, if any mortal man ever asks you who it was that inflicted upon your eye this shameful binding, tell him you were blinded by Odysseus, sacker of cities. Laertes is his father, and he makes his home on Ithaca (IX. 225).” This sudden decisions leaves many heartaches and suffering in the path of Odysseus and his journey home.

Heroes, as shown in literature, often undertake the most difficult tasks and place themselves in mortal danger in order to bring back, for themselves and their societies, both knowledge and treasure. Their stories follow “Hero Journey.” The Odyssey, as the epic story of the hero Odysseus, follows closely the complete cycle of a Hero Journey, both as a physical and as a psychological undertaking. The Hero Journey, used as a framework for both Odysseus’ physical and mental journeys, serves to bind the two together. Each of Odysseus’s physical difficulties can be viewed as a metaphor for a psychological hardship that he must overcome, and by overcoming these hardships, Odysseus matures—achieving a more complete understanding of himself and

There is many things that shape identity big things and small things such as family, religion or even random people they have met in public. For example Juliet wouldn't be the same without her parents she would be alive and would have never met Romeo. One of the biggest things that shape someone's identity is life experiences, whether it's if you lost your dad or met an amazing person life experiences are a huge factor in shaping one's identity.

When they were involved with the Cyclops, Odysseus was a very brave, smart, and caring man (although he did do some bad things as a leader too). He came up with a very clever plan to hurt the Cyclops, which he did do. Then he told the Cyclops his name was “Nobody” so he

While Odysseus was trying to get him and his men back, he gets his men killed little by little. First by the lotus eaters then the cyclops and more later on. He lost most of his good men when he went against the cyclops. He couldn't put his men opinion ahead of his and he waited until the cyclops came back. By the time the cyclops came back it was too late because the cyclops started eating his men. The quotes "Why not take the cheeses, get them stowed, come back, throw open all the pens, and make a run for it?". And also "Yet I refused.", these quotes prove that Odysseus doesn't honor his men opinions.

In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus takes revenge when he returns back home to Ithaca after 20 years of war and travel. He has good reasons to want revenge. All the deaths are justified, not just the death of the suitors. He does not kill people because he wants to do so, he wants revenge. In the cultural context, Odysseus’ revenge is justified in many ways.

Odysseus’ hubris played a negative role when Odysseus revealed his identity to Polyphemus. Odysseus and his crew had just managed to escape from the Cyclops, Polyphemus, after driving a stake into his eye. But then, Odysseus told the blinded Cyclops his identity by shouting, “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 you eye, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca” (9, 558-562). Odysseus managed to tell Polyphemus his name, father, and home. Polyphemus then prayed to Poseidon, his father, to get revenge on Odysseus. Poseidon ended up killing Odysseus’ entire crew and delaying Odysseus for 10 years. None of those terrible consequences would have happened if Odysseus had suppressed his enormous pride. Odysseus’ hubris resulted in a lot of suffering for many people. Odysseus’ hubris prevents Odysseus and his crew from getting back to Ithaca again when Odysseus did

He wants to kill them on the spot for their disgrace, but the goddess Athena advises him to be patient, and that the suitors will be punished (930). Odysseus obeys and waits patiently, until the goddess gives him the chance to extract his revenge upon all the suitors, finally bringing justice to his house. By listening to the goddess, he is rewarded with the taking back of his home and is reunited with his wife. As you can see from these examples, when Odysseus obeyed and respected the gods in this epic, they rewarded him and helped him to complete his long journey

For Odysseus, the suitors' deaths are a matter of restoring honor to his household and his name. Their blatant disrespect for his wife, home, and the social norms of their time represents an unbearable affront that can only be cleansed through their blood. Odysseus's reflection on the suitors' fate reinforces this notion: "Not for all your trying did you win my wife; so now your reckoning's come for the rape and plunder" (Book 22, lines 37-39). Here, the punishment of the suitors is framed not just as an act of retribution, but as a restoration of honor and dignity to Odysseus and his

Odysseus’s escape from the Cyclops is one of great intelligence. A Cyclops is a giant one eyed monster. Homer said, “The booming voice and the very sight of the monster filled us with panic” (IX, 256). From the first moment Odysseus and his men set eyes on the Cyclops they know they are in trouble and will not be able to get out easily. The Cyclops, Polyphemus, eats two of Odysseus’ men from the start. As soon as this happens, Odysseus

First of all, Odysseus was very selfish during their journey back to Ithaca. For example,“We lit a fire, burnt an offering, and we took some cheese to eat; then sat in silence around the embers, waiting”(Homer 219-222). If Odysseus took the cheese and left, his men would not have had to dealt with Polyphemus. He put himself before his men because he wanted a gift from the cave owner. Odysseus was also selfish when he sailed near the lands of Sirens.“Steer wide; keep well to seaward; plug your oarsmen’s ears with beeswax kneaded soft”(Homer 669-671). Although Circe told Odysseus to steer clear of the area, Odysseus wanted to be known as the man who survived a Siren’s song. He put his own men in danger just because he wanted to become famous. Odysseus was also very arrogant to think that he could get past the Sirens.

He also tells the Cyclops after escaping, “Zeus and the gods have paid you.” (Beers 668). Lastly, he provokes Polyphemus about how he was blinded, “If ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus …took your eye.” (Beers 669).

During his journey Odysseus used what he has learned from is mistakes to return home and kill the suitors of his wife. On the island of Cicones,and with his encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus learned that bragging can bring great misfortune. On Ithaca Odysseus never brags to the suitors and is able to enter his house with the Antinous and the other suitors knowing his real identity. He takes the punishment of Antinous and the other suitors without saying a word and is able to see those who have invaded his house. Odysseus is able to see who is loyal and who is not and take his revenge with the suitors never knowing who

He also takes credit for many successes while blaming people for his mistakes. Odysseus is not only dishonest but irresponsible for protecting the lives of his crew and others. Odysseus is dishonest to his crew and friends which has caused him to have many setbacks on his journey

Within the epic poem "The Odyssey", Homer presents the story of Odysseus's quest to find his home and his identity. According to Homer's account, with its origin in oral tradition, the two quests are interchangeable, as a mortal defines himself with his home, his geographic origin, his ancestors, his offspring, etc. But in addition to this Homer illustrates the other aspect of human identity, shaped by the individual and his actions so that he may be recognized in the outside world. Through this Homer presents Odysseus in two ways: the first his internally given identity as ruler and native of Ithaca, son of Laertes, father of Telemachos; the second the definition of the external world