The Odyssey conveys that the journey is far more important than the destination. Odysseus’s main goal is to reach home, and while going through his journey he’s having great learning experiences along the way. His greatest learning experiences are a result of the journey rather than the destination. While Odysseus is on his expedition, he is learning to conquer the resistance of temptation. The most important example that reveals the journey is more important than the destination is, “As soon as they tasted that honey-sweet fruit, they thought no more of coming back to us with news, but chose rather to stay there with the lotus-eating natives, and chew their lotus, and good-bye to home.”(Homer 105) When Odysseus is facing the lotus eater, they tempt him not to leave and want him to stay forever.Therefore when Odysseus’ men are having a taste of the lotus flower they have no desire to leave or go home, however …show more content…
This event portrays that the journey is more important because Odysseus learns not to be swayed. Another example that portrays the idea that the journey is more important than the destination is when he and his men are confronted by the Cyclops. One night Odysseus and his men come across the land of the Cyclopes. The are lead to a cave and come upon a large supply of lamb, milk, and cheese. Odysseus’ men advised Odysseus to help themselves quickly and be off, however Odysseus doesn’t listen and remains to linger. When the cyclops known as Polyphemus returns, he cruelly devours two of the men and confines Odysseus and the rest of the men in his cave. The outcome resulted in Odysseus blinding Polyphemus and safely escaping with his men. This impacts Odysseus and his learning experiences is, therefore Odysseus and his men are able to learn from their mistakes and how they must not be swayed by the things in the
During his stay with the Cyclops, Odysseus heroically saves his men from death, but during this encounter he demonstrates the character flaw of selfishness. On his
Although Odysseus wants to get home as fast as possible, that does not mean he did not have an adventure, but the opinion of whether the
Any journey that you take will have some sort of challenge, but Inman and Odysseus faced more than just a bump in the road. Both Inman and Odysseus face obstacles and challenges on their way home, but they overcome these challenges by self-motivation from what motivates them. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is motivated by his homeland and the people waiting there for him. Odysseus shows this by leaving Calypso as soon as she would let him even though she contains never failing beauty. Odysseus also shows his love for Penelope and his homeland when his spirits are low as he is trapped with Calypso.
In the “Odyssey”, Odysseus goes through obstacles throughout the book that a normal man couldn’t subside. One example is in book 9, his main obstacle that he is trying to face is to escape from being held hostage in a cave by a Cyclops better known as Polyphemus. Odysseus is a archetypal hero, he is also a role model, with an ambition to get to his homeland Ithaca. He goes through resisting temptation and using his intellect and physical strength to get him there, no matter the obstacle nor the negative flaws that he faces. Odysseus put himself and his men in that situation by being curious and wanting to know what kind of land his ship and the winds led him to. This was selfish of him because it cost him some of his men, but a leader and hero has to play that role and some lives will be dealt with on the way. Odysseus says, “The rest of you will stay here while I go with my ship and crew on reconnaissance. I want to find out what those men are like, Wild savages with no sense of right or wrong Or hospitable folk who fear the gods” (Homer 429). Saying this quote alone makes Odysseus a humble man due to the fact that not even a piece of land is going to slow him down on his journey back home.
On his journey home, Odysseus encounters many obstacles which he attempts to overcome swiftly so that he may arrive home as soon as possible; however, it can be argued that nostos is not his only motive throughout his journey, though it may be the most significant.
In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus' actions and decisions in books IX-XII has shown that even though he is extremely clever and courageous, the great tactician's selfishness and sense if hubris often stand in the way of his success. First of all, Odysseus is exceptionally brave, he has experienced more than any mortal man should and will never cower away from a challenge. For example, Odysseus led his men on a dangerous endeavor in blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus vividly recalls how the monster viciously killed two of his crew, "Then he [Polyphemus] dismembered them and made his meal / gaping and crunching like a mountain lion" (9.316-17). Realizing he would likely be killed, Odysseus rallied his crew and blinded the horrendous beast without fear.
Odysseus is tested for his loyalty by Calypso and his crew members, who are victimized by the lotus plant. The protagonist practically
In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is on a journey home. Along the way, gods and goddesses, creatures and monsters make his journey either easier or harder. His own human strengths help him in his journey. Likewise, his human failings halt his progress. Even through all of this he kept his goal in sight.
In Robert Fitzgerald's translation of Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is viewed as heroic while making his journey from the Trojan War after the sack of the Troy, back to his homeland Ithaca. Throughout his expedition, his legacy of being a great warrior due to his strength, cleverness, and patience when dealing with individuals is praised by the people of Ithaka, people of Scheria, and Homer himself. For twenty years, Odysseus leaves behind his kingdom, including his wife, Penelope. Along with the sorrow from dealing with her husband's disappearance, Penelope faces coercion from Ithaka to marry one of the 108 suitors who have invaded the kingdom. Consequently, she must express characteristics of maturity in order to not succumb to the suitor’s
This demonstrates that in order to achieve one’s goals, one must overcome their negative qualities. During the Cyclops episode, Odysseus exercises his confidence multiple times in order to save his crew, demonstrating that one must be strong and capable to accomplish one’s goals. Odysseus and his men are trapped
In the Odyssey, Odysseus and Telemachus each have a journey of their own, which in turn makes up a double plot in the epic. Odysseus’s plot has many more struggles and is the central role that creates the actual story in the whole novel. To many, the act of Odysseus moving across the sea in search of his own solutions to his issues is just a quest that is constantly being blocked by various obstacles. In all reality, with the help of the sea being a very important symbol, the journey turns Odysseus into a dynamic character as he proceeds through his travels. It is easily seen that in the beginning of his journey, starting when he and his crew landed on Polyhemus’ island, he is portrayed as a rash, egotistical young
The journey is more important to the development of Odysseus's character. The journey is more important than the goal of Odysseus getting home, because him getting home is a goal as said and a goal is something that people want to achieve, and that is what Odysseus wants to do, go back home, and if he does well he obviously achieved his goal. In my opinion Odysseus is a very curious character so a journey would be great for him to learn more things. The whole point of the journey is for Odysseus to find his way home, adventure around everywhere,and out of curiosity see new things. The journey that Odysseus takes is to actually find his way home.
As a wayfarer in life, The Odyssey focuses on life’s greater purpose through the fulfillment of destiny, perseverance, and loyalty. These three themes recur continuously throughout Odysseus’ journey, molding life’s greater vision. Odysseus comes to understand his purpose in life by remaining true to these major themes as he faces and conquers each obstacle in his journey.
Odysseus left Calypso’s Island and began his journey back home. His odyssey might be described as one’s own life struggles. There are ups and downs to every situation, and through reading The Odyssey, readers can connect parallels between Odysseus’ experiences and lessons learned in their own life. Human weaknesses can still prevail through even the strongest men you may think of; examples of this are shown in this epic. Even though there is a large gap in space between Odysseus’ travels and the present, human nature and weakness still share the same obstacles.
Odysseus exemplifies how men cause themselves more trouble. On his travels home, they find an island inhabited by Cyclops. Odysseus and his sense of adventure determine that they should ask for a gift from the Cyclops. So, Odysseus sails to a cove near one of the Cyclops’ camp and investigates the camp with twelve of his best men. Eventually, the Cyclops returns, traps, and eats some of Odysseus’s men. In the end, Odysseus and the remnants of his search party managed to blind the Cyclops and escape. While they are sailing away, Odysseus taunts the Cyclops twice. The first time the Cyclops throws a rock that pushes the ship to shore, and the second time he prays to Poseidon and then throws a mountain. Poseidon answers the Cyclops’s prayers later by making Odysseus’s trip home as difficult as possible. Odysseus laments to each person that he meets how unfair