¶ … Homeric heroes exhibit the fundamental values and qualities that ancient Greek culture esteemed. Doubtlessly, this is true of Achilles in the Iliad, Odysseus in the Odyssey and even Odysseus' son Telemachus. Yet, another pervasive theme in mythology is that the characters rarely exhibit any evolution or are changed very little by their experiences: this is certainly the case with Achilles, Penelope, Poseidon, Athena, and Agamemnon. It is obvious that all of these characters are quiet interesting and complex, but their identities seem to be limited by a set number of unchanging characteristics. From this standpoint, it is clear that Odysseus and Telemachus break this mold. Odysseus takes up the identity he left off with in the Iliad; he is strong, brave, cunning, bold, a decisive leader, and a man looking for glory. Although he certainly possesses these same traits be the end of the poem, he has been humbled by his trials: he is less brazen. Telemachus, analogously, undergoes a transition. His growth can be better understood as his progression from a boy into a man. Nevertheless, both characters exemplify the type of persona that Greek men and heroes were to strive for; considering this, Telemachus, by the end of the Odyssey, is something like a dulled version of his father. Odysseus is a peculiar mix of both heroic and intelligent qualities that make him seem both human and supernatural. The Odysseus portrayed in the Iliad somewhat contrasts the Odysseus we see in the Odyssey. For the purposes of the former, he is represented as a man of conviction, possessing significant military genius and guile, as well as persuasive capabilities. In the latter, however, some of his more ignoble traits are revealed: he is a braggart, he almost dishonorably uses poisoned...
It is sometimes difficult to reconcile this man with the one who willingly gives up eternal life for the moral condition and the chance to return to his wife. Largely, the problems with understanding the moral position of Odysseus stem from his immense experience and cleverness, which make him at once mortal and fantastic.
Odyssey Throughout the text of the Odyssey, Odysseus finds recourse to rely on his inner resource to surmount incredible odds in order to finish his journey home. Indeed, often we think of epic heroes using their enormous physical strength to solve a problem, and certainly, Odysseus does have recourse to physical means on more than one occasion. Nonetheless, it is more often that he uses his cleverness and mental agility to
In that case, Odysseus' motives are clear: to slip back stealthily into his house and to sabotage the stupid suitors. However, like any sailor Odysseus weaves yarns throughout the epic. Interestingly, Athena probably lies about her identity more so than Odysseus, suggesting that white lies are not necessarily morally wrong if they are done to accomplish a good goal. Therefore, many of the stories Odysseus tells are a means
For Aristotle, true freedom and liberty consists in ruling and being ruled in turn and not always insisting on fulfilling one's own personal desires at the cost of others. Thus, for Odysseus, true freedom can only come about when one is allowed to contribute to society for the betterment of everyone involved, a sure sign of moral correctness and rational thinking. In addition, Aristotle stressed the importance of justice and goodness,
"The Odyssey" also demands that guests show similar kindness in return to their hosts. While Odysseus is not blameless and morally upright in his actions towards others and he has an occasionally violent temper, he usually only strikes back at a host when he is threatened, as in the case of the Cyclops. For this demonstration of his need for kindness when he is wandering, he is rewarded, finally,
Odyssey and Everyman. People living in contemporary Georgia have to deal with a series of difficulties in their struggle to comply with some of the most respected values in society, as most of them want to reach a certain phase in their lives where they can consider themselves truly satisfied with who they are. One can take on legends such as "The Odyssey" and "Everyman" with the purpose of understanding what
However, when the Greeks reach their boats, Odysseus cannot help but once again proving his devotion to achieve glory wherever he goes, informing Polyphemus in regard to his true identity and thus infuriating the gods. This is Odysseus' biggest mistake, since it is because of this act that Poseidon is reluctant to let the Greek hero live, with the god of sea constantly stressing Odysseus and making his journey
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