Odysseus is the legendary King of Ithaca, a city-state in Greece. Odysseus is a mighty warrior and is the hero of Homer's epic poem, the Odyssey. He is the son of Laertes and Anticlea and is most famous for his long delayed return home to Ithaca and the 10 years it took to make the journey. Odysseus travels to many different kingdoms and realms on his return voyage. We know of Odysseus' adventures after the Trojan War because they are chronicled in Homer's Odyssey. Odysseus is among the main leaders of the Trojan War. He was the man responsible for developing the Trojan horse. This was the device that allowed the Greeks to win the Trojan War.
Odysseus' story of his return voyage from Troy, told in the Odyssey, took 10 years and was beset by perils and misfortune. He visits many islands in the Meditteranean including Cicones, the island of the Lotus-Eaters, and the islands of Cyclops, Aeolia, Telepylos, Aeaea, Hades, the Sirens, Scylla, Thrinacia, Ogygia, and Scheria all before he reaches Ithaca.
Odysseus and Nausicaä by Charles Gleyre (19th cen...
ODYSSEUS karnavires 51
ODYSSEUS karnavires 66He first travels to the city of Ismara, a city on the island of Cicones on the southern coast of Thrace. He raids and burns this city but is beaten back. Odysseus then travels to the island of the Lotus Eaters, which is close to North Africa. It was inhabited by the Lotophagi, a race of people who ate only the narcotic lotus flower. The flower induced a sleepiness and lack of caring about returning home in Odysseus' men. Odysseus had to drag the men away back to his ship and restrain them from swimming back to the island in order to leave.
Odysseus next sails to the island of the Cyclops, a place inhabited by one-eyed giants. The men disembark from the...
Further Addition
I want to add that there are multiple examples of Odysseus being self-centered, such as not taking people's advice. Odysseus was given advice from Circe that said not to try to fight Scylla even when she takes six of your men, but Odysseus tried to fight her and he lost three more men than the six he already lost. He also neglected to take the advice from his crew member, Eurylochus. Eurylochus told Odysseus not to send men to see what was on Circe's island and because he sent them anyway, they ended up being turned into pigs. Odysseus also neglects other people's lives when he takes action; such as when he tried to fight Scylla after strictly being told not to. Because of this ignorant action, he lost three more men on top of the other six. He also sacrificed men when he waited at the Cyclops home for "gifts." Odysseus was very self-centered where real heroes are not.
Odysseus also lacks the part of the hero profile which includes having a good heart. Odysseus definitely does not have this because he kills people without giving them a chance. Odysseus killed every one of the suitors in cold blood when most of them didn't commit a crime suitable for the death penalty. He also killed all of the maids who were raped by the suitors as if the had a choice in the matter. Odysseus also doesn¹t care about his crew members. When Elpenor fell off the roof at Circe¹s house, Odysseus didn¹t even bother to bury him. He doesn¹t support up for his crew members either. At the Cyclops' house he didn¹t try to defend his crew members who ended up being killed and eaten. Being cold-hearted definitely is not a characteristic of a hero.
Being disloyal is not characteristic of a hero, but Odysseus was. While he was on his journey, Odysseus had affairs with other women. When he stayed at Calypso¹s Island, he had multiple encounters with her despite his marriage to Penelope. He also had multiple encounters with Circe when he stayed at her island for a year¹s time. While Odysseus was being disloyal, his wife , Penelope, stayed completely loyal despite the suitors urging her hand in marriage. She still stayed loyal even when Odysseus was thought to be dead. Therefore, Odysseus had no reason to be disloyal to his loving wife. Disloyalty surely doesn¹t belong on a hero¹s record.
Although a war hero, Odysseus is not a hero in other respects. This is so because he is self-centered which is clear because he doesn¹t value other people¹s lives. He also is cold-hearted which is proved by his unlawful killing and his lack of support for his crew members. As well, he lacks the loyalty of a true hero as shown by his affairs with other women even though his wife remained faithful. A hero is someone who does something for other people out of the goodness of his heart, Odysseus clearly is not this.
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