Analysis Of Homer s The Odyssey - 1455 Words

An An Chang (24437312) Marissa Henry (Section 106) Classics 10 March 4th, 2016 Odysseus’s Voyage from Pride to Modesty In the Odyssey, Homer portrays Odysseus as a strong, courageous leader who not only uses his physical strength, but also, his wit to problem solve and defeat his opponents. While Odysseus possesses many valuable traits that help him become the great leader he is, he also has one major character flaw--his hubris. Through his long trek back home to his wife and estate in the Odyssey, we see Odysseus slowly grow as a person and become slightly more humbled and less stubborn. Odysseus does not lose his hubris by the end of his journey, however, there is definitely a change in his decision makings. Odysseus’s journey begins on†¦show more content†¦By relinquishing his anonymous identity, Odysseus allows Polyphemos to take revenge by asking Poseidon, Polyphemos’s father, to curse Odysseus to never reach home. This very curse, which could have been easily avoided if Odysseus’s hubris did not interfere, causes Odysseus to take years to travel before finally returning home to his wife. In this scenario, Odysseus did not think twice about the consequences of announcing his name to Polyphemos. Odysseus, at this point of his journey, cares more about his pride and name than anything else. Later on in his journey, after leaving Calypso’s island, Odysseus almost gets dragged into the ocean by Poseidon’s storm. Luckily for Odysseus, goddess Ino steps in and offers him aid by giving him a veil that would keep him from drowning as he abandons ship and swims to shore. At first, Odysseus refuses to abandon ship, â€Å"Ah me, which of the immortals is weaving deception/ against me, and tells me to put off from the raft? But no,/ I will not do it yet, since I have seen with my own eyes that shore where she said I could escape, is still far from me† (5.356-360). Even Though goddess Ino is an immortal who has far more knowledge than Odysseus, a mere mortal, Odysseus still refuses to take her advice. Here, Odysseus is too stubborn to accept help until the very end when his ship falls apart due to Poseidon’s storm and had no choice but to follow goddess Ino’s