herody The Imperfect Hero of Homers Odyssey Essay -- Odyssey essays

The Imperfect Hero of The Odyssey In literature, a bold character or hero is a great deal the principle character. In the grand poem The Odyssey there are many immortals, but only bingle hero, Odysseus. The differences between the immortals and the hero are few. The god-like Odysseus is plagued with the human weaknesses of pettiness, self-doubt, and dependency on the pity of others. Odysseus reveals his pettiness when he amuses himself with humorous wile. Odysseus not only uses his cunning at the expense of his enemies, but he also uses his cunning and guile as a way of entertaining himself. After Odysseus tells the Cyclops his name is Noman, Odysseus stabs Polyphemus in the eye and Polyphemus cries for help saying, Friends, Noman is murdering me be craft (87). Odysseus power over his opposition is once again confirmed by his wit more than by his physical force. Although Odysseus is a wise man, this wit is only useful in the get around picture. After he and his men get away fr om Polyphemus, Polyphemus father, Poseidon, causes the mortal men trouble. To avoid such trouble, Odysseus could have choose not to amuse himself. Odysseus often loses plenteousness of the greater vision, which is returning to his family. Odysseus risks his return by a moment of testosterone-driven pettiness. The moment comes when Odysseus challenges Irus by saying, do not challenge me too far with show of fists, or you may rouse my rage and old as I am, I still might stain your beast and lips with blood (174). When the beggar/Odysseus fights and wins against Irus it is a miracle that no one became suspicious of Odysseus. The suitors were shocked that an old beggar, as Odysseus appeared to be, would be that strong. If anyone put two and two together then Od... ...One thing that can be intimate from Odysseus is no matter how good one is, one is still a human and part of being a human is to learn to overcome ones flaws Works Cited and Consulted Griffin, Jasper, Homer The Odyssey C ambridge UP 1987Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homers Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988Jones, Peter V. Homers Odyssey a companion to the translation of Richmond Lattimore. Carbondale, IL southern Illinois University Press, c1988. PA4167 .J66 1988Murnaghan, Sheila, Disguise and Recognition in the Odyssey, Princeton UP 1987Peradotto, John , Man in the Middle Voice Name and Narration in the Odyssey, Princeton UP 1990 Stanford, William Bedell. Homers Odyssey. 2 Vols. Macmillan Thalmann, William G., The Odyssey an epic of return. New York Twayne Publishers. PA4167 .T45 1992