Book 1 of The Odyssey is titled "Athena inspires the prince" and that is what the goddess is attempting to do. His men expected Odysseus to make decisions for his crew 282 Words Odysseus proves to be an epic hero in The Odyssey by showing bravery,intelligence and respect for the gods.Odysseus shows his intelligence by having his men tie him up to the mast as they sail past the sirens,so odysseus dont lose his will to get home.Odysseus use his bravery by going past scylla,so that he does not risk losing Odysseus' could not properly feed his men and he could not control them. To calm them down, Odysseus told them what to do next. Thus, the question of leadership supersedes the topic of Arete. Odysseus is an epic hero, he is a natural leader and at some points in the book smarter than everyone else. Let's fix your grades together! Eumaeus, Odysseus's trusty swineherd, is reassuring Odysseus that the suitors will be punished for their bad behavior, because the gods frown upon mortals who flout the kindness of hospitality. He prays to the river god as he swims towards the mouth of a river on the coast of Phaeacia. Get your custom essay from professional writers. Accessed 5 Mar. 50-54). 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Odysseus was quick on his toes, he said "'Cyclops, try some wine. He has decreed that the exiled hero is to return home. When Odysseus and his men go to the island of the Cyclopes, they discover a cave that Odysseus wants to explore. Zeus also warns that Odysseus journey will not be an easy one, but full of pain. She tells Odysseus to abandon his raft and take her immortal scarf. We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. Unfortunately, Odysseus makes poor choices throughout his travels and his actions often do more harm than good. Another part of the adventure where this is portrayed is when Odysseus and his men are on Circes island. The other name of the suitors mentioned by Homer in this epic poem include: commons.wikimedia.org Nevertheless, heroes rules and commands are respected by their followers and it shows excellent leadership, yet this does not the speak to Odysseus. Ultimately Odysseus can be a good leader but behind the scenes, he's not. This foreshadows the exact same tactics being used by Odysseus, with Athenas help, to return unnoticed to Ithaca. Yes, the terribly challenging circumstances in narrative in which the Odysseus finds himself is a challenge of courage and heroism of which very few would willingly volunteer. Penelope, Odysseus's wife, and their young son, Telemachus, are powerless before her arrogant suitors as they despair of Odysseus's return from the siege of Troy. Both he and Odysseus visited Antenor on a mission to arrange for the return of Helen, and Antenor talks about that visit here as he and others watch the preparations for the great duel, below the tower. Helen is telling the story of how she saw and recognized Odysseus when he came into Troy disguised as a beggar during the war. In TheOdyssey, why does Odysseus tell Polyphemus that his name is Nobody. When Odysseus is away from Circes island, Odysseus has a change of heart and suddenly wants to go back to Circes island to retrieve his crew. He thought of a cunning plan to get most of his men out of the cave they were trapped in. What epic elements do you find in Homer's Iliad? Justice is a big theme in The Odyssey, both among gods and mortals. Odysseus had what it takes to be a good leader because he was intelligent, fair and fearless and he supported and did not do anything that would blemish his men's courage. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper. 16 students ordered this very topic and got original papers. Related. Line 223-301). "What quotes show how Odysseus is a good leader?" This resulted in some of his men being eaten by the Cyclops, due to Odysseus curiosity. He was emotionally strong and made his crew strong. To begin, Odysseus shows endless consideration for all of his men which makes him a strong leader. DO USE INGENUITY WHEN FIGHTING YOUR ENEMIES: Odysseus showed good leadership when he saved the remaining men from his crew from the cyclops. Gilgamesh and Odysseus are motivated by attaining glory and honor. Don't use plagiarized sources. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 479-482. Long-enduring great Odysseus, overjoyed at the sight, bedded down in the midst and heaped the leaves around him. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. In this epic is four major examples that convey loyalty, which is shown by Penelope, Telemachus, the servants, and Odysseus. . The Odyssey, Book 4, lines 626-630. Latest answer posted January 22, 2021 at 1:12:04 PM, Latest answer posted December 06, 2020 at 10:35:48 AM. Only Alcinous daughter held fast, for Athena planted courage within her heart, dissolved the trembling in her limbs, and she firmly stood her ground and faced Odysseus, torn now Should he fling his arms around her knees, the young beauty, plead for help, or stand back, plead with a winning word, beg her to lead him to the town and lend him clothing? The first main trait that demonstrates Odysseus is a worthy leader is his optimistic approach to the difficult tasks both he and his men faced during their adventure. And seventeen days he sailed, making headway well; on the eighteenth, shadowy mountains slowly loomed the Phaeacians island reaching toward him now, over the misty breakers, rising like a shield. We will occasionally send you account related emails. This shows bad leadership because Odysseus could not persuade his men to not land on the island of Thrinacia, which resulted in all of men dying. If Odysseus looted the city and left, then he could have stolen many things without losing any. Is he not being disloyal to Penelope here? Would to god Id died there too and met my fate that day the Trojans, swarms of them, hurled at me with bronze spears, fighting over the corpse of proud Achilles! From the conversation between Hector and Andromache inthe Iliad, choose details which show great love between the two. There is a strong theme of homecoming in The Odyssey, with Odysseus on a long, perious journey home after the end of the Trojan War. In book two of the story, Odysseus is again compared to the chief of all the gods, Zeus; and when Odysseus speaks, he imparts wisdom and good counsel that should be heeded by all. Gradesfixer , Analysis Of Odysseus As A Good Leader [Internet]. Was Odysseus the ideal leader or did he portray undesirable leadership tendencies? First, he discloses the disturbing information to his men, so they know as much as he does about the fate that awaits them on the sea. At the beginning of the poem the narrator invokes the Muse the Muses were ancient Greeces goddesses of literature, science and the arts. Latest answer posted May 29, 2020 at 7:42:15 AM. And out he stalked as a mountain lion exultant in his power strides through wind and rain and his eyes blaze and he charges sheep or oxen or chases wild deer but his hunger drives him on to go for flocks, even to raid the best-defended homestead. There is much foreshadowing in the passage. Tricking Polyphemus into drinking the wine, sharpening a huge tree trunk into a spear, and driving it into the eye of the cyclops shows not only slyness but strength and leadership. A great leader views the world like he is looking through 3D glasses, always seeing the depth and vibrancy of the possibilities around him. In the beginning, he is courageous as he leads his people into the Trojan War. 260). Already a member? In another instance, he ensures his crew's safety from the sirens who try to lure them away. Get your custom essay on, https://studydriver.com/odysseus-showed-bad-leadership/. Odysseus also told them that Zeus would help them survive. But you can one from professional essay writers. Line 660). Next, the group was stranded on Circes island and his men were turned into animals by the goddess. Then, being much troubled in mind, I said to my men, "My friends, it is not right that one or two of us alone should know the prophecies that Circe has made me, I will therefore tell you about them, so that whether we live or die we may do so with our eyes open. Is Odysseus A Hero: Main Character of Homers Epic Poem Essay, Analysis of the Male and Female Relationships in the Odyssey Essay, The Odyssey: Odysseus As The Archetypal Trickster Essay, A Study of the Characters Odysseus and Poseidon as Depicted in Homer's Odyssey Essay, Strengths And Weaknesses Of Odysseus Essay, A study of the friendship between Odysseus and Athena Essay, An Analysis of the Journey of Odysseus Essay, Gilgamesh and Odysseus: the Lessons Learned Essay, Womens Influence on the Warfare in the Illiad Essay. And if a god will wreck me yet again on the wine-dark sea, I can bear that too, with a spirit tempered to endure. Telemachus is searching for news of his father, who has not been heard from since he left for war nearly 20 years earlier. Odysseus is crying as he listens to the Phaiakian bard sing about the Trojan War, but he's not just letting a single tear fall: he's weeping like a widowed woman. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. The goddess and nymph Calypso keeps Odysseus as a sex slave on her island of Ogygia for seven years. 2023 gradesfixer.com. Strip off those clothes and leave your craft for the winds to hurl, and swim for it now, you must, strike out with your arms for landfall there, Phaeacian land where destined safety waits. On the Cicones Island, even though he didn't make much attempt to make his men leave and his lack of . Also, Odysseus is evidently clever when devising the escape plan from the Cyclops cave. The Cyclops had a great club which was lying near one of the sheep pens; it was of green olive wood, and he had cut it intending to use it for a staff as soon as it should be dry. This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before, Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts. Ino, as sea deity Leucothea, makes a dramatic appearance to save Odysseus from drowning in a violent sea whipped up by Poseidon. Read More Nobody worked as hard as or achieved so much as Odysseus, yet his struggles ended in suffering. According to The Odyssey, it is shown that a hero has a quality of being a risk taker; a trait Odysseus demonstrates throughout his journey. In this quote, we see that Odysseus is a cunning planner. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 329-337. He believes that the gods are against him and his position is hopeless. DO INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN YOUR SUBORDINATES: The men became terrified when they saw smoke of white water and heard loud sounds of water. Over the course his ten-year journey, Odysseus faces many obstacles including mythical creatures. In the Iliad, whois responsible for the death of Achilles and who helps him? That was how the war was won, and it was all thanks to Odysseus and his cleverness and ability to lead. . Also, Odysseus angered Poseidon by destroying Troy. Following are some quotes from The Odyssey that demonstrate Odysseus's leadership qualities. Afterwards, at the Cyclops cave, Odysseus also showed how thoughtful he was as he lead his people through a well-devised plan to save them from the Cyclops. When Odysseus emerges naked from the bushes after his sea ordeal, he is hungry and in need of food. This was a bad leadership on the part of Odysseus because he was unable to keep track of his men and possibly save and because he did know he needed to give the crewmember a funeral, something he is morally obliged to do. A heavy sea covered him over, then and there unlucky Odysseus would have met his death against the will of Fate but the bright-eyed one inspired him yet again. He was reliable and strong, and so he earned title of king in Ithaca and was treated with great respect. ", "Three, four times blessed, my friends-in-arms who died on the plains of Troy those years ago, serving the sons of Atreus to the end. This experience should guide him to choose correctly when being put in a tight spot. We see him earn the respect of the other men in the army and their trust. He thought of an elaborate, but organized way to blind Polyphemus after drugging him. 1 / 9. However, they Cicones attacked Odysseus men and killed 72 of them. For instance, Odysseus speaks with Circ and discovers that their journey ahead will not be easy. His quick and impractical decision eventually led to death among his men. In The Odyssey, it is clear that Odysseus has earned the respect and status of a leader to Ithacas people. Proteus tells Menelaus that Odysseus is being held captive on a remote island by the lustful goddess Calypso. Athena tells Telemachus that Odysseus is alive and being held captive on a faraway island. In a simile it is compared to a shield rising over the waves. Lord Poseidon, I trust, will let his anger go. Scarring his own body with mortifying strokes, throwing filthy rags on his back like any slave, he slipped into the enemys city, roamed its streets all disguised, a totally different man, a beggar. Some of us may be more susceptible than others are, but there's always a siren. Analyzes how odysseus shows inadequate leadership qualities throughout the story. Stop wasting your time searching for samples!