Characteristics Of Odysseus A Hero's Journey

Heroes have always been around, admired and praised, yet the definition of a hero continues to change. The heroes of today may not be considered heroes a century from now, and likewise the Greek heroes may be seem distant from what society considers a hero today. In the Greeks’ time, a hero was braver than most men, accomplishing great feats of courage and strength. These heroes were flawed and had selfish motives, quite different from the modern ideal of a selfless and anonymous hero. However, there is a formula that transcends time, place, and culture that most heroes follow, known as the Hero’s Journey. One such hero that fits into this twelve stage archetypal plot is the Greek war veteran Odysseus, king of Ithaca. After a ten year voyage …show more content…
His arrogance and stubbornness are the first flaws uncovered during the voyage. Once Odysseus sails away from Troy, he crosses the threshold by stepping into the world he is not familiar with. He commits to the voyage home and his journey begins. Even from the beginning Odysseus rarely listens to his crew, often leading them into trouble. This flaw displays itself when he visits the islands of the Cyclopes, during the tests, allies, and enemies stage of his journey. Odysseus makes an enemy of the Cyclopes when he enters Polyphemus’s cave and helps himself to as much cheese as he can eat. His men want to return to their ship, but he insists that they wait for the Cyclops to return. When Polyphemus returns, Odysseus acts as if his acts of thievery are forgiven, and immediately demands a welcoming gift: “‘But we have come to you, and come to your knees, to pray if you will give us the stranger’s due or anything you may think proper to give to a stranger’” (105). He retains a very high opinion of himself here and throughout most of the journey and feels entitled to gifts from others. Odysseus’s flaw of arrogance is only one of many flaws, with the next being even more dangerous and difficult to remedy. Like many other Greek heroes, Odysseus suffers from a fatal flaw: pride. He believes he can attain the fame and glory he desires by exploring new and unfamiliar …show more content…
His newfound wisdom presents itself in his self-control. The next stage Odysseus completes is known as the approach to the inmost cave: the hero makes the final preparations before facing his ultimate test. When he returns to his estate, he follows the warning from the spirit of Agamemnon. In disguise, Odysseus questions his wife and other servants as a trial of their loyalty. Odysseus’s test of humility comes to a climax when he begs for food in his own house, dressed as a beggar. Antinoos, one of the suitors, throws a stool at him, but “Odysseus stood firm as a rock; the blow did not move him, he only threw back his head silently, and brooded over his vengeance” (200). Odysseus’s restraint shows unmistakably, as the old Odysseus would have lashed out at the suitors. His control over his emotions proves that he has learned and changed during his journey. After killing the suitors and regaining control of his estate, Odysseus embarks on the road back by traveling to the house of his father Laertes. On the road back, he must choose whether to follow the gods’ command, or not. Odysseus replaces his cocky attitude with a humble respect for the gods when he remembers his agreement to make an offering to them: “‘...and then on returning home I was to prepare a solemn sacrifice to all the gods who rule the broad heavens’” (258). Earlier in his journey, Odysseus would