Willie J. Young

8/23/03

3rd period

“Odysseus: Character Sketch”

The Charater of Odysseus of Homer’s Odyssey

One of the most admired heroes in Greek mythology is Odysseus, the

Grecian hero of Homer’s epic tale, The Odyssey.

He displays an almost perfect

combination of brains and muscle, seeming almost god-like at times. He possesses the

qualities the Greeks value most: manly valor, piety(devotion to a god or higher

power, and intelligence. For twenty years Odysseus overcame each obstacle the

gods handed to him. He was always respectful to the gods, recognizing their control of

fate and realizing that he needed help if he was to get back to Ithaca and his family.

To survive twenty years of fighting, storms, and the wrath of gods,

Odysseus proves he possesses the manly valor praised by the Greeks. Odysseus

displayed the strength of a hero through his journey. He was rarely subdued or

overcome, possessing great amounts of physical strength. When he was sailing away

from Calypso’s island, he was informed by Ino that Poseidon would destroy his raft, so he

swam for two nights and two days, which probably would have killed a lesser

person. Odysseus also displays his heroic strength when he returns to Ithaca. Odysseus

displayed the strength of a hero through his journey. He was rarely subdued or

overcome, possessing great amounts of physical strength. When he was sailing away

from Calypso’s island, he was informed by Ino that Poseidon would destroy his raft, so he

swam for two nights and two days, which probably would have killed a lesser

person. Odysseus also displays his heroic strength when he returns to

Ithaca. Odysseus showed he was a hero early on, though, as a warrior in the Trojan

War. He was a leader throughout the war, always keeping things in order

so the battle could move forward. While the warriors had been fighting unsuccessfully for

an entire decade, it was Odysseus’ plan to invade Troy with the wooden horse that led the

army to victory.

It was actions like these that exemplified Odysseus’ high level of intelligence, a

major characteristic of his hero status. Odysseus suffered for many years on land and sea,

but was wise enough to overcome everything he faced, using his mind to solve problems.

He came up with great plans to help him on his adventures. For example, the time he was

trapped in the Cyclops’ cave. He came up with the plan to take an olive

wood pole and, “rub it into his eye while he was sound asleep.” This way, the Cyclops

would be blinded and they could escape. When he got home he found over a hundred

suitors trying to steal his wife, so he took his revenge. With only his son to help, he

killed all the intruders, despite the fact that he was outnumbered.

Odysseus was also known to occasionally make mistakes,

getting himself into tricky situations. This caused him to show his pious characteristics. After he had safely escaped from

the clutches of the wretched Cyclops, he tormented the mighty beast, throwing rocks at him.

This mistake could have cost him and his men his life, but like any

normal man, Odysseus thought it necessary to celebrate his victory

by mocking the Cyclops. It was times like these Odysseus needed the help of

the gods, and was often, praying to his guardian goddess, Athena. Odysseus

prayed to Athena to keep him safe and help him return to Ithaca, knowing he

possessed neither the strength nor the knowledge necessary to get home.

He even admits he is not at all like the immortals who rule the

heavens, but I am “just a mortal man.”

Odysseus couldn’t possibly do it all on his own. Like he said, he was just

a mortal man, and like any mortal he needed help at times.

Like any hero or man, Odysseus had his good times and his bad times. Nevertheless, the reason he is one of the best heroes is ability to combine his brains and his brawn to “get the job done”. He was pushed to the limit physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, he used his intelligence, his piety, and his physical strength(manly valor) to succeed and survive. These characteristics make him one of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology.