how does odysseus set a "course"?

How does Odysseus develop as a character throughout the book?

Throughout the book Odysseus has a number of adventures and encounters with the gods, sea creatures, other humans, and also giants, all of which play dominate roles in his development as a character throughout the book (Levine 6).

What element does Odysseus learn in the course of his adventures?

Expert Answers info I would say that the major element Odysseus learns in the course of his adventures that helps him when he returns to Ithaca is patience. Odysseus gets himself into trouble in Odyssey 9, when he reveals his true identity to the Cyclops after blinding him.

Where did Odysseus rule in the Odyssey?

Odysseus ruled Ithaca, an island kingdom. Penelope, Odysseus's wife, had borne him a son, Telemachus, just before the events of the Trojan War began to unfold. Odysseus was favored by the goddess Athena for cunning and intellect. Odysseus is also known as Ulysses, which is the Roman form of his name.

How is Odysseus cunning in the Odyssey?

The book begins with Odysseus the warrior, however as stated earlier with all the valor and honor and gratitude given to Odysseus he is greatly known for being cunning. Throughout the book Odysseus uses deceptive speech or voices and disguise to trick and or confuse people.

What caused Odysseus to sail off course?

When trying to get home, Odysseus and his men's ship gets blown off course because of a big storm. After being thrown around, all over sea for nine days, they finally found land. The land that they found might not have been the best option for them, since it already took so much time to get home.

How is Odysseus stubborn?

Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus also demonstrated other weaknesses. The episode with Helios' cattle depicted Odysseus' stubbornness. Ignoring all the warnings, he made the decision that cost the lives of his men. However, Homer shows his other strong qualities.

How is the plot of The Odyssey structured?

The Odyssey is composed in dactylic hexameter, a strict poetic structure in which each line of the poem has six 'feet,' or dactyls, each made up of one long and two short syllables. Homer also repeats poetic phrases and entire lines of poetry.

How did Odysseus change throughout his journey?

Through the story he does evolve and develop as a character; by the end of the story, he is more patient and is able to put his pride to the side, and becomes more cunning and even reduces his stature of King of Ithaca, and disguises himself as a beggar, and allowing abuse from the suitors.

How does Odysseus show arrogance?

Following the visit to the Cyclops den in The Odyssey, Odysseus shows arrogance by declaring his escape from there to be a success despite having lost six men while trapped. He further proves his vanity by mocking the Cyclops while escaping, 448 Words.

What is Odysseus major flaw?

Pride is one of Odysseus' greatest weaknesses. It is what costs him so much loss of time on his way home. A good example of this is when he taunts the cyclops after blinding and outwitting him and is then cursed by Poseidon to keep the cyclops satisfied. His other big weakness is his curiosity.

What is Odysseus main goal throughout the story?

While The Odyssey is not told chronologically or from a single perspective, the poem is organized around a single goal: Odysseus's return to his homeland of Ithaca, where he will defeat the rude suitors camped in his palace and reunite with his loyal wife, Penelope.

What does Odysseus bow symbolize?

Primarily, the bow symbolizes the physical superiority of the king — an important point in a world in which the mighty prevail. But the bow also symbolizes the maturity and perhaps the character of the king.

What is the climax of Odyssey?

The Odyssey reaches its climax in the combination of two events - the stringing of the great bow by Odysseus and the slaughter of the suitors. At the end of Book 21, Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, lifts the heavy bow, bends it, picks up an arrow, and sends it effortlessly through a line of twelve axes.

What is the transformation in The Odyssey?

Rather, Odysseus's spiritual change as a soldier trying to get home and his reactions to the events that happen to him allow his travels to become an odyssey. At the beginning of his journey, Odysseus starts off as an arrogant and prideful soldier who's main goal is to try to get home as quickly as possible.

What has Odysseus learned?

Odysseus Lessons In Homer's Odyssey The men and Odysseus learn valuable lessons throughout their epic journey, but in the episode the most important lessons they learn are; temptation can lead to death, being obedient can save your life, and trust your instincts.

What lesson might Odysseus take away?

1c. What lesson might Odysseus take away from this experience? Odysseus might takeaway that he needs to assert more control over his men, so they won't get into more fights while intoxicated.

Why did the gods punish Odysseus?

The gods punish Odysseus at different times for different reasons. Some are angry with him and his men for desecrating the Trojan temples. Poseidon...

Is Odysseus a god or a hero?

Odysseus is a hero, not a god. Both of his parents are human. He is considered a particularly powerful and intelligent hero, but he is still mortal.

What is Odysseus known for?

Odysseus is known for being a warrior in the Trojan War and for suggesting the Trojan Horse plan. He is also known for spending ten years trying to...

What is the major element that Odysseus learns in the course of his adventures that helps him when?

Expert Answers info I would say that the major element Odysseus learns in the course of his adventures that helps him when he returns to Ithaca is patience. Odysseus gets himself into trouble in Odyssey 9, when he reveals his true identity to the Cyclops after blinding him.

How does Odysseus change in the Odyssey?

Hereof, how does Odysseus character change in the Odyssey? Through the story he does evolve and develop as a character; by the end of the story, he is more patient and is able to put his pride to the side, and becomes more cunning and even reduces his stature of King of Ithaca, and disguises himself as a beggar, and allowing abuse from the suitors. ...

What is the change in Odysseus?

He has changed for the better. The changing point for Odysseus was Calypso's Island. By the end of the story, he was more humble, patient and thought things through before rushing in head on. Hereof, how does Odysseus character change in the Odyssey? Through the story he does evolve and develop as a character; by the end of the story, ...

How does Odysseus grow?

Secondly, how does Odysseus grow? Certainly Odysseus does grow in wisdom and judgment throughout his ventures. His self-control while dealing with the suitors' insults is exemplary and contrasts, for example, with his earlier irresistible urge to announce his name to the Cyclops in Book 9. In other ways, however, he seems slow to learn.

What is Odysseus known for?

Odysseus is known for being a warrior in the Trojan War and for suggesting the Trojan Horse plan. He is also known for spending ten years trying to return home to Ithaca after the end of the war.

What did Odysseus do during the Trojan War?

The Iliad is an epic poem about the mythical Trojan War, but what did Odysseus do during the Trojan War? Odysseus joined the Greek war effort to bring Helen of Sparta back to her husband Menelaus because, prior to Menelaus and Helen's marriage, Odysseus was one of Helen's many suitors. During the war, Odysseus was known as a particularly cunning strategist who helped the Greek forces achieve victory.

Why did Poseidon destroy Odysseus' raft?

Odysseus sails away from Calypso's island on his raft, but Poseidon destroys the raft to get revenge on Odysseus for blinding Polyphemus. He washes up on yet another island, where he is tended to by a young woman named Nausicaa. He recounts his adventures and finally makes his way back to Ithaca. Later, Nausicaa and Odysseus' son Telemachus get married.

How long has Odysseus been without his king?

Ithaca, Odysseus' kingdom, has been without its king for twenty years. When King Odysseus finally returns, he does not immediately make his presence known. In disguise, he visits his wife, Penelope. She has remained faithful to him for twenty years, though she has 108 suitors hoping to marry her. To avoid marrying anyone, Penelope creates an archery contest that she knows that only Odysseus could win: she challenges her suitors to shoot an arrow through the holes in twelve axes. Odysseus, still in disguise, wins the contest. He then kills all of her suitors and he, Penelope, and Telemachus are finally properly reunited.

Why did the gods punish Odysseus?

The gods punish Odysseus at different times for different reasons. Some are angry with him and his men for desecrating the Trojan temples. Poseidon in particular is angry because he blinded Polyphemus, and Helios is angry because Odysseus' men ate his cattle.

Why does Odysseus have favorable winds?

Aeolus, the keeper of the winds and the king of Aeolia, gives Odysseus favorable winds to help guide him home to Ithaca. He also gives him a bag that contains unfavorable winds with instructions to keep it closed. When Odysseus and his men are within sight of Ithaca, the bag is accidentally opened and all of the ships are swept far away from their destination. From that point on, their luck goes from bad to worse.

What does Odysseus do after leaving the Underworld?

After leaving the Underworld, Odysseus leads his men on further adventures. His ship sails past the Sirens, female spirits whose songs enchant those who come near them so that they will drown. Odysseus, tied to the mast of the ship, hears their song, but his men block their ears with wax. They make it out of the realm of the Sirens unharmed and continue their journey. Next, Odysseus and his men have to navigate the dual threats of Scylla, a sea monster, and Charybdis, a whirlpool. This, too, they manage with only six casualties.

What does Odysseus want to do?

Similar to other Homeric heroes, Odysseus wants to win the glory, so he does great deeds, and he hopes to complete homecoming. He enjoys his luxurious life with Calypso in an exotic land, but only to a point. As he grows and misses home, he is eager to return home. In Homeric Greece wives were only property, desirable as overseers of the female servants and as means of securing identifiable heirs and descendants. Men did not impose upon themselves the chastity necessarily required of the women, and were more angry than grieved if their wives showed a preference for other men (n.a. 115). He even admits that his wife Penelope could not compete with Calypso. He thinks of home throughout the time he spends with the Phaeacians and also while on Circe’s island (n.a. 115). Often times his glory seeking ways seem to get in the way of his vision of going home.

What is Odysseus's cunning?

The book begins with Odysseus the warrior, however as stated earlier with all the valor and honor and gratitude given to Odysseus he is greatly known for being cunning. Throughout the book Odysseus uses deceptive speech or voices and disguise to trick and or confuse people. He often altered his appearance and changing the way he spoke and sounded. In Book I for example Odysseus tells the Cyclops Polyphemus, his name is “Nobody.” While beating Polyphemus he exclaims “Nobody is beating you,” when the Cyclops asked who was doing so (Homer 7). He did so when others would ask Polyphemus, what was wrong and responded “Nobody is hurting me.” the others would assume that, “If alone as you are [Polyphemus] none uses violence on you, why, there is no avoiding the sickness sent by great Zeus; so you had better pray to your father, the lord Poseidon” (Homer 8). Also, in the poem when he first meets and addresses Nausicaa on the island of Scheria, his suave, comforting approach quickly wins her trust. He could win over and manipulate his audience, which he did all of the way through the book.

How many books are there in The Odyssey?

The story of The Odyssey was written by the great epic poet Homer. In twenty- four books, the author presents the trials and tribulations of the protagonist Odysseus, and his voyage back to his home state of Ithaca. It contains so many and such striking adventures, some have called it an adventure story (n.a. 115). Over the course of the story through the foreshadowing and flashbacks; the question is over the course of the epic does the character of Odysseus change, evolve, or does he remain the same? Different from the characters in the Iliad and characters in Homer’s other works; usually remaining flat or static, Odysseus in The Odyssey, is a dynamic or round character. Through the story he does evolve and develop as a character. Therefore this essay will explain whether or not Odysseus developed as a character at all over the course of the narrative. In saying that, who was Odysseus in The Odyssey?

What are the characteristics of Odysseus?

Odysseus shares the character traits of a leader from the Homeric era: he was a very noble man , had enormous strength, very courageous, a thirst for glory and was very confident in his ability to rule and in his authority . Although all of these traits distinguished him, Odysseus has a very sharp intellect. When placed in some sticky situations throughout the epic, his quick thinking gets him out. For example in Book IX, his ability to think fast allows him to escape from the Cyclops’ cave. Even in Book XXIII, when he has a minstrel strike up a wedding sign in book to hide where he slaughtered the suitors.

What does Odysseus' smile mean?

Odysseus’ smiles express his confident superiority: while being abused, at the close of the annihilation of the suitors (Levine 2). He eventually makes it back home regardless of all the turmoil he went through over the course of his adventure.

Who is the main character in the book Odysseus?

Odysseus is the protagonist or main character and the hero of this epic poem. Odysseus was the king of Ithaca, was married Queen Penelope and was also the father of Prince Telemachus. Odysseus was portrayed as a great warrior, who sets off at the beginning of the poem to go fight amongst the toughest warriors in the battle of Troy. He was a man of a very wise and shrewd man; resourceful, but also eloquent, courageous, full of endurance, and lastly extremely cunning in some sort as cunning as Niccolò Machiavelli. Throughout the book Odysseus has a number of adventures and encounters with the gods, sea creatures, other humans, and also giants, all of which play dominate roles in his development as a character throughout the book (Levine 6).

Does Odysseus change his character?

Over the course of the story through the foreshadowing and flashbacks; the answer to the question yes, the character of Odysseus does in face change; he does not remain the same. Through the story he does evolve and develop as a character; by the end of the story, he is more patient and is able to put his pride to the side, and becomes more cunning and even reduces his stature of King of Ithaca, and disguises himself as a beggar, and allowing abuse from the suitors. Therefore Odysseus is a round character and does develop as a character in the epic of The Odyssey.

How does Odysseus change from the beginning of his quest until the end?

, how does the character of Odysseus change from the beginning of his quest until the end? In The Odyssey, the character of Odysseus changes from the beginning of his quest until the end by becoming more cautious and less arrogant. When Odysseus triumphs over the Cyclops Polyphemus, he displays triumphalist arrogance ...

What are the qualities of Odysseus?

Likewise, prudence and patience are necessary when dealing with the suitors. If he rushes in, holding his sword aloft, the suitors could defeat Odysseus as a result of their greater numbers. Again, he must exercise these qualities—qualities he's had all along—because, if he doesn't, he could die. He is brash, and he does have bravado, and he hasn't always been prudent in all situations, but it is a characteristic he's possessed for a long time. Then, the manner in which he and Telemachus decimate the suitors' numbers surely gratifies that bravado, which he's always possessed as well.

What qualities do the suitors need to defeat Odysseus?

Likewise, prudence and patience are necessary when dealing with the suitors. If he rushes in, holding his sword aloft, the suitors could defeat Odysseus as a result of their greater numbers. Again, he must exercise these qualities—qualities he's had all along—because, if he doesn't, he could die.

What does Polyphemus do when he's in Polyphemus' cave?

For example, when he's in Polyphemus's cave, he prudently realizes that, much as he wants to kill the monster, if he does so, he and his men will be trapped in the cave. He needed to discover a way to maim the monster without killing him so that the Cyclops could still move the boulder away from the door.

What did Odysseus learn from Ithaca?

By the time Odysseus finally winds up on Ithaca, he appears to have learned his lesson. Instead of his previous arrogance and impetuosity, we witness much greater caution and self-control. One might've expected Odysseus to dash off to the royal palace at once and settle accounts with his wife's suitors.

Does Odysseus change his character?

In truth, Odysseus's character doesn't under go much of a change throughout his epic voyage. At the end of the poem, he's as much of a wily, fearless hero as he ever was.

Does Odysseus have patience?

However, Odysseus has shown prudence and patience before, when necessary; these aren't really new qualities that he's developed.

Where does Odysseus go on his journey?

Odysseus begins his journey back to his homeland along with his comrades. Tragically, after many adventures and losses, he is the only one who manages to return back to his homeland, Ithaca. During his long voyage, Odysseus ' bravery and intelligence is proven many times over.

Where did Odysseus and his men go?

During their journey the strong winds blowing north pushed the ships away, in Africa. And so, Odysseus and his men arrived in the land of the Lotus Eaters. Once ashore Odysseus sent three of his warriors to see what kind of people lived in this country.

What did Cyclops Polyphemus eat?

Inside, they found milk, cheese, lambs and goats to eat. But then Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon, who had only one eye, returned to his cave and discovered Odysseus and his men. He shut the door of the cave with a huge rock and ate some of the men, saving the rest for later. The next day Odysseus offered Polyphemus sweet wine (the famous red ...

Why did Odysseus refuse to leave?

But when Odysseus tells his men that it is time to leave, they refuse, as the food is too good and the wine too sweet. Shortly, all the Cicones gather and attack them together, killing many while the others quickly boarded the ships and left in a wild storm.

Where did Odysseus go when he left the island?

They stayed in the island of Circe for a long time. When they decided to leave, Circe advised Odysseus to go to underworld and meet prophet Tiresias who would tell him how to get to Ithaca safely.

How many ships did Odysseus have?

Starting from Troy, Odysseus had 12 ships at his disposal in which his comrades fought, and fell.

What did Odysseus do when he was sailing?

When Odysseus ’s ships were sailing in the Aegean, the gods sent wild winds to push them north into the land of the Cicones. There, Odysseus and his men attack and fight some of the native Cicones, snatching animals and wine, and sitting by the beach to eat and drink.

What is the development in Odysseus 1?

Development in Odysseus 1: impatience to get home. (This will fluctuate, particularly when he stays with Circe, but then it comes back into play when he wishes to avoid landing on Thrinakia, and also when he continues to remind the Phaeacians of his wish to return home).

What is Odysseus' first scene?

He begins, after leaving Troy and high off the victory, by sacking the land of the Cicones. Peter Jones notes that this scene is particularly Iliadic, and it has been observed how Odysseus’ character has remained relatively unchanged since his Iliad days. Still a soldier, or a typical a hero, running in and doing what he wants, before scooting off again.

What time does Odysseus fight the Cicones?

However, the scooting off is where we (arguably) begin to see a little bit of change. The Cicones fight Odysseus’ men down by their ships at 9.54… a little reminiscent of Hektor pushing the Greeks back to their ships at Il.8.215? But Odysseus is anxious to leave this time. He doesn’t wanna be stuck there any longer than necessary.

What cave did Odysseus enter?

Odysseus and his men enter Polyphemos’ cave with confidence, in clear view, and uninvited. They aren’t cautious enough, and they expect hospitality. When he returns to Ithaka, he makes a plan with his companions, and cautiously enters his palace in disguise, predicting the abuse he’ll receive and the danger that lies within.

What is character development in the Odyssey?

In the Odyssey, it is basically a manifestation of, or a focus on, something that is already there, and not the emergence of a totally new characteristic.

Who brought Odysseus' body to Penelope?

At the last moment, as Odysseus lay dying on the ground, he and Telegonos suddenly recognized each other as father and son, but, by this point, it was already far too late for Telegonos to save his father. Telegonos brought Odysseus’s body to Penelope and to Telemachos, the son of Odysseus and Penelope. Together, they gave Odysseus a proper burial.

Who told Odysseus how he died?

It depends on who you ask. There were many different bizarre and fascinating stories in antiquity about how Odysseus died. In the famous nekyia from Book XI of the Odyssey, the ghost of the blind prophet Teiresias tells Odysseus, in Samuel Butler’s translation: