In the future, Odysseus will be presented with two obstacles, going through Scylla (6 headed monster) or Charybdis (a giant whirlpool). Odysseus is inspired once again by Athena as he tries to swim safely to shore in heavy seas. In book three of the epic story, Odysseus is being compared to Menelaus, a man who is imposing and impressive physically. Website studydriver.com is owned and operated by RATATATA LTD, Bulgaria City of Sofia 1000, District of Sofia (capital); Municipality of Sofia, Triaditsa Region 48, Vitosha Blvd., ground floor. But fascinatingly Odysseus willingly beds Calypso one more time before he sails away on the raft she allowed him to build. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still.". We get a brief synopsis of the story of the epic poem. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, however, what gives someone the title of a good or bad is decided by the decisions they make and how those decisions affect others. The Odyssey, Book 1, lines 1-12. Scylla was a huge monster that had twelve large legs like tentacles and 6 heads with fangs. Enumerate the epic conventions that you can find in books 1 and 2 of the Iliad? (Page 21-22). His prayer is answered. GradesFixer. Throughout The Odyssey, he lead his men well by thinking every situation through. Odysseus is meeting with Tiresias (a blind prophet) to learn his future. However, Amphinomus decided to stay and eventually got killed by Telemachus, along with the other suitors. Words 181. Latest answer posted September 04, 2020 at 11:53:03 AM. The lack of obedience and respect for Odysseus shows the lack of leadership role that he has between he and his followers. Here, however, he does not suffer the missteps he will in The Odyssey. What makes a good leader? During the time Odysseus encounters many divergent tough tasks, he always overcomes many tasks with his men when he encourages them. Joywarm as the joy that children feel when they see their fathers life dawn again, one whos lain on a sickbed racked with torment, wasting away, slowly, under some angry powers onslaught then what joy when the gods deliver him from his pains! Here, take this scarf, tie it around your waist it is immortal. Menelaus is aggrieved at the loss of his comrade Odysseus and laments his fate. Odysseus was waiting for the beastly one-eyed man ''beholden them for his help, or any gifts you give- as custom is to honor strangers." When he realizes his men are in danger, he is confident in an escape plan and taking the risks to go through with it. "Here I am at your mercy, princess are you a goddess or a mortal? Odysseus longs to be back home with her in Ithaca, no matter what trials he faces along the way. We have experts for any subject. What makes Odysseus a good leader in The Odyssey? Here the narrator describes Odysseus typical day in captivity: weeping by day because he is prevented from returning home, and being an unwilling lover by night. eNotes Editorial, 7 Oct. 2019, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-quotes-show-how-odysseus-is-a-good-leader-1948083. She tells Odysseus to abandon his raft and take her immortal scarf. Two character traits define Odysseus and shape his poor leadership style. Odysseus barely managed to escape this, but his actions put him and his crew at a huge risk. 19 From the conversation between Hector and Andromache inthe Iliad, choose details which show great love between the two. When they land on the island his men are held captive and are turned into animals. Before leading the mission to blind Polyphemus, Odysseus even considered attacking the Cyclops himself. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 370-383. In this epic is four major examples that convey loyalty, which is shown by Penelope, Telemachus, the servants, and Odysseus. In the nights, true, hed sleep with her in the arching cave he had no choice unwilling lover alongside lover all too willing. ", "and no one knew him at all I alone, I spotted him for the man he was. Was Odysseus the ideal leader or did he portray undesirable leadership tendencies? But one man alone his heart set on his wife and his return Calypso, the bewitching nymph, the lustrous goddess, held him back, deep in her arching caverns, craving him for a husband. Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Although Odysseus has some positive attributes he is a bad leader for the following reasons he keeps secrets from his crew, he falls asleep at inappropriate times and is arrogant to a fault. But they themselves- in their depravity- design grief greater than the griefs that fate assigns." Homer, The Odyssey 228 likes Like "Ah how shameless - the way these mortals blame the gods. And now, withdrawing into the caverns deep recesses, long in each others arms they lost themselves in love. Odysseus is quick to decide that they should stay even if it meant potential danger. Would to god I'd died there too and met my fate that day . Stripped of his pride and dignity, a naked shipwrecked Odysseus begs Phaeacian princess Nausicaa for help. A good leader would have taken his mens concerns into consideration. Odysseus is visited by Athena and reminded of the losses the army has already suffered; leaving now would make those deaths a waste rather than a sacrifice. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. That is what I'm called by my mother and father." Quote regarding Melantho's behavior "Melantho of the pretty cheeks jeered at him outrageously" Quote regarding the Cyclops prayer of revenge "Grant that Odysseus.may never reach his home in Ithaca" "Noman is my name, and Noman they call me, and my father and my mother and all my fellows'. Despite this sudden change of heart, he is still wise enough to plan out what he is going to do when he gets to Circes Island and how to keep his crew safe, Lastly, Odysseus lack of leadership is shown when he tells his men not to open the bag of air. What epic elements do you find in Homer's Iliad? His men relied on him to prepare them on what was going to happen during their journey. They use their power of trickery to trick and deceive humans, to fulfill their wishes. More fearsome, is it now, than when the kyklopes penned us in his cave? Long-enduring great Odysseus, overjoyed at the sight, bedded down in the midst and heaped the leaves around him. This shows the lack of obedience the men have and Odysseus lack of leadership. He has decreed that the exiled hero is to return home. Telemachus, his son, goes on a journey to find his father. Explore important quotes from the epic poem, learn how fate plays a role, and discover how . His concern for his men is only matched by his own desire to rise above mortal limits. He told them to hug the shoreline of the cliff and to keep rowing so that they do not see the Sirens on the mountain. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 329-337. Lastly, Odysseus illustrates good leadership through his use of determination. The Odyssey. You least of all I know we're born and reared without the gods' good will." -Athena. In the end, Odysseus and his crew avoided the Sirens because all of his men listened to him. Odysseus is a combination of the self-made, self-assured man and the embodiment of the standards and mores of his culture. The Iliad is not Odysseus's story; however, he is certainly an integral part of what happens in it. "Men are so quick to blame the gods: they say that we devise their misery. Are you interested in getting a customized paper? Accessed 5 Mar. We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. The goddess and nymph Calypso keeps Odysseus as a sex slave on her island of Ogygia for seven years. In this passage Athena, who has a special relationship with Odysseus, pleads with Zeus to allow the "cursed by fate" hero home. As a man will bury his glowing brand in black ashes, off on a lonely farmstead, no neighbors near, to keep a spark alive no need to kindle fire from somewhere else so great Odysseus buried himself in leaves and Athena showered sleep upon his eyes. If one of the gods who rule the skies up there, youre Artemis to the life, the daughter of mighty Zeus I see her now just look at your build, your bearing, your lithe flowing grace But if youre one of the mortals living here on earth, three times blest are your father, your queenly mother, three times over your brothers too. That is the gods' work, spinning threads of death through the lives of mortal men, and all to make a song for those to come." Alcinous, 8.647-651 Often mortals will turn to the gods to help them achieve justice, and fear of divine . 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus a prominent Greek epic hero is on a quest . The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 476-478. Noman is my name, and Noman they call me, and my father and my mother and all my fellows. Atlas daughter it is who holds Odysseus captive, luckless man despite his tears, forever trying to spellbind his heart with suave, seductive words and wipe all thought of Ithaca from his mind. Odysseus is scraped by the rocks on the Phaeacian shore. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 338-345. In the first place, Odysseus demonstrates his ability to be a good leader by being strong with everything he goes through during the epic. Traits of being a good leader are being determined, being intelligent, and using good judgement. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. In brief, Odysseus clearly is a good leader because he is courageous, pensive, and intelligent. He is favored by the gods and respected and admired by the mortals. Homer explains how the, Odysseus is not a hero because he stabs Polyphemus in the eye and blinds him. Hes still alive, somewhere in this wide world, held captive, out at sea on a wave-washed island, and hard men, savages, somehow hold him back against his will. He considered how to deal with each problem and always did what was best for his people. First, he discloses the disturbing information to his. Tiresias warns Odysseus that if his men ate Helios cattle, then they would be all be punished with death. Instead of killing Odysseus and his men, the hilltop made a big wave that brought the ships back to shore. Just do as I say. "Nohbdy, Nohbdy's tricked me, Nohbdy's ruined me" (Homer.9.317)! He confronted Circe and slept with her in order to have his men turned back into humans, proving his fearlessness and reliability as a leader. That was how the war was won, and it was all thanks to Odysseus and his cleverness and ability to lead. Critical Essays Major Themes in. Overall, Odysseus is a good leader because he is brave, thoughtful, and clever. (Page 12), DONT GET COCKY WHEN YOU HAVE A VICTORY: Odysseus showed bad leadership when he started to mock the cyclops after they left his island. "But my heart breaks for Odysseus, that seasoned veteran cursed by fate so long far from his loved ones still, he suffers torments off on a wave-washed island rising at the center of the seas. Odysseus is saying this to himself after being wakened up by a group of young Phaeacian girls playing ball. The story of The Odyssey with Odysseus being a great leader has been told for many years and will be told many years to come. Despair to their enemies, a joy to all their friends. As Odysseus and his men prepare to face Kharybdis and Skylla, his men are nervous, so Odysseus reminds them "'Have we never been in danger before this? If Odysseus looted the city and left, then he could have stolen many things without losing any. What are 3 examples of times when Odysseus demonstrated epic hero/god like qualities in The Odyssey? Odysseus lacked to be a good leader when him and his men were on the way to Ithaca. How true to life, all too true . After defeating the Cyclops, Odysseus taunted him, which made him very angry. In The Odyssey, Homer illustrates the journey home to Ithaca taken by Odysseus and his men. 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. ", "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. Odysseus also leads with his clever ideas when he orders the Greeks to build the Trojan Horse so they could raid Troy and destroy it. He did all of this with only the goal of returning to his beloved family in mind. When I had done this I hid it under dung, which was lying about all over the cave, and told the men to cast lots which of them should venture along with myself to lift it and bore it into the monster's eye while he was asleep. The major themes in The Odyssey are especially significant because they serve to form the moral and ethical constitution of most of the characters. Let's start by finding a writer. The most compelling evidence is. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 167-172. The father of the gods decides to intervene to allow Odysseus to return home. The reader learns about the characters through the themes. A heros funeral then, my glory spread by comrades now what a wretched death Im doomed to die! Telemachus is searching for news of his father, who has not been heard from since he left for war nearly 20 years earlier. Line 223-301). The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 33-46. "Odysseus' favourite pose had been to pretend that he was a man like other men, but there were none like him, and now that he was dead, there were none at all. Gilgamesh and Odysseus are motivated by attaining glory and honor. DON'T KEEP SECRETS FROM YOUR MEN:Odysseus showed bad leadership by telling his men nothing about Scylla. 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. He always looks out for his men and encourages them to keep moving forward when hope disappears. In this story, he solidifies his reputation as a strong leader, which is why we are willing to follow his journey. Analyzes how odysseus shows inadequate leadership qualities throughout the story. ", "Yet I tell you great Odysseus is not dead. This is an epic simile, another characteristic of epics in which the writer spins really elaborate comparisons. 15. A great leader views the world like he is looking through 3D glasses, always seeing the depth and vibrancy of the possibilities around him. He then grabbed one of Odysseus' men "and made his meal, gaping and crunching like a mountain lion-everything: innards, flesh, and marrow bones" on him without regret. Accessed 5 Mar. But the hero of the Trojan war wishes that he had met his end more gloriously with his dead comrades on the battlefields of Troy. He might be intelligent but really he tolerably manipulated his crew by saying things such as dont you want to go back to your home again?. Get your custom essay. " This is perhaps the most famous example of leadership by Odysseus. Unfortunately, Odysseus makes poor choices throughout his travels and his actions often do more harm than good. 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. Leadership requires a person to lead a group of people and have people obey you, how can that occur if Odysseus men do not obey simple instructions. 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? So with his lordly ways he brought the ranks to heel, and they flocked back from their huts and ships to the Assembly, noisily, like a wave of the roaring sea when it thunders on the beach while the depths resound. The Odyssey, Book 1, lines 57-60, 65-68. Having floated in heavy seas for two days and nights, battling Poseidons storms, Odysseus makes this plea for divine help. . Only Alcinous daughter held fast. The trait of Odysseus being dishonest is a factor of why Odysseus is a bad leader. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 538-545. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 236-246. The Odyssey [], The relationship between male and female is a key theme in the Odyssey and has been increasingly popular in recent scholarship. 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. He believes that the gods are against him and his position is hopeless. When we do see him, he is generally described as being "godlike" or somehow connected to the gods Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. However, his curiosity got the better of his, which resulted in at least 6 of Odysseus best men dying. "Wretched man what becomes of me now, at last? If Odysseus told them what they were going to encounter, then they couldve been more prepared to fight or avoid this monster. There were other points where Odysseus showed his bravery, like when he travelled to the underworld, and many more. 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. Nevertheless, heroes rules and commands are respected by their followers and it shows excellent leadership, yet this does not the speak to Odysseus. "What quotes show how Odysseus is a good leader?" In the Circe episode, Circe persuades Odysseus and his men to stay with her. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. However, it is evident that there are circumstances where his hubris leads him to trust his intellect and wit over more reasonable course of action that not only endanger his life, but the life of his entire, Odysseus demonstrates as an efficient leader when they come across various threatening situations.