The Challenges of Odysseus and how he Overcame Them
The Challenges of Odysseus and how he Overcame Them
What were Odysseus greatest challenges, and how did he overcome them?
Odysseus greatest challenge upon his return to Ithaca from Troy was himself. On several occasions Odysseus ego, god-like attitude and heroic characteristics dictated his actions, and cost him dearly. It was during these travels, other events that threatened his return included a Cyclops named Polyphemus eating Odysseus crew, the Sirens that beckoned to all passers, promising that they would impart to them the knowledge of all events and the mischievous actions of Eurylochus.
Odysseus first major threat was the land of the Cyclopes. These people are rustic, one-eyed barbarians who neither cultivate crops nor have any body of laws. They have no assemblies because they don’t obey any decisions. When the Cyclops returned to his cave, he demanded to know who Odysseus and his men were. In answer to this, the Cyclops, whose name was Polyphemus, grabbed two members of the crew and ate them. Odysseus dared not kill Polyphemus because they would be stuck in the cave, unable to move the boulder away from the entrance. Eventually when Odysseus blinded the Cyclops, the boulder was open and they escaped. This event is a major threat to Odysseus return to Ithaca due to his crew slowly being eaten. If not for his intelligent approach to the event, himself and his entire crew may have been killed.
The second major danger Odysseus encounters is the Sirens. Those two women beckoned to all passers, promising that they would impart to them the knowledge of all events. In order to prevent their seduction by the Sirens, the crew plugged their ears with beeswax. Odysseus left his ears unplugged and was tied to the mast. This event was a major threat to Odysseus, as the sirens by their lovely voices lure sailors to their deaths. Also if Sailors approach the Sirens too closely in their attempt to learn the future from these prophetesses, they will perish. Not only would a few sailors have died if Circe had not told Odysseus of this danger, but the whole crew and all ships would have gone down.
The third major danger Odysseus encounters upon return to Ithaca is himself. Odysseus ego, heroic characteristics and sometimes god-like attitudes threaten his return. Gloating in his cleverness, Odysseus could not resist shouting out his real name to...