Gods In Odysseus

Words: 883

Pages: 4

Open Document

Your own careless actions almost always result in unfortunate events. However, you cannot be held responsible for actions performed as a result of another. The gods in The Odyssey are that someone, causing Odysseus and his crew to encounter unfavorable situations. Although at first glance, it seems like the crewmembers made their own decisions, the gods were really pulling the strings. While Odysseus and his men surely thought they were in charge, it was the gods that manipulated Odysseus and his men, to the point that they can not be held accountable for even their own successes . They can twist the environment and weather at will, instill emotions into Odysseus and his men, but can also use their powers to help and motivate.
The easiest way to travel in Odysseus’ time was by ship and sail, and the gods used this to their advantage when trying to prevent his return, manipulating weather in an …show more content…
The unfavorable circumstances that often arise as a result of this puppetry cannot be blamed on the men, as this interference is not caused by them. On Hyperion’s island Odysseus had his men swear to leave Hyperion’s cattle alone, but they soon gave in to temptation because the gods lured Odysseus away. Odysseus recounts that “They then cast me into a pleasant sleep. In the meantime Eurylochus was broaching a wicked scheme to his mates” (Homer, 165). The gods took away Odysseus’ will and put him to sleep, while his men were forced to choose between starvation and the fulfilling of a deathly prophecy. The gods had also put Odysseus to sleep on his journey home from Aeolus, leaving his men alone to plot. Odysseus recounts, “I fell fast asleep...After talk like this evil counsels prevailed. They undid the bag…”(Homer, 126). Odysseus cannot be held responsible for this, as he was put to sleep, and could not do anything about

The Gods Role In Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

Throughout the life of Odysseus in the Odyssey the gods play a major role. During the story Odysseus faces a lot of obstacles either caused by a god of solved by one. For example in the story when Odysseus got trapped on Calypso’s island Ogygia, Zeus the god of gods send his messenger Hermes to rescue Odysseus. In that scenario the gods helped him, but later on the gods work against him too. In book 5 when Odysseus is getting in his raft to get ready to sail back home, his enemy the sea god Poseidon made…

Words 212 - Pages 1

Respect For The Gods In Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

difficulties that influenced him strongly. From a six headed monster to singing sirens, Odysseus sees it all. After almost 20 years at sea, our hero finally returns home to find his house in a pandemonium. Odysseus survives the tragedies by sticking to his values. In The Odyssey, respect for the gods cleverness, and hospitality were greatly valued and helped develop the myth of Odysseus. Respect for the gods was very important and effective in the future of a man and the development of the society;…

Words 653 - Pages 3

How Does Odysseus Show Respect For The Gods

Secondly, Respect for the gods is and always shall be as of utmost importance for the Greeks. Odysseus has shown many of great example about respect of the gods. The first example of respect for the gods is in The Land of the Dead. Odysseus recounts “But presently I gave commands to my officers to flay those sheep the bronze cut down, and make burnt offerings of flesh to the gods below—to sovereign Death, to pale Persephone” (571 - 574). Odysseus and his men first made a burnt offering to the rulers…

Words 288 - Pages 2

Odysseus The Wisest

During the times of The Odyssey the gods were the most powerful beings, it was very important to respect the gods but what happens when somebody doesn't? Taking the advice of those with a higher power is an important thing to do. They are the wisest, this can be seen when Athena gives Odysseus advice, when the men visit the island of the sun god, and when men who disobey the gods suffer. The wisest and one of the most respected gods is Athena, the goddess of wisdom. During Odysseus’s adventures…

Words 762 - Pages 4

The Odyssey Essay

Epic leader, Odysseus will most likely come to mind. Odysseus is the main character in Homer's poem "The Odyssey,” which is a narrative poem that describes Odysseus' adventures and obstacles in his quest to return home to Ithaca, where he is king, from the Trojan War. Odysseus has been gone for two decades. All the other chieftains have returned, however, Odysseus' whereabouts are unknown. One of the traits that makes Odysseus a Greek leader is that he is favored by the Greek gods. In the Odyssey…

Words 1013 - Pages 5

Gods Role In The Odyssey

the Odyssey; the gods play a critical role, in the Odyssey; the gods were indecisive, in the Odyssey; the gods hurt and saved the lives of many. The gods were very generous, reluctant in their actions, strong minded, and did what ever they pleased with out the consent of others. The gods risked the lives of many, due to their lack of precision in their thoughts. The gods set Odysseus free, watched him suffer, yet they did nothing to help Odysseus journey home. In the end, the gods made decisions that…

Words 584 - Pages 3

Essay On Athena's Relationship In The Odyssey

God + Man = Relationship Goals? In many stories, the gods, whether they’re Roman, Greek or Norse, play important roles in the story and determine the outcome of a character’s journey. Usually, the good are rewarded and the bad are punished for being greedy. Man’s relationship with the gods in The Odyssey varies depending upon their opinion and also whether man has good or bad intentions. Examples of this relationship include the gods providing wisdom, protecting and hindering based on a situation…

Words 886 - Pages 4

The Journeys Of Odysseus In The Odyssey And Gilgamesh

of Odysseus in The Odyssey and Gilgamesh in The Epic of Gilgamesh have many similarities and differences. Both characters embark on a journey to search for the meaning of life. Both stories show friendship, relationships with the Gods, and death. But each characters journey in the stories is unique and shows different lessons and outcomes. In the cultures that both of these stories take place in, the God’s have a big impact on the people’s destinies and doom. Throughout the stories, the Gods are…

Words 644 - Pages 3

Lessons Of Odysseus Depicted In Homer's The Odyssey

are many lessons and challenges that Odysseus faces. The three main ones are The Cattle of the Sun God, where he learns what goes around comes around, The Cyclops Polymorphus where he learns that he needs to be more humble his crew helped him fight the Cyclops but because he screamed out that he Odysseus had defeated the cyclops Poseidon got him into a lot of trouble, and he learned that he should stick to the task given. In The Cattle of the Sun God, Odysseus learns that what goes around come around…

Words 680 - Pages 3

Odysseus Leadership Qualities In Homer's Odyssey

Odysseus’ Leadership Qualities Homer recites the journey of Odysseus attempting to return home, to Ithaca, after being in Troy in an epic named the The Odyssey. Greek gods are extremely impactful in the voyage of his crew and himself. Without challenges, leadership skills are not able to be identified as clearly. Not all the gods cause challenges for Odysseus to encounter yet some do. Athena, god of wisdom, is a mentor for Odysseus throughout the challenges the other gods put him in. For example…

Words 1460 - Pages 6