The Odyssey is an epic poem, which revolves around Odysseus and his journey home
from the war at Troy. Throughout his travels he is met with many obstacles and
adventures. There are times when he thinks he will never make it home. But
through perseverance, faith, maturation and heroics, he manages to survive and
reach his homeland of Ithaca as a changed man. In The Odyssey, Odysseus, the
main character must journey from Troy to his homeland of Ithaca. Throughout this
journey he learns many lessons, faces obstacles testing his physical and mental
strength and grows from an arrogant, self-centered hero into a humble,
respectful survivor. With the help of the Gods he is finally able to return to
Ithaca as an honorable man. In Book VI of the Odyssey, Odysseus wakes on the
shore of Phaecia. The Goddess Athena has sent the beautiful Nausicaa a dream
instructing her to wash clothes in preparation for an upcoming marriage. Athena
makes Nausicaa brave and Odysseus handsome bringing them together in order to
assist Odysseus to the house of the king. In this particular book the Gods
assist Odysseus and he manages to come closer to getting home. Athena helps him
out over and over again in Book VI. Everything seems to be done to help Odysseus
and so he is lucky to have the Gods behind him. “but the grey-eyed Goddess
Athena made her tarry, so Odysseus might behold her beauty and win her guidance
to the town” (175). Here Odysseus is actually being led where he needs to go
by Athena indirectly. All the places with lush greenery and the resting-place of
Odysseus has even been made by Athena. “The sun was going down when they went
by Athena’s grove” (181). The manipulation by the Gods appears to lead t a
common goal, the survival of Odysseus and the assistance of getting him home.
The gods may not be able to stop fate but they help Odysseus learn to use their
guidance to his advantage for his survival. In Book VIII, King Alkinoos calls an
assembly asking the Phaeacians to help Odysseus. During this meeting there is
competition to entertain Odysseus. After being insulted by one of the Phaeacians,
“”The reason being, as I see it, friend, you never learned a sport, and have
no skill in any of the contests of fighting men” (185). With that, Odysseus
throws a discus farther than anyone ever has. “Anyone else for an edge for
competition try me now” (186) This proves Odysseus has a problem with his
pride. Although this pride does help him throughout his journey, he uses it here
as a vice to show others his greatness. His arrogance really shows through here.
By insulting his abilities, Phaeacians insulted his manhood and he defended it
to the highest degree. In Book IX, Odysseus encounters the Kyklops and uses his
cunningness and bravery to escape. Here we see a new side of Odysseus. First he
vividly narrates his love for his home in this book. “I shall not see on earth
a place more dear” (198). “Where shall a man find sweetness to surpass his
own home and his parents (198)? Odysseus seems able to survive by using all his
energy to find his way home. He uses this energy in his plot to get away from
the Kyklops. His plan is both brave and ingenious. He tells the Kyklops his name
is Nohbdy. Then after being blinded, Odysseus and his men are able to escape.
The Kyklops yells to his friends, “Nohbdy, Nohbdy tricked me, Nohbdy’s
ruined me” (207)! With this, he gets no help and Odysseus is free. However
again his pride gets the best of him for as they are escaping he yells, “If
ever a mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell them
Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye” (210). This again proves to hurt
Odysseus and makes his journey more difficult. His foolishness proves to be a
thorn in his side throughout The Odyssey. By revealing his name he sets himself
up for the angry God Poseidon. In Book X, foolishness again causes Odysseus
trouble. As his Odyssey seems almost over and the men are close to Ithaca, a
sack of wind given to Odysseus by Aeolus is unleashed. This blows their ship all
the way back to where they started. Odysseus then ends up with Kirke, daughter
of the Sun. Kirke turns all the crewmates into pigs and lures Odysseus into her
bed. Odysseus ‘s vice here seems to be his manhood as he ends up sleeping with
Kirke for one year until she promises to help him get home. “O Kirke now you
must keep your promise, it is time. Help me make sail for home” (224). Kirke
tells Odysseus the path to take home and so he is off for another adventure,
surviving with the mere thought of eventually returning to his distant home.
“Homeward you think we must be sailing to our own land; no, elsewhere is the
voyage Kirke has laid upon” (227). Odysseus seems to be learning from his
mistakes. His virtue is to understand his destiny, fulfill it and eventually get
where he needs to be. He learns that boasting can bring people against him as
was seen with the Kyklops. He is also using his ability to accept help from the
Gods to his advantage. In Book XI, Odysseus sails to the edge of the world and
he eventually encounters the blind sear who warns him about the dangers for his
journey home. “ But anguish lies ahead; the God who thunders on the land
prepares it, not to be shaken from the track, implacable, in rancor for the son
whose eye you blinded” (230). He then visits with the dearly departed who
cause him to flee to his ship in anguish only with greater hopes of returning
home. “I whirled then, made for the ship” (246). Odysseus uses his vices and
virtues a survivor to overcome his obstacles and to make it home. On his
Odyssey, he receives help from the Gods but they also at times hinder his
progress. His arrogance at times works against him and his manhood almost
destroys his chances of seeing his homeland but through strength and the wisdom
of experience, he manages to make it. He must learn from these vices and virtues
and for this he is able to survive the journey.