(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. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 476-478. In the meantime, while . Add this to the total bring the trial on!". This shows that he prioritizes himself over his men and is clearly selfish, a quality good leaders should not have. Odysseus also told them that Zeus would help them survive. Beset by vengeful gods and facing many challenges, Odysseus has lost nearly everything, but his ultimate goal has remained unwavering. A great leader views the world like he is looking through 3D glasses, always seeing the depth and vibrancy of the possibilities around him. Often mortals will turn to the gods to help them achieve justice, and fear of divine . He pleads for rags to cover him and assistance to get to the town. What is the importance of arete in the Iliad. After building a raft and setting sail from Calypsos island, Odysseus finally sees the land of Phaeacia. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below: By clicking Send, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. The lot fell upon the very four whom I should have chosen, and I myself made five. What quotes show how Odysseus is a good leader? However, his curiosity got the better of his, which resulted in at least 6 of Odysseus best men dying. Two character traits define Odysseus and shape his poor leadership style. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. I went up to this club and cut off about six feet of it; I then gave this piece to the men and told them to fine it evenly off at one end, which they proceeded to do, and lastly I brought it to a point myself, charring the end in the fire to make it harder. Odysseus knew that he would encounter this monster because Circe warned him about her. His men expected Odysseus to make decisions for his crew 282 Words Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Especially among Gods and Goddesses. 16 students ordered this very topic and got original papers. After that, he stays equally as strong when faced with Poseidons anger and the journey ahead of him. The Odyssey. His men try and convince him to leave, but to this he ignores their pleas and says Yet I refused. Get your custom essay. A Homeric simile compares this to a farmer burying an ember in ashes to keep it warm, so that he can kindle a fire later. They use their power of trickery to trick and deceive humans, to fulfill their wishes. A good leader would have taken his mens concerns into consideration. Gilgamesh and Odysseus are motivated by attaining glory and honor. So, thoughtfulness is clearly another trait of Odysseus that he uses to make him a stronger leader. But you can one from professional essay writers. Stranded on the shore of Phaeacia, Odysseus debates where the safest place to sleep is. When Odysseus is away from Circes island, Odysseus has a change of heart and suddenly wants to go back to Circes island to retrieve his crew. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still.". The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 479-482. The Odyssey, Book 4, lines 303-306. Accessed 5 Mar. Odysseus declines the goddess' offer to stay with her and be immortal. This resulted in some of his men being eaten by the Cyclops, due to Odysseus curiosity. Don't use plagiarized sources. Because of the horrors he has experienced, he worries about what kind of people he has landed among, whether they are savage or friendly to strangers. Would to god I'd died there too and met my fate that day . eNotes Editorial, 7 Oct. 2019, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-quotes-show-how-odysseus-is-a-good-leader-1948083. DONT GET DISTRACTED AND LEAVE A MAN BEHIND: On Circes island one man fell off a rooftop drunk and Odysseus and his crew left him behind, Odysseus had to promise him a funeral only after he was reminded he was gone while in the underworld. Odysseus is trapped on Calypsos island, where the nymph is keeping him and wants him for her husband. "Wretched man what becomes of me now, at last? What are the worthwhile causes for fighting a war? Odysseus' sharp wit distinguishes him from other heroes of his era, who only use strength to overpower their enemies. When we do see him, he is generally described as being "godlike" or somehow connected to the gods because of his wisdom or bravery. Odysseus sometimes lacks self-awareness when he would kill his men or people just because it was a faster way to reach his goal. Retrieved March 4, 2023 , from https://studydriver.com/odysseus-showed-bad-leadership/, Get in touch with our top writers for a non-plagiarized essays written to satisfy your needs. When they land on the island his men are held captive and are turned into animals. And if a god will wreck me yet again on the wine-dark sea, I can bear that too, with a spirit tempered to endure. And may the good gods give you all your heart desires: husband, and house, and lasting harmony too. DON'T KEEP SECRETS FROM YOUR MEN:Odysseus showed bad leadership by telling his men nothing about Scylla. Your time is important. That was how the war was won, and it was all thanks to Odysseus and his cleverness and ability to lead. Zeus also warns that Odysseus journey will not be an easy one, but full of pain. He believes that the gods are against him and his position is hopeless. For example, when they arrived at the Land of the Lotus Eaters, Odysseus ordered three of his men to explore the island for dangers, rather than all at once investigating the situation. ", "Show me the way to town, give me a rag for cover, just some cloth, some wrapper you carried with you here. In an epic simile, we are told how his skin sticks to the rocks just like pebbles stick in the suckers of an octopus. In an extended simile, Odysseus is compared to a powerful mountain lion driven by hunger to approach a homestead and attack its flocks of animals. Orders: There is much foreshadowing in the passage. Odysseus is scraped by the rocks on the Phaeacian shore. Generally I think Odysseus is a good leader because he saves his men more times than he lets them get killed, for example on the island with Polythemus. Their response is not what he expected: they cheer loudly and head back to their ships, eager to go home rather than finish fighting the war they came here to fight. 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. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still." This is perhaps the most famous example of leadership by Odysseus. No, on a lashed, makeshift raft and wrung with pains, on the twentieth day he will make his landfall, fertile Scheria, the land of Phaeacians, close kin to the gods themselves, who with all their hearts will prize him like a god and send him off in a ship to his own beloved land, giving him bronze and hoards of gold and robes more plunder than he could ever have won from Troy if Odysseus had returned intact with his fair share. This is an epic simile, another characteristic of epics in which the writer spins really elaborate comparisons. this Quote Book 6 Quotes He is a leader when he does this because he lets his men not suffer the sirens while he has to. What makes a good leader? In Homer's 'The Odyssey', the forces of fate, destiny, and justice factor into Odysseus' journey home. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 236-246. It chronicles the long journey home of Odysseus, after his time spent fighting in the Trojan War. Scarring his own body with mortifying strokes, throwing filthy rags on his back like any slave, he slipped into the enemys city, roamed its streets all disguised, a totally different man, a beggar. Latest answer posted May 29, 2020 at 7:42:15 AM. This essay proves that an epic hero is not only a personification of that culture but also the best version of that culture. 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. "I reassured the ghost, but he broke out, protesting, "No winning words about death to me, shining Odysseus! The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 236-246. In order to save his men, Odysseus, drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, tied them down under their rowing benches, and called the rest. This is an exception to the patriarchal world of the time, with the woman having the power and the man being her captive. "Hear me, lord, whoever you are, Ive come to you, the answer to all my prayers rescue me from the sea, the Sea-lords curse! The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 515-523. We should care about this topic because it is pertinent in our world today. Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds, many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea, fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home. However, Odysseus did not disclose any information to his crew. I can help you save hours on your homework. Athena inspires Nausicaa with the courage to face the brine-caked and naked Odysseus. Scylla was a huge monster that had twelve large legs like tentacles and 6 heads with fangs. He thought of an elaborate, but organized way to blind Polyphemus after drugging him. Odysseus is a Leader 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. This shows how powerful a woman Penelope is. Even as he spoke the sun set and the darkness swept the earth. Odysseus is meeting with Tiresias (a blind prophet) to learn his future. However, Oedipus slowly uncovers the truth, ultimately leading to his own banishment from his. 2023 gradesfixer.com. Before leading the mission to blind Polyphemus, Odysseus even considered attacking the Cyclops himself. "There's always a siren, singing you to shipwreck. Then, he planned for his men to escape concealed by being bound under the bellies of sheep. ", "what a heart that fearless Odysseus had inside him! Even though others may claim that Odysseus is not a good leader because of the amount of hubris he shows, the positive qualities such as his good judgement, bravery, and his ability to inspire others prove otherwise. In the Odyssey it is made clear that the choice of Mentor is entirely governed by Odysseus, who makes the decision when Telemachus is still an infant. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 338-345. You can find some excellent answers on these topics in the eNotes links below, which can help guide you in your studies. She is the [], After the events of the Trojan War, Odysseus and his men headed back home to Ithaca. Using a metaphor, Nestor compares the siege of Troy by the Greeks to a spider weaving a web. . First, he discloses the disturbing information to his men, so they know as much as he does about the fate that awaits them on the sea. So Odysseus moved out about to mingle with all those lovely girls, naked now as he was, for the need drove him on, a terrible sight, all crusted, caked with brine they scattered in panic down the jutting beaches. I fear wild beasts will drag me off as quarry.". "Noman is my name, and Noman they call me, and my father and my mother and all my fellows'. Get your custom essay from professional writers. Yes, the terribly challenging circumstances in narrative in which the Odysseus finds himself is a challenge of courage and heroism of which very few would willingly volunteer. Odysseus had what it takes to be a good leader because he was intelligent, fair and fearless and he supported and did not do anything that would blemish his men's courage. The most compelling evidence is. 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. This shows how powerful a woman Penelope is. However, embedded in the story is the inevitably female-centered core of the battle. Already a member? Odysseus dauntlessly went after his men and was determined to rescue them from her curse. 380-381). Odysseus forcibly tied his men to the ship to save them from Lotus that they became hypnotized by. This is Odysseuss response to the situation.After Circe releases his men from the spell, Odysseus spends a year with her (pg 506). Moreover, after Odysseus and his men fight the Cicones, he orders Back and Quickly! By god, I'd rather slave on earth for another man some dirt-poor tenant farmer who scrapes to keep alive Noman is my name, and Noman they call me, and my father and my mother and all my fellows. 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. A heros funeral then, my glory spread by comrades now what a wretched death Im doomed to die! Straight forward they sprinted, lifted it and rammed it deep in his eye chater (Hom. Let's fix your grades together! What a piece of work the hero dared and carried off in the wooden horse where all our best encamped, our champions armed with bloody death for Troy. The reader learns about the characters through the themes. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still. Unfortunately, the inhabitants [], The Odyssey is a story about Odysseus return home, and the struggles he faces. In the tug of war for Odysseus' heart, it is Penelope who wins over Calypso. Odysseus takes Agamemnon's scepter and does this: [W]hen he came upon some common soldier shouting, he drove him back with the sceptre and rebuked him: "Sit, man, and hear the words of better men than you; you are weak and lack courage, worthless in war or counsel. ", "and no one knew him at all I alone, I spotted him for the man he was. Thus, the question of leadership supersedes the topic of Arete. 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. Odysseus knew that he would encounter this monster because Circe warned him about her. Would to god Id died there too and met my fate that day the Trojans, swarms of them, hurled at me with bronze spears, fighting over the corpse of proud Achilles! DONT ANGER THE GODS:Odysseus angered Poseidon by blinding and making fun of the Cyclops, who was his son. 2021 StudyDriver.com - Big database of free essay examples for students at all levels. What role does war play in the Iliad? 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. However, Odysseus told his men, Ill make the crossing in my own ship and find out what the mainland natives are-for they may be wild savages, and lawless. He joins the chosen four in the expedition to the cyclops cave and takes the lead in ensuring that it will be a success by preparing the weapon accordingly. He sings the praises of the brave and cunning Odysseus, credited with the idea of using the horse to deceive the Trojans. If Odysseus told them what they were going to encounter, then they couldve been more prepared to fight or avoid this monster. These quotes prove my claim because Odysseus played a trick on Polyphemus that worked out in his advantage to get out of the cave that he was trapped. He prays that the gods will grant her hearts desires and an ideal marriage. This is not an example of the work written by professional essay writers. That is not to say that Odysseus is a one dimensional man; he does, at times, persist when saving his men from the Cyclops. Odysseus declines the goddess offer to stay with her and be immortal. Helen tells the story of how Odysseus cunningly disguised himself as a begger to slip into Troy unrecognized during the Trojan war. Calypso is portrayed in the epic poem as a maniulative seductress. GradesFixer. But listen to me now./ Tiresias and Circe both insisted/ we must avoid the island of the Sun, the joy of mortals. Lord Poseidon, I trust, will let his anger go. After his boat is wrecked and he is adrift on a heavy sea for two nights and days, Odysseus is overjoyed to see the shores of Phaeacia. Odysseus' could not properly feed his men and he could not control them. What qualities in each are revealed? Odysseus is quick to decide that they should stay even if it meant potential danger. With our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds to get started on your essay right away. Odysseus Page Number this Quote 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. The Odyssey, Book 4, lines 119-123. After this victory, they decided to stay on the island a little bit longer to celebrate. Quote regarding Odysseus's trick on the Cyclops "My name is Nobody. While the were on an unknown island inhabited by Cyclops, Odysseus wanted to know if they were friends or foes. Here's liquor to wash down your scraps of men. Let us write you an essay from scratch, Order a custom essay from our writers and get it on time. I define a good leader as someone who is an example for others to follow, someone who you trust, and someone you respect and who respects you. Helen is telling the story of how she saw and recognized Odysseus when he came into Troy disguised as a beggar during the war. 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. He encountered and overcame many obstacles that include fighting cyclops, monsters, giants and more. The first trait is that he is a very arrogant person and this often puts him and his men in danger. But not in the convoy of the gods or mortal men. Words 181. In this epic is four major examples that convey loyalty, which is shown by Penelope, Telemachus, the servants, and Odysseus. " This is perhaps the most famous example of leadership by Odysseus. The brilliant U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur once said, A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. This description of a leader can be used when telling of the great adventures of Odysseus on his way home to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War. The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 370-383. "Men are so quick to blame the gods: they say that we devise their misery. While not fully explored in [], We provide you with original essay samples, perfect formatting and styling. From beginning to end of the Odyssey, Odysseus repeatedly motivated his crew to not give up during their journey by announcing "My friends, I know how much/ you have endured. 260). Also, Odysseus is evidently clever when devising the escape plan from the Cyclops' cave. How true to life, all too true . The Odyssey, Book 5, lines 246-249. In a bird simile she is compared to a "shearwater on the wing." You can find a skilled professional who can write any paper for you. Since Odysseus could not control his men and make them not eat the cattle, his whole crew died and his ship got destroyed. According to The Odyssey, it is shown that a hero has a quality of being a risk taker; a trait Odysseus demonstrates throughout his journey. A heavy sea covered him over, then and there unlucky Odysseus would have met his death against the will of Fate but the bright-eyed one inspired him yet again. He shall see his loved ones, reach his high-roofed house, his native land at last". Following are some quotes from The Odyssey that demonstrate Odysseus's leadership qualities. Odysseus showed bad leadership when his curiosity resulted in some of his men dying. Nevertheless, heroes rules and commands are respected by their followers and it shows excellent leadership, yet this does not the speak to Odysseus. Odysseus is an epic hero, he is a natural leader and at some points in the book smarter than everyone else. The major themes in The Odyssey are especially significant because they serve to form the moral and ethical constitution of most of the characters. In the Odyssey, what does Teiresias (the prophet in the Land of the Dead) warn Odysseus against in his prophecy? Let us have but the one leader, the one true king, to whom Zeus, the son of Cronos of wily counsel, gave sceptre and command, to rule his people wisely.". paper. 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. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions.