Every weakness contains within itself a strength. Odysseus is known for his long journey, attempting to return home after the Trojan War events. He had some challenges to seek vengeance and let his pride get the best out of him. Odysseus has struggled with excessive pride, exaggeration, throughout this narrative. So how do the unique strengths and weaknesses of Odysseus magnify his voyage on the sea?
There have been several times in which Odysseus has displayed bravery. He is always prepared to take action to defend himself and his men. Odysseus states, “Much have I suffered, labored long and hard by now in the waves and wars. Add this to the total—bring the trial on!” Odysseus says these lines when Calypso tells him he's going to die if he leaves the island. Odysseus is willing to suffer great hardships. Odysseus has also shown intelligence as one of his strengths various times. Another example, Odysseus and his men escaped the sirens by putting beeswax in their ears. He constructed a clever plan to save himself and his crew. One final strength Odysseus demonstrated was ambition. He intended to return home to his wife, but later discovered that many suitors were surrounding Penelope in his years of being gone. His strength has helped him throughout his voyage by benefiting him when it comes to taking important steps and risks during his journey. Finally, from observing closely in the story, you can see how his noble characteristics helped him during his journey.
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
However, Odysseus had struggles with weaknesses throughout his journey. Starting with Odysseus’s arrogance, he was given the warning that he should not take the cattle with him on his Helios trip, but he still goes through with it. “Old shipmates, our stores are in the ship's hold, food and drink; the cattle here are not for our provision, or we pay dearly for it.” Next, Odysseus and his son got revenge on the suitors by killing all of them for disrespecting his household. “Odysseus and his gallant son charged straight at the front lines, slashing away with swords, with two-edged spears and now, they would have killed them all.” Final weakness Odysseus struggled with is curiosity. When Odysseus and his men got on the island of the Cyclops, he wanted to know if the Cyclops were friendly, so he decided to visit them. This is very similar to the saying “curiosity killed the cat.” Throughout the reading of Odysseus' acts, we can see how his weaknesses were magnified in his search for home.
In conclusion, there have been several times in which Odysseus has displayed strength. However, Odysseus had struggles with arrogance, vengeance, and curiosity throughout his journey. Strengths and weaknesses are the main elements of our characters.
Stuck on your essay?
