The Long-Suffering and Self-Pitying Odysseus Essay

What would it decide on make Odysseus, the renowned warrior plus the pride coming from all Greece, cry uncontrollably? Certainly, he must be put through some type of extreme physical pain that no different mortal may survive or maybe he is actually forced to observe the horrendous slaughtering of his comrades. But more often than not, it is only mere words and memories, motivated on by simply self-pity, not really atrocities committed against his crew, that make Odysseus weep. Instead of operating as a compassionate leader who grieves to get his dropped friends, Odysseus cries to indulge his own impression of misery, woe, anguish at his problems, and uses this kind of to gain interest from others.

By analyzing Odysseus’ breakouts of tremendous grief, it becomes obvious that his selfishness and pride are at the very center of the obstacles he provides faced on his journey home. Odysseus meows to satisfy his feelings of loneliness and despair in being and so hated by Gods. Once we first face Odysseus, he could be sitting alone on Calypso’s island, weeping, his eyes never dry, his lovely life going away as well as with the tears he wept for his foiled quest home (5. 168-169).

At this point, Odysseus has become a prisoner about Calypso’s island for several years, and has an clearly forlorn outlook regarding his journey home. However , Odysseus spends each night on the island operating as a fan to the fabulous goddess, whom he possibly admits is far more lovely and tempting than the wife he yearns to come back to. Though this individual pines for Penelope, his acts of constant infidelity show that his sense of guilt is not plagued by his actions. He can described as being an unwilling lover (5.

172), but there is not any evidence to suggest that Odysseus feels he is committing a crime against his wife. Rather, Odysseus is definitely described as getting no much longer pleased (5. 170) by Calypso, which implies that by one level Odysseus might have been very pleased with his situation, until this individual became homesick again.

Costly admirable attribute that Odysseus so longs to go residence, but his self- shame day in and day out is anything but excellent. He seems to be having his cake and eating it too. Following seven years, he is still wallowing in sadness, struggling to see that his fate penalized alive and well (and seduced nightly) is still a a lot more favorable end result than what his crew came across.

His selfishness only allows him observe how lengthy I have suffered! (7. 181). Odysseus also uses his holes to manipulate others into sympathizing with him. When Odysseus finally gets off Calypso’s island, he could be beset simply by still more problems. He eventually locates shelter with Alcinous, the king of Phaeacia.

As is the custom, he is the person receiving great food and is made to feel at home, even though his hosts have no idea who he could be. However , 1 night after feasting, the bard Demodocus sings regarding the discord between Odysseus and Achilles during the Trojan viruses War. At this moment, Odysseus turns into so distraught and conquer with sentiment that he hid his face and wept (8. 109). The text also says that he is ashamed his hosts may well see him shedding tears (8.

103), but exactly why is he sobbing in the first place? The bard is definitely not even vocal about everything that Odysseus has endured, and is just referring to his argument with Achilles, that was a prophesied victory indication. It is very possible that Odysseus can be crying because he wants to be seen out. These people obviously adore the Odysseus they find out through tales, so wouldn’t they worship the flesh and blood vessels version if perhaps they were ever before to meet him? Instead of simply saying, I am Odysseus, he instead waits, yowls a second time until his grief can be publicly discovered, allowing individuals to feel sorry for him and wonder what would cause him so much pain.

This provides Odysseus the perfect opportunity to tell the dreadful story of his trip home, which will he really does, full of the troubles that may have been prevented had Odysseus restrained his pride and selfishness. The shame that Odysseus may feel at openly crying in front of unknown people is outweighed by the satisfaction he gets out of telling his story, since misery will indeed love company. Odysseus’s pride as well prevents him from showing respect toward his men, by certainly not heeding their advice and by not effectively mourning all their untimely deaths.

At Alcinous’ court, Odysseus recounts his experience with the Cyclops. The whole trouble with this one eyed monster begins when Odysseus decides to linger in the Cyclops’s cave after eating his food, to see what items he would give (9. 258). Instead of welcoming the Achaeans, the monster decides to eat the men who rudely consumed his meals. In abrupt shock and horror, Odysseus and his men wept and cried aloud (9.

331). Eventually, through a clever prepare by Odysseus, he fantastic men escape, but almost die again because of his pride. Taunting back to the Cyclops, Odysseus reveals who have he is, which allows the list to nearly collapse their very own ships, as well as to issue a complaint to Poseidon that he probably should not let Odysseus return residence. Poseidon hears this, and as a result, Odysseus wonderful crew are from then on beset by difficulty after issue.

Had Odysseus listened to his crew who begged him to keep the give before the Cyclops returned as well as not brag his identification to the list, the men might have made it securely home. Possibly after seeing the cannibalism of several of his staff, Odysseus is merely glad to escape our loss of life / yet sick in mind for the comrades there were lost (9. 630). He does not look like too emaciated by exactly what has just took place to him, curse and all.

Perhaps it is because he is surrounded by others who also share similar fate, and aren’t while willing to be as sympathetic as a group of strangers experiencing the story coming from a popular hero can be. Odysseus also tells the storyline of the Laestrygonians, who eat a top number of Odysseus’ crew. Again, Odysseus is sick for heart (10. 147), nevertheless feels tiny else to get his deceased friends and does not weep whatsoever for their memory space. When his crew begins to mourn for all those lost, Odysseus almost appears disgusted and says They burst in cries, wailing, streaming live tears as well as that gained us nothing what good comes of tremendous grief? (10.

221). At this time it becomes very obvious that Odysseus just deems that necessary to weep, when he is a one becoming wept pertaining to. He does not have any problem moaping in front of unknown people who are unknowingly praising him, this individual sees practically nothing wrong with crying day-to-day for several years because he is marooned with a gorgeous goddess, however there is something inconsiderate about weeping for men who were savagely wiped out and consumed, all because he felt the necessity to tell the Cyclops that he, the truly amazing Odysseus, was the one who blinded him. When pride could have been the drop of Odysseus, without this he would not have reached the status of your hero.

His pride and desire for fame were a significant driving force at the rear of all his great tactics and war efforts. With out his strong self-esteem, Odysseus would have instead been just another expendable person in his staff. Yes, the selfishness in the crew is usually apparent when they open the bag of winds and blow the ship off course, yet actions like these are to be expected from males who happen to be of these kinds of low importance in the epic that they will be not even named. But from Odysseus, someone should “” higher level of specifications, and anticipate him to behave responsible for the boys whose life is entrusted into his proper care.

When Odysseus does not cry after his men will be slaughtered and in turn goes on with his work, it appears that he is merely acting being a strong innovator. But when you consider other moments when he is extremely weak will not cry honestly, it is basic to see that he simply weeps for all those worth weeping for. And also to Odysseus, the only one worth shedding a tear for can be himself.

THESIS: Instead of performing as a caring leader who have grieves to get his shed friends, Odysseus cries to indulge his own feeling of sorrow at his problems, and uses this kind of to gain interest from others. By examining Odysseus’ episodes of grief, it becomes obvious that his selfishness and pride are in the very center of the obstacles he offers faced in the journey residence. SUBORDINATE CONCEPTS: 1 . Meows out of self pity and solitude 2 . Yowls to manipulate others 3. Does not respect shipmates a. Will not listen to all their advice and suffers the results b. Will not properly mourn them after they die partly because of his actions 5. Pride and selfishness allow Odysseus to become hero