The Odyssey, the character of Odysseus – Revision notes 1
Odysseus as a hero
The role and characterisation of Odysseus
The Homeric Hero
Physically impressive, god like
Loyal to his homeland – determination to get home – (Nostos)
Will revenge those that wrong him or his family
Gets respect & loyalty
Wealthy – wealth won through war reflects success in battle
Endures suffering
Supported by gods – gods only back winners
Examples of Odysseus as a hero
Book 5
He expresses great longing to be home trapped on calypso’s island Ogygia, Homer describes
characters feelings by their actions .
His goal is to return to Ithaca whatever the cost, he leaves Ogygia with great joy
Sleeping with Calypso, a foreign women doesn’t affect his loyalty with his wife as it is a necessary
step to achieve his overall aim of returning home.
Calypso bathes him & dresses him in sweet smelling clothes, honouring him like a true hero.
His physical strength & practical ability is shown by the way he constructs his boat
During the storm as he clings to a rock Athene comes to his aid because he is a hero.
He is ‘nimble-witted’ (quick thinking - one of Homers epithets for him) when he asks calypso for her
‘goodwill’ and makes her swear she is not plotting anything.
He is valiant at the prospect of sailing across the sea, ‘I have a heart that is inured to suffering’
Book 6
He is ‘nimble-witted’ (quick thinking) realising that Nausicaa would be offended if he grabs her knees
, instead he flatters her likening her to goddess & saying she will be a fine bride one day.
Book 7
Athene develops him in a magic mist – gods help heros
King Alcinous thinks he might be an immortal
He is cunning in not revealing his identity
Book 9
He tells the Polyphemus that his ships are destroyed, so the Cyclops will not look for them. He
doesn’t kill him because he knows he will not be able to move the boulder blocking the cave. He
cunningly uses the wine to put him to sleep. He tells him his name is nobody so when Cyclops is
asked who is hurting him he says nobody. He is brave & cunning in organising his men’s escape,
knowing the Cyclops would check the backs of his sheep but not the men strapped beneath.
Book 10
On Circes island he is favoured by the gods with a stag to feed his men & a drug to make him
immune from Circe’s evil. She, a goddess takes him as a lover
Book 12
Circe wonders at his ability to go to the underworld and return alive.
His physical ability & quick wits is shown following the wrecking of his ship at the whirlpool of
Charybdis, he swings up to a fig tree, clinging all day like a bat until the remains of the ship are
thrown up in the evening.
Other characterisations of Odysseus
Book 6
He is gruesome figure, crawling naked from the bushes, like a wild animal
As a Good leader *some of the heroic examples can be seen as good leadership
Book 9
Divides the plunder from the Cicones fairly among his men
Book 12
He does not tell his men of the all the frightening details about their journey into the underworld.
He gives his men a rousing speech as they row past Charybdis
Poor leadership
Book 9
Can’t get his men to leave the cicones before their return ‘ my fools of men refused
In the Cyclops’ cave the men sensibly want to leave after taking the cheeses but he wants to stay.
Against the advice of his men he boastfully gives his name to the Cyclopes who curses him by his
father Poseidon
Book 10
He mans the sails for 9 days & nights but just as are near Ithaca his homeland he falls asleeps from
exhaustion and the crew open the bag of winds
In the land of the Laestrygonians he leaves his ship outside the harbour, so he can make a quick
getaway while his men are massacred.
Book 12
He was told not to fight Scylla but cannot resist putting himself at risk and losing 6 men.
He is persuaded by Eurylochus to stop at the Island of the Sun even though he knows the ‘ deadliest
peril’ lurks there. His men are duly punished
Past Paper questions
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Answers 2010
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