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Hubris is excessive pride with a lofty self-respect totally apart from reality; it distorts a persons view of the world, much like a funhouse mirror. Hubris is a characteristic of the protagonist, Odysseus, in the epic poem, The Odyssey, by the blind poet Homer. The hero Odysseus is a dynamic character who, blinded by hubris, changes his perspective on life according to the positive and negative experiences he endures and overcomes during his adventure. He faces many challenges on his long journey that lead to his becoming the true epic hero which his pride makes him believe he is in the first place.
From eluding a massive Cyclops, to floating all alone in the middle of the ocean on a wooden plank, Odysseus survives it all with the help of the gods on his epic quest to become a true hero. One of the first challenges Odysseus faces during his ten-year expedition involves the Cyclops monster. A son of Poseidon, the one-eyed Cyclops traps Odysseus and many of his crew members in his cave. Being the clever, creative person that he is, Odysseus comes up with a plan to stab the Cyclops in his eye with a huge wooden spear. When the beast falls asleep, many crew members push aside the huge rock blocking their only exit. Odysseus gives the okay, and they thrust the weapon into Poseidon's sons eye.
They escape through the exit wearing sheep wool so, if grabbed, the Cyclops will think that they are sheep. While most of the crew escapes, the vane Odysseus perceives himself as the hero and the one responsible. As usual, he takes all the credit, thus maddening the gods for not acknowledging their contribution to the escape. A later challenge that changes Odysseus perception is when he faces the deadly music of the Sirens.
Odysseus wishes to hear the music that lures many ships too close to the rocky shore resulting in death and destruction. The selfish Odysseus needs to hear the music and insists on being tied to the mast while the crew puts beeswax in their ears, thus allowing them to row near the Sirens. They row far away from the shore so as not to hear the music through the wax in their ears at all. Odysseus screams and shouts to row closer so he can hear their music better. The crew refuses and says its for Odysseus and their safety. Odysseus is angered and curses the crew.
When they take Odysseus down from the mast, he blames their not going closer to land on the gods who become even angrier with his behavior. In this situation when things dont go his way, Odysseus places responsibility with the gods. Yet in experiences that go his way, such as the escape from the Cyclops, he acts like he is solely responsible. In one of his last challenges, Odysseus is held against his will on Calypsos island for many years.
He spends this time with Calypso and her female servants. There are no monsters to conquer, no battles to fight; there are no opportunities for Odysseus to boast or to play the role of hero. The messenger god, Hermes, tells Calypso that Zeus demands that Odysseus be released. Following an argument Calypso finally gives in, and she provides Odysseus with a boat and supplies. Then he is on his way home. After staying for seven years at the island, he finally can continue his quest to return to Ithaca.
However, even though the messenger god himself comes and demands that Odysseus is released, Odysseus again doesnt acknowledge the gods involvement or thank the gods at all! Odysseus epiphany or life change occurs when he is stranded in the middle of the ocean floating on a wooden plank after leaving Calypsos island. Poseidon's face appears in a series of huge waves and says to Odysseus, My goal is not to kill you. You must understand that without the gods, man is nothing. It is at this moment that Odysseus realizes the gods have been controlling his fate all along. It is true that he has always shown the heroic traits of courage and bravery, but now, he gains the humility and wisdom that comes with this new understanding.
This newfound wisdom, gained when he is on the brink of death, results in an even more heroic Odysseus. Now, in addition to courage, cleverness, and a sense of adventure, he also possesses humility and wisdom, gained through life experience. More importantly, he realizes his own shortcomings. The hubris is gone, and he can see the world more truthfully.
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Research essay sample on Demands That Odysseus Humility And Wisdom Gods
