The Odyssey Odysseus Cunning
The Odyssey Odysseus CunningOdysseus’ Cunning
In Homer’s epic novel The Odyssey, Homer depicts Odysseus as a character of great intelligence and cunning. Throughout the many dangers and hazards he encounters, Odysseus shows, in many ways, his ingenious slyness. Odysseus’ cunning is shown in many examples, such as when he encounters the lotus-eaters. Some of his men, hungry as they are, accept the lotus-eaters’ offering of some of their lotus to eat. Soon they forget all about their efforts to get home as a result of eating the lotus. So, knowing the lotus must be flushed out of their system, “‘[Odysseus] bring[s] them back to the ship by main force…and stow[s] them under the benches’” (Homer 102) so they cannot get any more of the lotus to eat. Then, he “‘order[s] the rest [of the men] to hurry up and get aboard’” (102) so they will not also be affected by the lotus. Odysseus knows if the entire crew would have eaten the lotus, he would never be able to regain control of them all, thus losing all hope of returning home safely and quickly. Also, when the crew encounters Polyphemous, the large, powerful Cyclops, Odysseus realizes that if they kill the Cyclops they will never be able to “‘[move] the great stone which [Polyphemous has planted] in the doorway’” (106) to prevent them from escaping. So, Odysseus gets the giant Polyphemous drunk and allows him to enter a deep sleep. Then, when he is fully entrapped in a “‘drunken slumber’” (107), the men jab a large spear into the Cyclops’ eye. As a result, the Cyclops is not dead, just very injured and unable to see anything. Stabbing Polyphemous in the eye allows him to remove the rock and give the men a chance...
To view the complete essay, you be registered.