List Of Works Cited Essays Example

Throughout the entire book Odysseus displays a striking variety of traits of his character, each of them being a poetic reflection of which personal qualities the Ancient Greek not only revered but literally worshipped. While in fact every action taken by Odysseus during his protracted trip over the seas can be a good example of displaying those traits the episode depicting the encounter of Odysseus with Polyphemos appears to be the quintessence of every possible characteristic Odysseus is glorified for.
First and foremost the given episode displays Odysseus’s constant mental agility. Literally, this trait of his character is glorified throughout the Odyssey, but the mentioned episode can be considered the peak, for several reasons. First of all, this was an episode when Odysseus once again proved that even in critical (or even hopeless - like in this case) situations he could not only stay calm but also keep all his quick wit and flexibility of mind trying to find the way out. Therefore the given episode glorifies not only the very mental agility of Odysseus but also his bravery and irreconcilability that gave him a strong impetus to apply his mental agility, inventiveness (a great example of which was how he decided to lead his men out of the cave – tying them under the bellies of Polyphemos’s sheep!) and adroitness (the undeniable example of which was how coordinated, precise and timely were the simultaneous actions of Odysseus and his men targeted at getting out of the cave.
Along with that there is one more trait impossible to omit. It derives from the episode where Odysseus ties his men under the bellies of Polyphemos’s sheep so that they also can escape the cave. If Odysseus tried to get out in the same manner but alone it must have put him under a far less risk as everything would have depended on him himself and would have given him a better chance to sneak out without a single sound. However he did not even consider making the escape safer at the expense of his men, which shows not only how fraternal but also how humane he was. He was the man of war and death of people at war was of course of no wonder to him but he felt responsibility for these men, who often failed him, tempted by different people and things. But they were his men! So feeling responsibility for others and acting to help them is one more integral trait of Odysseus’s character.

Homer, A. T. Murray, and George E. Dimock. The Odyssey. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1995. Print.