", "what a heart that fearless Odysseus had inside him! Poseidon may have condemned Odysseus to an additional ten years suffering at sea, but his fate has attracted the attention of the other gods who want to help him. Some readers argue Odysseus should have shown them the bag in order to avoid the situation, Temptation had its way with [his] companions, and they untied the bag. His ability to remain courageous in the face of brute beast, the actions of gods and demi-goddesses, and in almost impossible natural and supernatural circumstances certainly admirable. this Quote Book 6 Quotes She helps him fight his way out of the breakers driving him towards the rocky coast. Written in the late 8th or 9th century BC, The Odyssey remains one of the all-time greatest quest stories. When Odysseus commands his men to go back to sea to voyage, he is a good leader because he is telling his men what to do. Odysseus . In Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, Odysseus exhibits many qualities that confirm his ability to fit the role of a good leader. ", "I saw him once on an island, weeping live warm tears in the nymph Calypsos house she holds him there by force. By continuing, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. The goddess and nymph Calypso keeps Odysseus as a sex slave on her island of Ogygia for seven years. The Odyssey Quotes | Course Hero Gradesfixer , Analysis Of Odysseus As A Good Leader [Internet]. GradesFixer. And no one there could hope to rival Odysseus, not for sheer cunning at every twist of strategy he excelled us all. The Odyssey. Listen: shouting, echoing round me women, girls or the nymphs who haunt the rugged mountaintops and the river springs and meadows lush with grass! However, Odysseus did not disclose any information to his crew. This shows the lack of obedience the men have and Odysseus lack of leadership. the crew relies on their leader to make decisions for the well-being of the crew. We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. Justice is a big theme in The Odyssey, both among gods and mortals. In this quote, we see that Odysseus is a cunning planner. You can also use our tools to come up with interesting topics and points to argue in your Only Alcinous daughter held fast, for Athena planted courage within her heart, dissolved the trembling in her limbs, and she firmly stood her ground and faced Odysseus, torn now Should he fling his arms around her knees, the young beauty, plead for help, or stand back, plead with a winning word, beg her to lead him to the town and lend him clothing? Would to god Id died there too and met my fate that day the Trojans, swarms of them, hurled at me with bronze spears, fighting over the corpse of proud Achilles! His concern for his men is only matched by his own desire to rise above mortal limits. Odysseus is inspired once again by Athena as he tries to swim safely to shore in heavy seas. So with his lordly ways he brought the ranks to heel, and they flocked back from their huts and ships to the Assembly, noisily, like a wave of the roaring sea when it thunders on the beach while the depths resound. After stabbing the cyclopes in the eye and the cyclopes moving the boulder Odysseus had to think of a way to get his men out safely and this quote shows his intelligence and leadership skills "I tied them silently together, twining cords of willow from the cyclops's bed; then slung a man . The opening line of The Odyssey introduces Odysseus by his epithet, "the man of twists and turns." Odysseus is "the man of twists and turns" because his journey, and his story, are anything but straightforward. You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers. He pleads for rags to cover him and assistance to get to the town. Students who find it difficult to write detailed essays. But come, all of us here put heads together now, work out his journey home so Odysseus can return. What a piece of work the hero dared and carried off in the wooden horse where all our best encamped, our champions armed with bloody death for Troy. As Odysseus and his men prepare to face Kharybdis and Skylla, his men are nervous, so Odysseus reminds them "'Have we never been in danger before this? In suffering for that man; for me, in relentless, heartbreaking grief for him, lost and gone so long now dead or alive, who knows? Atlas daughter it is who holds Odysseus captive, luckless man despite his tears, forever trying to spellbind his heart with suave, seductive words and wipe all thought of Ithaca from his mind. Generally I think Odysseus is a good leader because he saves his men more times than he lets them get killed, for example on the island with Polythemus. Why was Odysseus not a good leader? Being a leader is a very honorable and important status. Accessed 5 Mar. DONT GET DISTRACTED AND LEAVE A MAN BEHIND: On Circes island one man fell off a rooftop drunk and Odysseus and his crew left him behind, Odysseus had to promise him a funeral only after he was reminded he was gone while in the underworld. Straight forward they sprinted, lifted it and rammed it deep in his eye chater (Hom. When we do see him, he is generally described as being "godlike" or somehow connected to the gods Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Get your custom essay. He failed to tell them what was going on when they arrived and failed to tell them how long they were staying. Odysseus fears his imminent death after Poseidon creates a storm at sea while he is sailing home from Calypsos island. He considered how to deal with each problem and always did what was best for his people. Quotes in Odyssey Quote #1 "Tell me about a complicated man. "Nohbdy, Nohbdy's tricked me, Nohbdy's ruined me" (Homer.9.317)! What quotes show how Odysseus is a good leader? - eNotes.com While Nausicaa stands her ground, her attendants run off down the beach in panic. . Important Quotes from The Odyssey - Study.com What are they here violent, savage, lawless? Their response is not what he expected: they cheer loudly and head back to their ships, eager to go home rather than finish fighting the war they came here to fight. What is the importance of arete in the Iliad. To begin, Odysseus shows endless consideration for all of his men which makes him a strong leader. Odysseus was quick on his toes, he said "'Cyclops, try some wine. When Odysseus emerges naked from the bushes after his sea ordeal, he is hungry and in need of food. This essay will explore the representation of three types of relationship in Odyssey: husband and [], Trickery is common in Greek mythology. - Odysseus. Odysseus Leadership Quotes - 162 Words | Bartleby He always looks out for his men and encourages them to keep moving forward when hope disappears. Odysseus Page Number this Quote Three, four times blessed, my friends-in-arms who died on the plains of Troy those years ago, serving the sons of Atreus to the end. There were other points where Odysseus showed his bravery, like when he travelled to the underworld, and many more. All cannot play the king, and a host of leaders is no wise thing. Was Odysseus the ideal leader or did he portray undesirable leadership tendencies? Hospitality. Students who find writing to be a difficult task. In order to serve as a good leader one must have certain qualities about their personality and abilities. "There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep." The Odyssey. Notably, Homers epic The Odyssey charts the journey of Odysseus and his men traveling from Troy to Ithaca. Idk what to say for this one, DONT: After Odysseus left Troy, his crew and him went to Ismarus, which was where the Cicones lived. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Two character traits define Odysseus and shape his poor leadership style. However, it is evident that there are circumstances where his hubris leads him to trust his intellect and wit over more reasonable course of action that not only endanger his life, but the life of his entire, Odysseus demonstrates as an efficient leader when they come across various threatening situations. Leadership requires a person to lead a group of people and have people obey you, how can that occur if Odysseus men do not obey simple instructions. In the end, Odysseus and his crew avoided the Sirens because all of his men listened to him. However, Odysseus did not disclose any information to his crew. Instead of exploring the land, all Odysseus had to do was avoid it. Show More. And now, look, it all comes to pass. Let us have but the one leader, the one true king, to whom Zeus, the son of Cronos of wily counsel, gave sceptre and command, to rule his people wisely.". Odysseus sometimes lacks self-awareness when he would kill his men or people just because it was a faster way to reach his goal. He prays to the river god as he swims towards the mouth of a river on the coast of Phaeacia. DONT LET YOUR CREW TELL YOU WHAT TO DO: Odysseus showed bad leadership with his men and Helios cattle. Already a member? Then every wind roared into hurricane; the ships went pitching west with many cries; [their] land was lost (X. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper. This was a bad leadership on the part of Odysseus because he was unable to keep track of his men and possibly save and because he did know he needed to give the crewmember a funeral, something he is morally obliged to do. What are some good quotes about Odysseus being a hero who thinks things Retrieved March 4, 2023 , from https://studydriver.com/odysseus-showed-bad-leadership/, Get in touch with our top writers for a non-plagiarized essays written to satisfy your needs. The first main trait that demonstrates Odysseus is a worthy leader is his optimistic approach to the difficult tasks both he and his men faced during their adventure. Homer portrayed Odysseus as a man of outstanding wisdom and shrewdness, eloquence, resourcefulness, courage, and endurance. Odysseus is a king who is deeply respected for his combat triumphs and heroism in the trojan war. Overall, Odysseus is a good leader because he is brave, thoughtful, and clever. "The Odyssey" is about a man named Odysseus and his ten-year journey to get home with his men after losing the Trojan war. Odysseus' could not properly feed his men and he could not control them. How often their hearts must warm with joy to see you striding into the dances such a bloom of beauty. One of the reasons Odysseus is an unfit leader is because he puts himself above others. When they land on the island his men are held captive and are turned into animals. Although Odysseus has some positive attributes he is a bad leader for the following reasons he keeps secrets from his crew, he falls asleep at inappropriate times and is arrogant to a fault. The tragedy focuses on Oedipuss sin and how Oedipus wants to bring justice to the murderer of King Laius. But one man alone his heart set on his wife and his return Calypso, the bewitching nymph, the lustrous goddess, held him back, deep in her arching caverns, craving him for a husband. He is a man who inspires others to do the right thing by speaking well and wisely, even though he has not yet had his own experience with suffering or loss. Moreover, after Odysseus and his men fight the Cicones, he orders Back and Quickly! An epic simile compares his delight to the joy of children when the gods deliver their father from serious illness. The lack of obedience and respect for Odysseus shows the lack of leadership role that he has between he and his followers. ", "Nine years we wove a web of disaster for those Trojans, pressing them hard with every tactic known to man, and only after we slaved did Zeus award us victory. Even though Odysseus knew that the Cyclops could be very dangerous, he still went on to their island in order to explore. We learn that Odysseus is driven off course many times on his perilous voyage home.