Good Example Of Essay On The Monstrosity Of Odysseus In The Odyssey

While Homer’s The Odyssey carries its fair share of monsters and villains, perhaps none is quite as monstrous as Odysseus himself. On the surface, he seems like the perfect hero, but many of the actions he takes in his journey back home end up being more villainous than heroic when viewed from a certain perspective.
Over the course of the book, Odysseus shows himself to be an incredibly prideful person – he puts his men in harm’s way many times in order to satisfy his curiosity or to best a monster. When he and his men are trapped in the Cyclops’ cave, some of his men lose their lives simply because Odysseus wanted to see one up close. When Poseidon swears his vengeance upon Odysseus, it is more out of righteous sadness at the loss of his son than any godly vindictiveness. What’s more, many of his victories (even over the Cyclops and the suitors) come as a result of trickery and deceit, which can be seen as dishonest and not becoming of a hero.
Even though his goal is to get back home to his wife Penelope, Odysseus violates that covenant many times in The Odyssey. By having affairs with both Calypso and Circe (even with the mitigating circumstances he is found in), it makes him less sympathetic when he continues on his journey back home. What’s more, it becomes somewhat hypocritical that Odysseus can get away with having extramarital affairs in his quest to get home, but the highest stakes are given to the potential for one or more of Penelope’s suitors to get her. Between these events, and Odysseus’ overall pride, it is easy to see how Odysseus could be seen as the monster of the book.

Works Cited

Homer. The Odyssey. The Internet Classics Archive. 800 BCE.