Odyssey and Cyclops Island Odysseus

Thought Odysseus journey towards home he has displayed the characteristic of being selfish, arrogant, and is making rash decisions that affect others; His actions lead to the death of his crew and the suitors. A heroic person is someone who does courageous acts for the sake of his family and peers. When Odysseus had the option of traveling through Scylla or Charybdis; he chooses Scylla knowing that she would kill six members of his crew. “Voices came down to me in anguish, calling my name for the last time” (727) Odysseus thinks to himself as he watches his crew mates are being eaten. This shows that Odysseus is only looking out for himself instead of taking chances and going through Charybdis. Also when Odysseus and twelve members of his crew go looking for a treasure on the Cyclops Island Odysseus wants to see the Cyclops with his own eyes. The Cyclops captures them and “went on filling up his belly with manflesh and great gulps of whey” (194). This shows that Odysseus makes careless mistakes like visiting the Cyclops that killed the members of his crew. The way Odysseus fights the Cyclops by stabbing him in his eye and lying about his name also shows that he is impulsive liar. When Odysseus returns home he has to battle with the suitors for Penelope. “When the time comes, those gentlemen, to a man will be dead against me bow or quiver” Odysseus wins and kills the other suitors. This shows that Odysseus is arrogant and was showing off his ability to shoot a bow and arrow. Odysseus is not worthy of admiration or respect because of his non heroic decisions that harmed others.