Examples Of Bravery In The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a splendidly done book that will be remembered for many years come. However, I think much of it’s success can be contributed to Odysseus’ bravery. Odysseus was many things, and ‘timid’ wasn’t one of those. Odysseus’ bravery helped him get through many obstacles like the Cyclops’ cave, escaping Scylla, and even fighting hundreds of suitors! So how does the simple concept of bravery help a man defeat these horrors?

Let’s start with the Cyclops’ cave. First of all, it takes a mad man to enter there in the first place! Odysseus take the miniscule chance that the Cyclops will give him something of value, even though he knows he’s risking the lives of himself and his crew. “I wished to see the caveman, what he had to offer -- no pretty sight, it turned out, for my friends.” While Odysseus’ action was undoubtedly reckless, the unmistakable bravery that that must have taken cannot be denied.. While in the cave, Odysseus doesn’t show a hint of the
After time spent preparing himself to continue his journey, his new friend, Circe, tells him about the horrors that face him should he continue. One of these horrors was Scylla. Even knowing he had to pass a monster that could deface the Cyclops in her sleep, he still marches on. While most people would prepare their crew for such a devastating creature, Odysseus withholds the information, fearing that his crew would only get disheartened and lose hope at the knowledge of an unbeatable creature. Taking the chance of having ill-prepared men, Odysseus charges in without hesitation, knowing there is no other way. Upon seeing the creature, the crew become terrified, only for Odysseus to get their hopes up. “Friends, have we never been in danger before this? More fearsome, is it now, than when the Cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had! Did I not keep my nerve, and use my wits to find a way out for us?” In a rough fight for their lives, they manage to pass her, but not without a few