Odysseus Essay

In order to be a good leader you must have good traits, but sometimes they might have some flaws. Such as Odysseus, even though Odysseus is a good leader and has good characteristics he does have some flaws in which I’m going to explain you. First what makes Odysseus a good leader is his strength, courage, and determination. In the story Odysseus shows strength when he has his men tie him up to listen to the Sirens. “Therefore you are to tie me up, tight as splint, erect along the mast, lashed to the mast and if I shout and beg to be unties, take more turns of the rope to muffle me.” Odysseus shows courage by pep talking his men into going to Scylla and Charybdis . “ Friends, have we never been in danger before this? More fearsome is it now, then when the Cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had! Did I not keep my nerve and us my wits to find a way out for us.” This is when I realized that Odysseus was courageous. Lastly Odysseus shows determination by never giving up what he has started. “Now by the gods, I drove my big hand spike deep in the embers, charring it again, and cheered my men along with battle talk to keep their courage up: no quitting now.” These characteristics show that Odysseus is a good leader Even though Odysseus is a good leader he still has some flaws. Such as, cockiness, selfishness, and foolishness. Odysseus is very cocky. For example, with the Cyclops he could of just kept his mouth shut, but he had to have the last word. ”Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes’ son whose homes on Ithaca” Odysseus is also not strict enough. His men are constantly disrespecting him and he doesn’t tell them anything. An example of that could be with the winds.” Odysseus and his men sail to Aeolia where Aeolus, king of the winds, sends Odysseus on his way with a gift: a sack containing all the winds except the favorable west wind. When