An Enduring Tale Thousands of years after it was written, people continue to read The Odyssey not only for its thrilling adventure, but also for its invaluable dissection of inherent human qualities. In his epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer addresses intrinsic characteristics of humans that man has continued to demonstrate throughout history. The Odyssey incorporates the timeless topics of cunning over strength, greed and folly, and loyalty, into Odysseus’ story while simultaneously offering insight to readers in the 21st century.
Homer incorporates into Odysseus the paramount and novel idea of intelligence, which gives him an edge that previous heroes lacked. When faced with an enemy he and his crew cannot vanquish, the Kyklops Polyphemus, he makes up for his deficiency in man power through his wit. Odysseus acknowledges that even if he and his men could overpower Polyphemus, they “could never/move his ponderous doorway slap aside” (IX. 329-330). The hero understands that even if he has the strength to kill the beast, he lacks the strength to move his great door.
If Odysseus had failed to realize this, his crew would undoubtedly be dead, he proves that in humans and beasts alike, brains are more important than brawn alone. Similarly, Odysseus knows that he is no match for the host of young suitors in his palace, so he makes the most of his other strength, his guile. He plans to give his allies and himself an advantage by being the only ones armed, he instructs his son to “round up all armor,lances, gear of war/left in our hall, and stow the lot away/back in the vaulted room” (XVI. 336-338). This scheme stacks the odds in Odysseus’ favor, preparing him for inevitable victory.
While previous heroes could have taken it from this point, it took the brain of Odysseus to bring this scheme to life. In modern society, one’s brain is an invaluable asset. Today, brawn is only beneficial to a select few, for a small window of time in their lives. The brain helps advance the human race and is useful through one's entire life. Bill Gates is undoubtedly more successful than any major athlete, and he has made vast steps for mankind. If Odysseus failed to use his brain, he’d end up suffering for it, something every human faces regularly.
Homer uses the father of the gods to address the central tribulations of the human disposition. The first utterance from Zeus’ mouth is one of disgust, commenting on the fickleness of the humans below him, while synchronously imparting valuable wisdom, “Greed and folly/double the suffering in the lot of man” (I. 50-51). Zeus patronizes the humans for their petty behavior, and how they fail to ever learn from it. It’s true that greed and folly double man’s suffering, however the father of the gods fails to realise that they are basic human attributes.
Proceeding their victory in Troy, Odysseus and his crew sail to Ismaros, home of the Kikones, and ransack the island, the hero admits he, “killed the men who fought” and “enslaved all the women” (IX. 47-48). After drinking the wine and eating the sheep of the natives, Odysseus’s men suffer massive losses when reinforcement troops come and slaughter them. This one example of Odysseus’s men causing their own demise through greed. In modern times, people foolhardily fund startups on whims in hopes of striking rich. Many of these investors lack necessary knowledge on what they’re throwing their money into, and often end up losing it all.
Today greed and folly continue to spur people to advance, while also chaining them down. Loyalty is the bond that holds each character together in The Odyssey. The epic’s most striking example of loyalty is that of Odysseus, who after enduring twenty years of divine trials and being offered immortality, chooses his wife: 'each day/I long for home'(V. 228. 229) Both Penelope and Odysseus are survivors, persevering through life’s obstacles for each other. If either of the two was not loyal to the other at heart, the story would be one sided and never conclude.
When he stumbles into the home of Eumaeus, the swineherd, Odysseus is welcomed and fed the “best pig for a strangers’ dinner” (XIV. 487). An excellent if humble host, Eumaeus makes his king proud as he speaks respectfully of the royal family and abhors the invasion of the suitors. Twenty years after his master disappears, Eumaeus still reveres his master, if he hadn’t Odysseus may have perished upon returning to his homeland. Loyalty is the foundation of any bond. The United Nations sole purpose is to promote international cooperation.
Failure to respect the countries involved would cause turmoil and undermine the organization. If not for the loyal bonds between people, no one could be trusted, loyalty ensures nobody is left alone. Homer eloquently weaves themes humans experience daily into his tale of Odysseus, allowing a personal connection to the epic poem. The ideas of brain over brawn, greed and folly, and loyalty are universal on the micro and macro scale. Homers incorporation of these themes into his poem offer ideas as to how humans should avoid or embody them to achieve a better life.
Author: Arnold Campbell