Nava Goodman
World Lit. 207-04/ 9:30
Dr. Button
In Homers epic The Odyssey, the protagonist Odysseus exhibits many signs of strength, as well as weaknesses in his journey back home to his wife Penelope, in Ithaca. In the epic Odysseus was faced with a vast amount of obstacles that ultimately displayed his strengths, such as his involvement in track and field on Alkinoos Island. Also, on the island of Alkinoo his weakness was exposed when the muse was performing a song. His wife Penelope plays a huge role as well in his source of strength.
While Odysseus was on the island Alinoo he was challenged by Laodamas , in track in field when challenged “He leapt out, cloaked as he was, and picked a discus, a rounded stone, more ponderous than those already used by the Phaiakian throwers… The spinning disc soared out, light as a bird, beyond all others” Odysseus possessed physical strength, although he was weak from his journey he was able to muster up enough strength to get his point made, that he was not a man to be underestimated.
Odysseus strengths weren’t only physical; he was mentally y strong in the aspect that he could express his feelings adequately with words. He was well spoken, and in the zeitgeist of this epic those who were well spoken had leverage on those who weren’t. When Odysseus was challenged by Laodamas he was insulted by the way Laodamas approached him, instead of retaliating physically he battered him with his words. “You talk like a fool” he belittled him before he actually partook in the in the games.
Odysseus’s wife Penelope is a huge amount of where Odysseus exerts his strength from. He never fails to prevail when he has a “pit stop” on his journey back to Ithaca. He persists on getting home weather he is given a ship and crew as he was given by Alkinoo, or if he has to concoct one himself as he did with Calypso, her love for her is what keeps his faith aroused.
A time that Odysseus showed weakness, was when the muse...