This week I chose to go with Homer's Odyssey. I was never able to read a lot about Odysseus in school, but he was captivating from the stories I did get to read. He is a great protagonist in, in my opinion, since he not only is he very skilled at combat, but he his mind is just as sharp as his blade.
One of my favorite stories from the Odyssey is Offering the Cyclops Wine. This story is the perfect example of how cunning Odysseus is. He knows that he can not take the mighty cyclops on in a normal fight. He has to do something to level the playing the field if he wants to have a chance of getting him and the rest of his men out of the cave safely. I also like how he realizes inebriation is the best way to give him a chance of defeating the cyclops.
(Odysseus offering the cyclops wine, Illustration by Flaxman)
What I love about it is how it shows just how human Odysseus actually is. He has his flaws along with his great strengths. He had to boast to the cyclops and let him know what man was able to best him. His crew warned him not to speak anymore so they could sail along stealthily. Odysseus would not hear such a thing. His ego was to get the best of him.
Those stories are directly linked to the next story, Polyphemus' Curse. This story shows exactly how Odysseus sealed his fate after being too braggadocios. Polyphemus, the cyclops that he blinded, was able to get revenge in his own way by calling a curse upon Odysseus. I really loved how it seemed like Odysseus and the gang would be safe since they are out of arm's reach, but that could not be further from the truth. I also love the foreshadowing that comes from his curse, specifically when he mentions that what he wants to happen to Odysseus if it already fate for him to return home.
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