Abstract
This paper asks the questions 'what do the characters of Odysseus, Joseph, and Gilgamesh have in common? How do their adventures compare with one another?' While Joseph is a Bible character, Odysseus was the king of Ithaca, and Gilgamesh built the city of Uruk. This paper then compares the stories of Odysseus, Joseph, and Gilgamesh, pointing out many similarities in their adventures, trials, and victories.

From the Paper
"Joseph is a Bible character, Odysseus was the king of Ithaca, and Gilgamesh built the city of Uruk. Odysseus is remembered for building the wooden horse that made it possible to take Troy. Joseph is remembered for the coat of many colors. Gilgamesh was two-thirds god and only one-third human (Hooker). Comparing the stories of Odysseus, Joseph, and Gilgamesh show many similarities in their adventures, trials, and victories."

Tags:odysseus, gilgamesh, joseph

Abstract
The following paper examines the heroic ideals embodied by the Sumerian hero Gilgamesh and the Greek hero Odysseus. The paper argues that the former is noteworthy for his bristling physicality, the latter for his resourcefulness and cunning. Thus, it may be posited that one embodies early, "primitive" man and the other a more restrained, thoughtful and (arguably) more advanced male archetype.

From the Paper
"Gilgamesh is a very conventional sort of hero. He is extraordinarily powerful - in contrast to Odysseus who must rely upon his cunning to survive - and he is extraordinarily beautiful. He is also, it must be said, given over to intemperance and to bullying (Epic trans. Kovacs xix). While Odysseus's pursuits are ultimately sanguinary, it may be said that Gilgamesh requires no prompting to forcibly impress himself upon others and his martial skills are conspicuously praised in the tabular artifacts that have survived to the present day (Epic of Gilgamesh Ancient Texts tablet I.32-35). In this regard, it is hardly inaccurate to suggest that Gilgamesh is heroic precisely because of his might whereas Odysseus is valued for other qualities that have little if anything to do with physical prowess."

Tags:gilgamesh, odysseus, comparison

Abstract
This paper contends that Odysseus is an exceptional orator, telling many stories in the course of his homecoming and constantly adapting his tales to suit his purposes, such as deception or gaining sympathy or glory. The paper further contends that, despite a lack of complete truth in the majority of his yarns, these tales provide the reader with insight into odyssesus' character, pointing out not only his cunning and his wide range of abilities, but also his greed, arrogance, and egocentrism. They also explain his restless, untrusting nature through a combination of island and betrayal motifs. To illustrate this contention, the author discusses three of Odyssesus' stories in particular: Odysseus attempting to secure Alcinous's pity after arriving in Alcinous's palace, Odysseus trying to gain praise by telling the Phaeacians about his journey, and Odysseus speaking to Eumeaus whilst trying to obtain passage into Odysseus's house under a fake identity.

From the Paper
"These stories also throw light on Odysseus's character, intentionally showing him to be cunning and multi-talented, and unintentionally conveying his greed and arrogance. He displays his ingenuity, recounting his use of the name "Noman" (9) to keep the other giants from helping Polyphemus, and proves himself to be multi-talented by adding sailing to his repertoire of mastered skills: he single-handedly sails his ship for nine days because he "wanted to make good time" (10). In addition to these good traits, however, a darker side of him is inadvertently revealed. Throughout his journey, Odysseus repeatedly makes mistakes that result in the death of his men. Rather than accept the blame for his mistakes, however, he unconsciously reveals his arrogance by redirecting the blame either to his men or to the gods. For example, Odysseus decides to stop along the way to pillage the Cicones because he is too greedy to simply sail home with the loot from Troy, and this pillaging results in the death of many men. His arrogance, however, doesn't allow him to accept that it was his own fault that they died. Therefore, he first blames the men because they didn't pull out fast and then accuses the gods, claiming he and his crew were "cursed by Zeus/To suffer heavy losses" (9). Odysseus's greed and conceit get him in trouble again when he visits Polyphemus. Even though his men say they should "make off with some cheese/And then come back for the lambs and kids,/...and sail away" and despite "a strong premonition" (9) that doing so would be a good idea, Odysseus insists on waiting for the giant, hoping Polyphemus "would give [him] a gift of hospitality" (9). After narrowly escaping death, Odysseus then has the arrogance to yell back, "Cyclops, if anyone, any mortal man,/Asks you how you got your eye put out,/Tell him that Odysseus the marauder did it" (9). It is this arrogance and greed that is at the root of his suffering, sentencing his entire crew to death, and Odysseus to many more years of suffering."

Tags:homer, greek, tragedy, illiad, fortune, crew, sailing, storm, calypso, gods, crete, poseidon

Abstract
This paper studies the character of Odysseus in the Greek mythic tale "The Odyssey" by Homer. The paper asserts that Odysseus is portrayed as an expert leader in this epic poem. The paper attempts to demonstrate Odysseus' various leadership qualities, including hard work, skill, loyalty, strength and intelligence. The paper also examines the role of the divine in assisting Odysseus. It concludes that despite his shortcomings as a man, Odysseus lives through all the dangers and risks which are presented to him by divine forces.

From the Paper
"Odysseus displays the qualities of being a hard worker and expert sailor, which assist him in his journey. The hero is introduced in Book Five, when he is busy building his boat and thus showing his extreme resourcefulness. Odysseus announces, "For my performance, that myself should build A ship of power, my home-assays to shield Against the great sea of such dread to pass; which not the best built ship that ever was." This impressive introduction to Odysseus displays the hero's prowess and near-divine mythic stature. Furthermore, immediately after Odysseus builds his magnificent vessel, he is hurled into tumultuous storms created by Neptune; the hero navigates skillfully through the tempests to safety. As Homer writes, "two nights, yet, and days He spent in wrestling with the sable seas; in which space, often did his heart propose Death to his eyes. But when Aurora rose, And threw the third light from her orient hair, The winds grew calm, and clear was all the air." These scenes, which display Odysseus' diligence and seamanship, foreshadow the hero's excellence as he and his crews navigate the Mediterranean and back to Ithaca."

Tags:Greek, epic, Ithaca, leadership, Penelope, Telemachos

Abstract
In this paper, the loyal heroism of Odysseus in The Iliad directly contrasts the far more hedonistic infidelity that is part of the long journey home in The Odyssey. Homer reveals the varying levels of heroism that Odysseus imparts, as he is a different man off the battlefield, as when he is on the battlefield. Homer depicts Odysseus as a man loyal at any cost to the greater good, but when he is not obliged to adhere to this higher authority.

From the Paper
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Tags:iliad, odyssey, war

Abstract
This paper argues that it can be proven that in "The Odyssey", by Homer, the main character Odysseus can be held responsible for all of his men's fatalities. Disregarding the Greek notion of fate, and everything happening because the gods have predetermined it, Odysseus is shown throughout the story as a selfish character displaying poor leadership skills. The paper also argues the idea that the events that Odysseus brought about all caused the death of his men, and he was entirely at fault due to personality flaws and terrible decision making skills.

From the Paper
"Odysseus lost another six men to the Cyclops' rage, as they tried to escape, leaving him with only five hundred and sixteen men. Polyphemus cries out to his father, Poseidon, after Odysseus blinds him. The wrong that Odysseus did to the Cyclops comes back to haunt him as Poseidon, god of the sea, will seek to avenge his son. (Homer, Odyssey, 9.595-600). By ignoring the rules of hospitality, plundering the Cyclops's cave, and then hurting the Cyclops, Odysseus brings the wrath of Poseidon upon himself and his crew, making their journey home especially difficult as they travel by sea. Odysseus should have learned from his experience with the Cicones regarding following the code of hospitality when in a stranger's territory. However, as seen throughout the novel and demonstrated by his repetition of mistakes, Odysseus cannot learn the lessons appropriate for protecting his crew (Ruderman,1999). His crew depends on him to set the example and follow the rules."

Tags:Cyclops, Poseidon, Polyphemus

Abstract
The paper compares Achilles and Odysseus and demonstrates how Achilles is representative of youthful exuberance, while Odysseus is representative of the wisdom that comes with age. The paper also discusses how the Greeks placed a greater emphasis on physical strength, and so by ancient Greek standards, Achilles was the greatest hero. However, the paper explains that by modern standards, Odysseus is the greater hero, as he displays wisdom and compassion for other human beings.

From the Paper
"In the Illiad, Achilles and Odysseus are viewed as arch rivals. Their modes of gaining and maintaining power are opposites. Odysseus is renowned for his cunning and wisdom in war, whereas Achilles is renowned for this physical might and ferocity. Achilles displays a hot temper and an all-consuming wrath. One could consider Achilles as representative of a young, physical hero and Odysseus as representative of the old wise hero emphasizing spiritual power. Both are considered to be key characters in Greek mythology, but they represent different attributes of the hero complex."

Tags:strength, ferocity, youth, wisdom, consideration, concern

Abstract
This paper discusses the elaborate ancient customs of hospitality, "xenia", established in the society of Odysseus' time. It maintains that these customs are crucial to understanding the methods by which the marginalized individual was reintegrated into the center. These social codes provided a means by which an individual could construct his social identity and define the interrelationship between the culture's participants. The paper takes a look at how Odysseus' voyage brings him into contact with alien cultural practices that he must navigate through in order to return home, entailing no small understanding of the functions of both society and the ways of the gods. The paper concludes that, as the foundational structure of Greek society, Odysseus' reestablishment of his position in the family yields a confirmation of the individual's identity and functions in parallel with the ritual of "xenia" as a symbol of identification within the community.

From the Paper
"Upon his return to Ithaca, Odysseus faces a complicated social situation that requires he bring to bear all the knowledge of social customs he has learned throughout his long and varied voyage. Warned against the treachery of women by Agamemnon's tale in book eleven, and having to somehow overcome a house full of suitors for his wife's hand who would gladly see him dead, it is the ritual principles of hospitality that provide the means to reclaim his place in society. "Xenia functions as a unifying principle by virtue of its capacity to as a ritual both to incorporate Odysseus into his household and simultaneously to continue his estrangement from it." Through this concept Odysseus is able to disguise himself and reenter his familial space to witness the situation and decide what actions will be necessary to reestablish himself there, thus avoiding Agamemnon's fate and the threat of the suitors."

Tags:hospitality, code, Greek, society, epic

Abstract
This paper examines how in the "Odyssey", the only fully explored relationship is the friendship between Athena and Odysseus. It looks at how the Goddess and the Wanderer delight in virtuosities of deception and how they seek to out wit the other with affectionate larceny. It shows how it is a crafty, amused, deeply feminine amity that binds Athena to Odysseus and how it is Athena, the goddess of wisdom and the patron of Odysseus, who has the greatest impact on him.

From the Paper
"The help of Athena can be traced back to the Iliad. During the funeral games for Achilles' friend, Patroclus, Athena helped Odysseus take many prizes. However, Athena's impact on Odysseus does not truly come about until the Odyssey. As the Odyssey opens, Odysseus is in a situation he cannot get out of without the help of Athena. He is on the island of Ogygia with Calypso, a beautiful goddess. She offers Odysseus immortality if he will stay on the island as her husband. It is at this point in the poem that Athena first interferes in the life of Odysseus. She plans to reunite Odysseus with his family. "

Tags:achilles, iliad, troy, godess

Abstract
"The Metamorphoses" by Homer portrays a different side of Odysseus as a character, which is entirely different from the Odysseus that readers were acquainted to in "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" by Homer. While Odysseus is portrayed as a courageous and intelligent warrior in "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," Ajax in "The Metamorphoses" is illustrated as a coward and a brilliant schemer in order to fool the people in believing that he is the rightful heir to the title of Achilles as the great warrior of the Achaean/Greek society. This main difference between Ovid and Homer's works is the focus of this paper.

From the Paper
"Ovid, on the other hand, portrays a different and more critical picture of Ulysses (Odysseus) as warrior in the Roman literature. In an article by James Hunter, Odysseus' character is similar to Ovid's portrayal in "The Metamorphoses," wherein he is known to be a cunning and treacherous warrior who would rather find ways out of a problematic situation than to fight bravely towards solving the problem (Hunter 2003). In fact, in W. B. Stanford's analysis of Odysseus character in the "The Ulysses Theme," he discusses the criticism of Ovid and other Roman literary writers in the portrayal of Odysseus in the "post-classical tradition." "

Tags:Trojans, Achaeans, Agamemnon, Cyclops