Question

In which ways does Odysseus’s character change over the course of The Odyssey? Check all that apply.

Answer 1

To answer this question we need to understand that Odysseus has a desire that he shares with all Homeric heroes, it is the desire to gain glory through his exploits and deeds. At various points in the text, we see the way in which Odysseus rather arrogantly ignores the advice of different characters or does what he thinks is best without thinking of the consequences of his actions and what might happen to both himself, and his men, as a result. The best example is when, at the start of his wanderings, Odysseus was so focused on gaining glory that he deliberately revealed who he was to the Cyclops, Polyphemus. As a result this brought down calamity on both himself and his men because the cyclops, Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon, God of the sea and earthquakes.
However, by the end of the story, when he reaches Ithaca, he deliberately bides his time and disguises himself as a beggar instead of rushing home and declaring who he is to the group of extremely hostile suitors, shows how he has developed and changed. He is not the same glory-hungry individual who often committed rash and rather vacuous actions in order to gain kudos. Instead, he tempers this aspect of his character with the need for patience, and remains incognito until he has established his position and what men are loyal to him and he is ready to strike. The text therefore indicates that Odysseus as a character learns from his mistakes and develops during the course of his journey.