Destiny, Fate and Free Will in Homers Odyssey - Self-Determination :: Homer Odyssey fatody

Self-Determination in The Odyssey Self-determination is a strong characteristic that Odysseus portrays in The Odyssey. The three traits that Odysseus portrays as evidence of his self-determination are: endurance, perseverance, and courage. Odysseus, like most humans, has his doubts of confidence, but seems to overcome them. Odysseus sometimes doubts his courage and passion for living. He shows this as he asks, "but Circe, who will be my pilot on this journey?"(100). Here, Odysseus questions his ability to lead his crew onward. He then overcomes this barrier and triumphs with self-confidence. Zeus thinks that Odysseus is courageous and gallant. He therefore commands that, "Odysseus shall go forth upon his homeward way, not with gods' guidance nor with that of a mortal man; but by himself..." (45). This is ironic because later on, Odysseus receives help and is presented challenges from the gods. Without the interference of the gods, Odysseus would have sailed home ten years before. To be courageous, you must contain great wit within the walls of your heart and the cells of your brain. There is no better example of this than when " I [Odysseus] then formed the plan within my daring heart of closing on him, drawing my sharp sword from my thigh, and stabbing him in the breast..." (85). Here the Cyclops faces his doom at the hands of Odysseus' guile. Although Odysseus displays guile, other's does not fool him. Now, although courage is a strong and important aspect it is nothing without endurance or Stamina. This aspect is represented when,"... I [Odysseus] by swimming forced my way through the flood, till at your coast the wind and water brought me...but I turned back and swam until I reached a stream where the ground seemed most fit...[then] gathering my strength, I staggered out, and the immortal night drew near" (67). By not giving up and refusing to join his crew some of his crewmembers in the hall of Hades, Odysseus endures what we would wake up crying from. If Odysseus had lacked this quality, the novel, The Odyssey, would have had a great deal less pages to read. Odysseus often fools and deceives his enemies into their own dreadful doom by using the guile that he is so renowned for. Without endurance, he would have no nerve to beguile his foes while not being disillusioned by them. Odysseus receives inspiration and motivation as he is told ".