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Essay / Analysis of Odysseus as a good leader
Being a leader is a very honorable and important status. In order to be a good leader, one must possess certain qualities regarding their personality and abilities. Leaders must stand above their followers in some ways, such as in terms of knowledge levels and preparedness for whatever might happen to them. They must be superior in order to constitute a good figure that others can willingly follow, learn from and respect. Leaders have more expectations and responsibilities that they must also meet. In The Odyssey, it is clear that Odysseus has earned respect and status as a leader among the people of Ithaca. They happily call him their king and leave many responsibilities in his hands. Throughout his journey, Odysseus proves himself worthy of this reputation through the way he overcomes the challenges he faces and transports his men. Overall, Odysseus is a good leader because he is brave, thoughtful, and intelligent. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay First, Ulysses demonstrates his ability to be a good leader by being strong in everything he goes through during the epic. At first, he is courageous when he leads his people in the Trojan War. After that, he remains just as strong in the face of Poseidon's wrath and the journey that awaits him. In Polyphemus' cave, Odysseus shows no fear while confronting and talking to Cyclops at first. When he realizes that his men are in danger, he trusts in an escape plan and takes the risks to carry it out. Before leading the mission to blind Polyphemus, Odysseus even considered attacking the Cyclops himself. “So I took counsel in my great heart, whether I should approach, tear my sharp sword from my thigh, and stab him in the chest, where the belly holds the liver, feeling the place with my hand. » Then the group was stranded on Circe's island and its men were transformed into animals by the goddess. Odysseus relentlessly pursued his men and was determined to save them from his curse. He confronted Circe and slept with her so that his men would become human again, proving his fearlessness and reliability as a leader. There were other times when Odysseus showed his bravery, such as during his journey to the underworld, and many more. These are just a few main events in the epic that show his acts of bravery, but they nonetheless support his ability to be a good leader. Additionally, Odysseus showed himself to be a good leader by being thoughtful. Throughout The Odyssey, he led his men well by thinking through each situation. He thought about how to solve every problem and always did what was best for his people. For example, when they arrived in the land of the Lotus Eaters, Odysseus ordered three of his men to explore the island for dangers, rather than investigating the situation all at once. Second, he was caring in the sense of caring for his men and their well-being. The three men were bewitched and forgot the way home, but Odysseus himself took them back to the ship by force. “Therefore I brought them back to the ships weeping and in pain against their will, and dragged them under the shoals and bound them in the hollow boats.” This shows that he truly cared about his men and kept their well-being in mind regardless of the circumstances. Afterwards, in the Cyclops' cave, Odysseus also showed how caring he was by guiding his people through a well-laid plan to save them from the Cyclops. So, thoughtfulness is clearly another trait of Odysseus,.