Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” Essay

In Homer’s epic poem, â€Å"The Odyssey,† the protagonist, Odysseus, has spent ten years fighting in the Trojan War. Due to the gods’ anger against Odysseus, he is destined to have a very long and difficult journey home. Odysseus proves to be brave because he overcomes both external and internal conflicts on this long journey home. The external conflicts that Odysseus overcomes show that he is highly courageous. For example, the episode with the Cyclops proves he is clever because he tricked Polyphemus into thinking that his men were sheep. Another example of Odysseus’ braveness was his encounter with the suitors. He was very strong and confident which caused him to fight the hundreds of suitors and win even though it was only he and his son against the other men. These external conflicts prove Odysseus’ strength and cleverness, and show how strong and brave he is. Odysseus also had to deal with internal conflicts that affected him personally. For instance, when Odysseus had to pass Charybdis, he knew he would lose some of his men. This hurt Odysseus because him an his men became close during their journey home, so he had to struggle with the fact that he’d have to leave some people behind. Secondly, when Odysseus finally returned home, he didn’t want to tell his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus, who he was right away. He felt that they would not believe him and he wanted to see if they could figure out who he was on their own. These are examples of conflicts Odysseus dealt with within himself, and prove that he is brave. These facts show that Odysseus is fearless and courageous during his external and internal conflicts. He knows how to deal with his troubles, and is a very strong person. Odysseus had many problems on his long journey home, but he made it through and accomplished his main goal; to return to his family and home in Ithaca.