The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus' return home and the difficulties he faces. Odysseus is a deeply respected king for his triumphs in combat and his heroism in the Trojan War. He has been missing for 10 years and his wife Penelope longs for his return. With the help of the goddess Athena, a mission is undertaken to get him back, and The Odyssey follows his return. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In line 7, readers learn something about the character of Odysseus. He is described as a man who was "fighting to save his life and bring his companions home". Here readers can see the deep care he has for his soldiers and his failed attempt to bring them home. Also on page 77, readers hear about the power he gained by sacking Troy, which is a gigantic undertaking. Later, in verse 78, Zeus describes him as “He excels in wisdom above all men, he excels also in offerings.” Here readers learn the wisdom that Athena had spoken of Odysseus, reaffirmed by Zeus. These are some of the strengths that readers see mentioned regarding Odysseus. There are some small, less obvious weaknesses of Ulysses mentioned. First, in “Book 5” the issue where he ends up with Calypso. He's at a crossroads: he wants to stay with Calypso, but he's also sad about it and tells her that his wife doesn't compare to her. This seems to be a weakness in him, but in the end he says that he wants to "see the dawn of his return". Another (understandable) weakness is his distrust of people. For example, he distrusts Calypso when she says she will let him leave her alone. He accuses her of “plotting something else” and makes her swear that she isn't up to anything bad. Another example is when Leucothea offers him her immortal scarf. He distrusts her and it nearly costs him his life, as it used to do before the final wave was sent to destroy him and the raft he was on. Please note: this is just a sample. Get an article customization now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, Odysseus seems to be an overall interesting character with both good and bad traits. Whether or not he is a good leader seems to be an unanswered question for readers. Even though he's had a 10-year absence, he's under this sort of spell from Calypso that makes him stay there and cry for his family and his kingdom. One could criticize that if he wanted to be a better ruler he would have fought harder to return instead of staying with Calypso. In terms of military leadership he appears to be gifted and able to inspire men. This balance of good and bad traits will greatly influence his journey home.