Sample Essay: Iliad/Odyssey Hubris Comparison

Iliad was written in 850 BC and Odyssey somewhere around 400 BC. This time was different from the modern times. In this age, pride and arrogance often came before everything else and wealth and power often provoked the pride. In the modern days it would sound strange. The pride or the element of Hubris of the heroes in Iliad and Odyssey have brought about their downfall or caused them some harm or other.
The characters of Hector and Patrocleus are two instances of pride in people bringing about their defeat or downfall. Hector was too proud to leave the battleground and the hence confronted Achilles. As well said by King Priam, “Ah for a young man all looks fine and noble if he goes down in war…he lies there dead…but whatever death lays bare, all wounds are marks of glory.” (Homer and Fagles, 1990, p.544) Hector’s pride allows him to think that all the pains and hurt inflicted by death would be mark of glory. He was also betrayed by his fellowmen and it was believed that if he has lived, he could have defended Troy. The most interesting instance would be Achilles in Iliad. He was also destroyed by his pride. When Agamemnon took his woman, he was too proud to participate in the battle and Achilles said “But now that he’s torn my honor from my hands, robbed me, lied to me…he’ll never win me over!” (Homer and Fagles, 1990, p. 263) this decision was based on pride and this made his fellow Acheans suffer. In order to preserve his ego he lent his armor to Patrocleus and this led to the downfall of his character as well as the death of his friend. Even though Agamemnon hurt Achilles’ pride, he did not let him dictate is actions. Achilles’ hurt ego is well reflected as he says,  “You overlook this, dogface, or don’t care, / and now in the end you threaten to take my girl, / a prize I sweated for, and soldiers gave me!” (Homer and Fagles, 1990, p. 157-62) he also calls Agamemnon a coward and thief.

Another example of pride is well reflected in Homer’s Odyssey, through the character of Odysseus. The story of The Odyssey, as written by Homer, reveals the character of Odysseus as a shrewd traveler in disguise who hides his identity to achieve his goals and narrates the wanderings of the hero of the Trojan War. We find that Odysseus reveals his strength as well as his flaws. He was held captive against his will by Calypso but with the help pf Athena and Zeus he escapes after politely telling her that all he wanted was a safe departure to home since he was tired and cleverly hides the fact about his wife. Again, the land of Helios teaches him how dangerous temptation can be and how disregard of the gods’ instruction could be deadly. The men uses their own judgment out of their temptation and this causes them to lose their lives. This once again reflects the extent of dependency on the gods. An example of recklessness is drawn upon in the land of the Cyclopes where Odysseus in his curiosity to meet Polymephos, the one eyed giant and the son of Poseidon (god of earthquake) gets trapped and many of his men gets eaten up by the giant. He at last finds a way out using his tricks but after escaping screams out curses at the monster and reveals his true name to the Cyclopes. When they escaped by hiding in the flings along with the rams, Odysseus narrates, ” I, too, had my own ram, the finest one in the whole flock by far.”(Line 571-572) This also reveals his arrogance to some extent. Odysseus mocks at the Cyclops, saying:

“Cyclops,
it seems he was no weakling, after all,

the man whose comrades you so wished to eat,
using brute force in that hollow cave of yours.
Your evil acts were bound to catch you out,
you wretch-you didn’t even hesitate
to gorge yourself on guests in your own home.
Now Zeus and other gods have paid you back.” (Line 630-636)

This angers Poseidon who vows to avenge him. “It made his heart more angry. He snapped off a huge chunk of mountain rock and hurled it.” (Line 637-639)

In the end after his return however he is advised to make a sacrifice to the god of earthquake in order to show respect to the gods. Odysseus carried on with his reckless curses unless his comrades warned him:

“‘That’s reckless.
Why are you trying to irritate that savage?
He just threw a boulder in the sea
and pushed us back on shore. We really thought
he’d killed us there.  If he’d heard us speak
or uttering a sound, he’d have hurled down
another jagged rock, and crushed our skulls,
the timbers on this ship, as well.  He’s strong,
powerful enough to throw this far.” (Line 651-659)

The land of the lotus-eaters however represents peace and that of the deaths represent knowledge. The land of death reveals to him various facts about his sailors and his family as well through the spirits. The visit to Kirke’s land teaches the readers how lust could snatch the power of a goddess and here one may find the remark of Calypso applicable. The experience also shows that some amount of caution is always essential and unnecessary curiosity and lack of tact leads to destruction. Again, the event of Hermes appearing before Odysseus to hand him the herb in order to free his men (whom Kirke has converted to pigs) tells us the important role of the Greek gods in the Greek society. Here his men were all turned into pigs but heroically rescued by Odysseus. Thus the hero had his heroism or courage as well as his reckless pride that invited more danger for him. Thus in both case pride begets downfall or at least a temporary harm (as I case of Odysseus who at least had the modesty to offer a sacrifice to Zeus in order to gain protection).

Another similar instance could be drawn from the present day hero, George W. Bush, president of America, whose pride encouraged him to avenge the 9/11 incident and hence launch the horrifying and inhuman phase of the war against the Iraq. His arrogance leads to a continuation of deaths on both sides. Besides the massive destruction of innocent lives in Iraq, the American soldiers (2577 as on August, 2006) have also risked and lost their lives. According to Bush, “Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”  Estimated number of Iraqi civilians (men, women, and children) killed in Bush’s war since Saddam Hussein was ousted is 38,960. (”Where Bush’s Arrogance Has Taken Us” informationclearinghouse.info) Another statement that reveals his pride and arrogance is:

“I’m the commander — see, I don’t need to explain — I do not need to explain why I say things. That’s the interesting thing about being the president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don’t feel like I owe anybody an explanation.”
George W., August 2002.

(”Where Bush’s Arrogance Has Taken Us” informationclearinghouse.info)

Thus instances of pride are evident in all times, however taking a lesson from Iliad and Odyssey the present day leaders need to master modesty and diplomacy to win the world. Bush has however, till not faced the decline despite his enormous pride.

References:

Homer, The Odyssey,  http://www.mala.bc.ca/~Johnstoi/homer/odyssey9.htm

Homer and Fagles, The Iliad, 1990, Penguin Publishers, pp. 1-683

“Where Bush’s Arrogance Has Taken Us”, http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14665.htm