odyssey project

Brain over brawn is not necessarily correct. In many situations, humans are able to use their wits to solve problems. Sometimes, physical strength helps people to succeed. In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is able to over to overcome the obstacles before him by using cunningness and strength.


Odysseus uses his cunningness and strength to defeat many monsters, like the cyclops. For example, he defeats the cyclops by telling the him a fake name. Then after that Odysseus gets the Cyclops drunk so he can defeat the Cyclops by blinding him with a stake that him and his men made. This shows that obstacles can be overcame with both brain and brawn. This also shows that it is good to use both brains and brawn. Another time would be when Odysseus uses his cunningness and strength to help his country beat the Trojans by making a giant horse, with a hole inside so that they could put in about ten solders. This shows that his wits and the strength of his comrades in arms could help in the take over of Troy. This also shows that not just strength can win a war. Even though several of the gods tried to stop Odysseus on his journey home he was victorious and got home after twenty long years.

Odysseus also encounters another kind of monster, the goddesses. For example when Odysseus was at Calypso’s island, he was manipulated so he would not want to leave the island because she made/let him lay with her in bed. She also offered immortality if he stayed with on her lonely island. This shows that Odysseus weak because he could not overcome his lust for goddesses. This also shows that not even Odysseus the wise could overcome lust for a goddess. One other obstacle that he and his men had to pass was the goddess Circe. Odysseus‘ men arrive at Circe's fortress on her island. She turned all of his men in to pigs because she does not like men. When that happened Odysseus got a plant form the god Helios that would make Circe's powers not work on him. After he got the plant he went to Circe's fortress to get his men back. She gave up admittedly after she noticed the her powers did not work on Odysseus. So she came up with a compromise that she would release his men if he laid in bed with her. This shows that strong and wise in a tight situation like him being blackmailed by Circe. This also that he is a wise and strong man by doing what he did to save his men.

Odysseus finally achieves his goal of going home to Ithica by using his cunningness and strength. In life people go through obstacles just like they did back in the Greek God times. Having both wits and strength go hand in hand with overcoming obstacles.