Hubris in the Odyssey Essay Sample: The Role of Pride in Odyssey's Journey

In Ancient Greece, it was believed that a man should never be too prideful, for it would inevitably provoke the anger of the gods and lead to the hero’s doom. Hubris was specifically defined by ancient Greeks as the state of having an excessive amount of pride - the arrogance of a mortal who believes he can challenge the gods and walk away unscathed. In classic literature, The Odyssey is often speculated to be a perfect study of hubris and how the hero’s persistent need to prove himself exceptional can lead to dire outcomes. Odysseus, while still remaining the epic hero of a poem, is nevertheless condemned as being a perfect epitome of hubris - and all that it entails - painting him as both a figure of epic legendarium and a man whose pride borders on insolence.

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The Definition of Hubris in Ancient Greek Literature

While modern readers will agree that being excessively prideful can reflect badly on one’s persona, they certainly do not assign the same meaning to hubris the way ancient Greeks did many years ago. In Athens, for example, an act of boastful pride that simultaneously demonstrated the lack of respect for the gods was considered a crime. In ancient Greek literature, heroes are often depicted as flawed, with their excessive self-confidence leading them to commit petty acts of violence in defiance of the natural order. Such frivolities rarely go unnoticed by the gods, which is something that can be found in The Odyssey. The epic poem portrays Odysseus as a confident individual who nonetheless relies more on his cunning than any divine intervention.

Examples of Hubris in The Odyssey

The Sirens’ Song

Though Odysseus should have realized by now that his actions were the cause of his exile, his pride seems to have no limits. He is still of firm belief that no average man is a match for him. One such example is Odysseus and the crew passing the island of the Sirens. Circe warns Odysseus about the treachery of sirens - half-birds, half-women who lured sailors to their doom and sang so beautifully that the ships would crash themselves on the rocks, entranced by the song. Odysseus heeds the warning but still wants to be known as the only man alive who survived the Siren’s song. He orders his crewmates to tie him to the mast and release him only when they have passed the island.

Odysseus and the Laestrygonians

Another act of hubris occurs when Odysseus chooses to ignore the warnings about the savage nature of the Laestrygonians, a tribe of giants he and the crew encounter during his journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus sends the scouts to study the area and has all his ships stationed in the harbor on the island of Telepylos, where the giants live. However, when the giants choose to welcome their guests by pelting their ships with boulders, only Odysseus's ship survives the attack as it had been hidden in a cove near the shore. Odysseus and the crew have a narrow escape, cutting the ropes of the ship and sailing away, but it is Odysseus and his overconfidence that leads to devastating consequences yet again and sets the tone for many perils that wait for them ahead.

Odysseus and The Suitors

Odysseus, being gone for fifteen years, witnesses an unsavory scene once he arrives home. His wife Penelope and his son Telemachus play unwilling hosts to 108 arrogant men who occupy Odysseus’s hall, demanding that Penelope choose a new husband. They insist that it is time for her to remarry again and loudly boast about which one of them would make a better spouse for Penelope. Odysseus’s wife, as much as she despises the intruders, does not make them leave. She believes in the rules of xenia, or generous hospitality, and continues to treat the men as if they were dignified guests and not a swarm of unwelcome visitors. Finally, when Odysseus arrives, the suitors begin mocking his clothes and his advanced age. He and his son Telemachus make them pay for their hubris by killing them all and ensuring no one leaves the guest hall alive. This is an example of how the suitors are served justice after they have displayed unchecked pride and corruption.

Consequences of Hubris in The Odyssey

The Odyssey is a great example of how pride can lead to destructive consequences if left unchecked. Below are some examples of the more severe repercussions for thinking yourself better than the average man, just like Odysseus did, and relying entirely on your own cunning rather than the providence of the gods:

• Divine punishment. According to the ancient Greeks, gods always bestow punishment on those who believe themselves to be superior to their will. For instance, Poseidon continued to hold a grudge against Odysseus and obstructed him on his journey in punishment for his hubris.
• Prolonged suffering. Odysseus is prideful and boastful and, at times, overly conceited - all of the traits that make him a perfect object for the gods’ ire. From the moment he sets on his journey, he is accompanied by unnecessary hardships and sufferings, all because he believes he can challenge the gods and avoid their wrath.
• Moral lessons. The fate that ultimately befell the suitors demonstrates how arrogance can lead to one’s demise. The suitors are relentless in their mockery and are adequately punished by Odysseus and his son, which emphasizes the importance of being humble in the face of adversity.

Hubris as a Reflection of Human Nature

The Odyssey, among other things, provides the readers with a perfect study of human nature and how overestimating one’s abilities can be fatal for a hero’s journey. However, Odysseus is not the man he was once he came back to Ithaca. He no longer relies on his own smarts to accomplish his goals and reclaim his throne. This time, he acts in accordance with the law of divine humility, disguising himself before making an appearance and seeking counsel from the gods on how to best stage his arrival. Odysseus has learned the lesson - he is no longer a prideful youth whose very existence could be described as the ultimate hubris. He has evolved, learned from his mistakes, and embraced humility before claiming his birthright as the ruler of Ithaca and taking back his throne.