Has Odysseus achieved Nostos

Our King, Odysseus, has just returned to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War for 10 years and getting lost at sea for another 10 years. He has told about his journeys and encounters with Polyphemus, the cattle of the sun, Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, and many more. Also, he has killed all of the suitors who waited in his home for twenty years, fighting for his wife Penelope. Odysseus returned to Ithaca alone and without his 12 ships or the men sailing on them. Odysseus says he had a long journey home filled with many obstacles, but has he achieved nostos?

Nostos can be defined as homecoming or a high level of heroism or greatness. Some argue that Odysseus is not as great of a hero as he was made out to be upon his return. They say that if he were a true hero he would not have lost all of his men and would have been able to make smarter decisions to benefit himself along with his men. For example, one of Odysseus’s first obstacles was Poseidon’s son Polyphemus, who is a Cyclops. The Cyclops had trapped Odysseus and his men, and in order to get away Odysseus stabbed Polyphemus’s eye out. Shortly after, Odysseus revealed his identity, which enabled Poseidon to curse Odysseus’s journey back to Ithaca. People say that this incident caused the whole problem of not being able to get home and was the cause of the problem that ultimately led to the death of Odysseus’s men. Many people also say that Odysseus could have come up with another solution the problem of the suitors, as opposed to killing all of them.

Odysseus had a right to kill the suitors and protect his family, home, and property. Also, the suitors refused to leave even after he gave them a chance to get away, so the murder of the suitors can be viewed as a heroic act to save his wife and son. In addition, even though Odysseus made a mistake when revealing his name to Polyphemus, he has grown and recognizes his mistake. When Odysseus is dressed as a beggar and the suitors taunt him, he doesn’t retaliate and never gives his identity away, like he did with the Cyclops. This ability to grow and change is a heroic quality, and Odysseus has earned and deserved his nostos. He has shifted from a more selfish mindset of doing to anything to get home to a more selfless attitude of doing what it takes to help others. Odysseus has earned nostos, and has had an honorable and heroic return to Ithaca.

#OpEd #Odysseus #Nostos