Readers of the Odyssey might certainly find frustration in writing a judgment on Odysseus' decision to leave life alongside the goddess Kalypso. Some might point to a nostalgia for the day he came home. Others might argue just the opposite: that “the divine Odysseus” is simply growing tired of the isolated life and longing for his next adventure. And it could all be right, at least in part. One interpretation of this moment in the poem hinges on the question of Odysseus' motivations and what kind of hero Homer wanted Odysseus to be. At least for a while, Odysseus is content with Kalypso's company and enjoys their arrangement. Why, then, does she find him sitting by the sea, his eyes “never wiped from tears,” lying next to her at night “out of necessity” and “against his will”? (V, 151-155). And why doesn't he accept the offer to spend eternity alongside Kalypso, the immortal and ageless beauty? Perhaps most confusing is her decision to spend one last night by his side, once she promises to send him home. If Odysseus is to be our hero, then his decisions must reflect Homer's image of heroism. Close examination of the timing of this decision makes Odysseus a hero not only in the epic sense, but also because he chooses to embrace the contradictions inherent in human existence even when presented with the opportunity to leave them behind. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. Odysseus justifies his decision to venture home even despite certain difficulties and struggles. As Kalypso watches him cry by the sea, she sees “the sweet life flowing out of him” as he cries to return home (V, 153-154). Even the divine Odysseus, hero and king, is weakened and lost when the prospect of his return is far from feasible. Kalypso's immortality and her humanity do not match. Kalypso does not understand his dismay or his refusal to consent to immortality at his side. She believes that, if only he knew "in [his] own heart how many trials [he was] destined to undergo", he would ultimately give up his journey home (V, 206-207). It is here that Homer demonstrates the knowledge and power that our humanity grants us. The finiteness of Odysseus' existence gives his choices a meaning that an immortal could never understand. Equipped with this perspective, Ulysses is condemned to fight at all costs for his return home. Kalypso cannot understand Odysseus' refusal to enjoy what is, for her, a perfect existence. She gives him her love and cherishes him, and that is not enough (V, 135-136). For Kalypso, the desire to return home, even after an arduous journey, seems to be a contradiction. And she's right. But herein lies the contradiction of humanity: life is difficult, imperfect and ends in certain death, but we continue to live anyway. Odysseus' longing to return home is a kind of tragic choice, because he knows it will only give him a fleeting moment of happiness. This “stubborn spirit” is a characteristic of his heroism, a characteristic that Homer wants us to see in ourselves as well (V, 220). As Telemachus reminds his mother, Odysseus is “not the only one who lost his day back at Troy” – his suffering is a profound aspect of the human condition (I, 344-345). What makes Odysseus the hero is faith that life is worth living, even in spite of this inherent suffering and contradiction. It would be naive to ignore the time that Ulysses is happy to spend alongside Kalypso. For a while he was content to.