" Ulysses: The Imperfect Hero" Oh, what a shame, how mortals accuse us gods, for they say that evils come from us, but it is rather they who, by their own imprudence stirs up sorrow beyond what is given” (1.32-34) is a simple quote reminding us of the entities responsible for all the characters in the poem The Odyssey – hubris, or excessive human pride , is the most hated by the gods Gods and is also the most punished by them The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus and Telemachus, two heroes who, throughout their adventures, meet new people and confront. death several times. Telemachus goes to find his father after learning from Athena that he is still alive. The two meet and Odysseus tries to return to Ithaca after being lost at sea, and on the way he becomes. one of the most heroic characters in literature as we know it Like all heroic characters, Odysseus began to show pride. he learned what a hero he was. James Wyatt Cook, historian and Odyssey expert, has written about how hubris can affect characters who display it. He says: "Because Homer's Odyssey is essentially comic, this episode [an open windbag destroys the ship] is only one of a series of setbacks that Odysseus suffers before reaching his home to Ithaca and reclaim his ancient kingdom and family. However, this is not the case for those who display pride with tragic consequences. » (Cook 1) First, Ulysses discovers Aias, who died because of the excessive pride he represents. Proteus warns Odysseus when he says: “…and Aias would have escaped fate, even if Athena hated him, if he had not gone completely mad and uttered a word of defiance; for he said that in spite of the gods he had escaped from the great gulf of the sea, and Poseidon heard him......... middle of paper ...... his throne. Ulysses, even today, is considered a hero of modern times; the adventures he experienced on his way to Ithaca have been described like no other literary work. However, like most heroes, Odysseus's flaw was his arrogant attitude towards the gods, particularly at the beginning of Homer's Odyssey. Some actions, notably against Poseidon, delayed his journey, but he eventually returned home and will forever be with Penelope, as he was meant to be from the beginning, because the gods spared his life despite his acts of pride . “Works cited” “pride”. Encyclopedia of ancient literature. James Wyatt Cook. New York: Facts on File, 2008. 331. Facts on File Library of World Literature: Literary Movements. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Internet. March 05, 2014.Homer and Richmond Lattimore. Homer's Odyssey. New York: Harper & Row, 1967. Print."