Ancient Greek mythology remains one of the most popular due to its vastness and sophistication. A large number of characters and implemented concepts allows for a variety of analyzes. This paper aims to examine the myths of Odysseus and Oedipus from the unifying idea of hubris.
There is no doubt that both of these legends are among the most famous to the general public. The history of Odyssey is full of both military adventures and a long journey full of dangers. Oedipus’s life is much more tragic, connected with a prophecy handed down even before his birth. The hero becomes a hostage to circumstances and incurs the wrath of the gods. Although many parallels can be found in ancient Greek stories, one of the essential commonalities is the concept of hubris.
This word has several meanings since the essence of the concept has changed over time. First of all, this word is translated from Greek as “pride” (“Hubris”). As a rule, all epic heroes are quite proud, sometimes to the extreme, leading to their downfall. However, despite this quality, it is not a fundamental character trait for either Oedipus or Odysseus. On the other hand, the word was interpreted as wrong actions against the order established from above (“Hubris”). This interpretation is much closer to what is happening in the narrative since almost all ancient Greek heroes oppose the gods. Odysseus’s road home was complicated because of Poseidon’s will, who was angry with the traveler. Oedipus angered the gods by killing his father, albeit unknowingly, and also suffered from higher powers’ intervention.
In this sense, the closest to these characters’ stories is the meaning of hubris, which is used by modern literators. According to their works, it is a fatal mistake that leads the hero to suffer or even death (“Hubris”). This is precisely what happens as with Odysseus, who earned Poseidon’s wrath, harming his son and accidentally revealing his name. A fatal mistake is Oedipus’s murder of his father, Laius, committed out of ignorance. The cause of the heroes’ misadventures is an accident, which leads to the suffering of the characters themselves and the people around them. Together with Odysseus, the crew of his ship also suffered, and the mistake of Oedipus brought the plague on Thebes. However, although these characters are very different, they are united by the pride, confrontation with the gods, and, most importantly, a fatal mistake.
Work Cited
“Hubris.”Encyclopædia Britannica, Web.