Theseus 'Free Will In Homer's Odyssey'

Matthew Harcum Mrs. Bryan ELA 8, Period 6 March 25, 2024.

What is the hope of the future? For thousands of years, great thinkers and philosophers have discussed what the term hope means. This makes the reader question, is hope a force blinding individuals to the true nature of the environment or an essence propelling individuals forward to conquer the vital steps of achieving one’s goal? On the topic of hope, Theseus, a Greek god, expresses the willpower to face ominous challenges such as slaying the minotaur and finding his way to Athens. Given that hope fuels Theseus, to conquer any obstacles presented. On the contrary, Hercules, a god with great strength, finds himself blind after his hope to excel in himself, inevitably causing his downfall …show more content…
The passage clearly illustrates Theseus’s true determination, when he responds to his second failure to lift the stone. His response demonstrates his perseverance to never accept defeat, rather take it as a challenge to prove to others, and himself, that he is capable of achieving any of his ambitions. The attempt to lift a rock almost double his body weight symbolizes his mental strength to believe that he can accomplish that goal, without much training. Many individuals would accept that lifting a rock almost double their body weight is seen as an impossible feat, shutting a door to the possibility of life-changing discoveries. Yet, as humans, it is crucial to take advantage of every opportunity presented, as the door closes for every missed opportunity. Therefore, hope allows one to seize every opportunity, as that opportunity could be the reason one eventually becomes successful, like Theuses. Although hope must come with action, since unlike Theuseus one cannot carelessly wish for something to happen, one must use a balanced combination of action and hope to accomplish wishes. Despite …show more content…
On the contrary, others might argue that hope is more likely to destroy as it causes one to be blind to their environment, which will cause unexpected problems. One story where this theme finds itself true is in the story Lord of the Flies, when the characters in the novel hope to attempt to escape the island, but are blinded by the savagery they are gradually arousing. However, it has to be mentioned that one cannot live their life without hope, as decisions are provoked by hope. Decisions serve as building blocks of who one is as a person, as ultimately decision is what makes us human. When Theuses heard of the minotaur he was determined to do what he believed was morally right, to kill the minotaur. Theseus argued to King Minos, the creator of the ritual and Minataur, that If I prevail, I warn you, O Minos, that we Athenians are free people and a tribute shall cease. If I die, I die; but the tribute is unjust (Coolidge 207). From this passage, one might argue that the hope of killing the minotaur blinds him to the tragic potential consequences that might follow attempting to kill the minotaur. However, in reality, he is not blinded, as he is aware of the consequences, rather he believes the cause is worth the sacrifice. There is a clear difference between aimless hope and true hope, as true

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