The Odyssey, by Homer, tells the story of the warrior-king Odysseus and his misadventures and achievements throughout his journey. With strength of character, a lively mind and the gods at his side, Odysseus goes through countless trials in order to see his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus again, after twenty years stranded at sea. Although Odysseus managed to return home, reunite with his son and wife, and reclaim his kingdom from the suitors, his story is not without sorrow. Having endured the many physical and psychological traumas resulting from his strange encounters, it is safe to say that Odysseus remained steadfast in his hope of one day returning to Ithaca, motivated by love for his family and safeguarding his crown of those who sought to tear his family and his kingdom apart. During his journey, Odysseus must choose between succumbing to his grief and sorrow and accepting defeat or rising above it and moving forward to return home. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Perhaps one of the first obstacles Odysseus had to overcome in continuing his journey was his unfortunate encounter with the Lestrygonians. , a race of giant cannibals on the island of Lamos. The Lestrygonians play a vital role in setting the stage for Odysseus' exploits by presenting him with a challenge that requires decisive leadership and action to overcome. Having their ships sunk and the scouts sent by Odysseus massacred and devoured by the Lestrygonians, Odysseus and what remained of his crew watched in pure terror as to what might have become of them had they been seen. Needless to say, it's no simple task having to watch your comrades be torn limb from limb and eaten before your eyes, even as they seize the opportunity to escape while hidden from the giant cannibals. With this, Odysseus enters the first stage of mourning: denial. Having successfully escaped, Odysseus and his shipmates were out of danger and so allowed themselves to take a moment to mourn their fallen brothers-in-arms, having witnessed the first of many horrors that awaited them: " We sailed in shock. , happy to come out alive/But in mourning for the comrades we had lost. (Book The Lestrygonians are among the most brutal and vicious monsters that Odysseus faces, and the fact that Odysseus confronts them at the beginning of the story sets the tone of the story and foreshadows worse things to come. Another great example of how grief made a hero out of Odysseus was during his stay on the island of Ogygia with the goddess Calypso. Currently, Odysseus' love for his family and home is being tested. She tries to seduce him so that he becomes her lover and offers him immortality, the chimera of every man. Odysseus declines her generous offer, thinking of the love he has for his wife and son and desperate to return to them. After spending some time away from his family and his kingdom, Odysseus chose to follow his heart wherever it led him, and it pointed him home. By way of observation, Odysseus was heartbroken at never seeing his home again and even admitted this to Calypso just before they slept together again: “I still want to go back there/My heart aches for the day when I can return to my home./.../ God knows I have suffered and had my share of sorrows/ In war and at sea. I can take some,.