Check out our group’s analysis on the role of deception as we plot the landscape in Homer’s well-known epic The Odyssey here: https://uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/2f7bdf88967c2d0628d810cdfe8cea68/deceit-is-a-tool/index.html
Deceit: A Novel Tool for Heroes & Villains
In The Odyssey, Homer describes deceit in two ways: both as a tool utilized by “heroic” characters in order to advance a moral obligation and a morally reprehensible action that is condemned when used by antagonistic characters. When deceit is used by antagonistic characters, it fails because their intentions are reprehensible in the eyes of Greek society. Homer illustrates how deceit is an acceptable and effective tactic when used for good; he also recreates the model for the “ideal” Greek hero by emphasizing trickery and cunning as an admirable quality and showing that heroes can be flawed at times as well. By following the trail of deceit that Homer winds through the epic, the reader can see the way in which deception is depicted as morally ambiguous, as well as how the common notion of a morally elevated hero is not necessarily true to the human condition.
Through our exploration of deceit in The Odyssey, we concluded that Homer shows deceit as being successful when used by characters we deemed to possess “heroic” characteristics. In our definition of heroism, we identified characters such as Odysseus, Telemachus, Penelope, Helen, and Athena, since all of these characters were presented in the epic as using deceit primarily for a noble purpose. For instance, Athena’s uses of deceit are most notable; as a divine figure in Greek culture, Athena using deception shows that her actions are justified, since her motivation for doing so is to save Odysseus and gain the trust of Telemachus. Female characters like Penelope and Helen use deceit frequently as it is their primary tool in a world where men are responsible for the use of brute strength and force; their use of deceit allows them to also fulfill our definition of heroism because Penelope deceives the suitors by unweaving her shroud for Laertes in order to delay her selection of a suitor, and Helen conceals the Greek forces during the Trojan War so that they are able to breach the city walls and end the conflict. Most commonly, since he is the central character of the epic, Odysseus uses deceit and disguise to rectify his situation and return home to Ithaca. As a hero both in the traditional sense of the term and in our own interpretation, Odysseus is successful in his use of deception because he uses it in a morally acceptable way; his deceitful actions are his way of being resourceful in order to return to his home, his wife, his son, and his role as ruler of Ithaca.
In contrast to the protagonists of the epic, antagonistic characters fail to succeed in their goals when they attempt to use deceit. By definition, a villain is a person “given to committing vile or criminal acts” (“villain”, Oxford English Dictionary). This meaning directly applies to the foes Odysseus encounters; their actions and intentions influence both the epic itself and Homer’s overarching theme that the way deceit is used determines the results it will yield. Therefore, the Lotus-Eaters, Circe, and the Sirens can be considered villains as they all hinder Odysseus’ journey by doing malicious things. However, their attempts to entirely setback the fleet are all complete failures because of their corrupt motivations. This is indicated by the Lotus-Eaters tricking the ship’s crew into tasting the fruit that makes them forget their homeland. The usage of deceit here is immoral, as the Lotus-Eaters are brainwashing the men into staying on their island, so their plan is easily overcome by Odysseus. Similarly, Circe puts the crew at ease by feigning a hospitable environment but soon drugs the crew and turns them into pigs. Odysseus is assisted by Hermes, a celestial being in Greek mythology, and outsmarts Circe to reverse the spell cast upon his men. Having a god aid the main character is Homer asserting Odysseus as the hero and Circe as an antagonist, exhibiting that he believes Circe’s treatment of the men and the way she used deceit was unjustifiable. Therefore, her curse is quickly undone and has little effect on the men. Finally, the Sirens use their song to seduce men into coming on their island before killing them. Once again, Odysseus is helped by a goddess, Circe, to cleverly protect his fleet from the Sirens’ temptations by using wax to clog everyone’s ears and rope to tie Odysseus to the mast so he is unable to jump from the boat. As the ship emerges victorious, it becomes blatantly clear that the malevolent Sirens’ deception was unable to withstand the strength and cunning of the hero. The Odyssey does disclose that the Sirens have been successful in killing numerous men before, meaning that their trickery, despite being used for unethical purposes, has worked for them in the past. This is because the Sirens have never encountered Odysseus. Odysseus, as the protagonist and the hero of the epic, represents bravery, integrity, and tenacity that is unmatched by any other human. He is held in such a high regard by all of Europe because of his valiance and good nature. Therefore, it makes sense that regular men would perish, unable to circumvent the Sirens as Odysseus was so easily able to do. In this universe, he is the epitome of goodness, meaning that he will always overcome any antagonist he confronts because his genuinity is far too powerful for any villainous tactic used against him.
However, while the point behind the use of deceit seems clear throughout the rest of the epic, the conclusion muddles the theme of noble deceit being necessary and effective. During his journey home, Odysseus’ use of cunning and trickery is his true weapon rather than his use of brute force. By using this tactic, he is able to succeed in returning home and slaughtering the suitors who have overtaken his home in a vengeful, dramatic manner. In Book 24, though, after Odysseus has succeeded in his goal, he continues to use deception, this time with his father Laertes, where he blatantly lies to his father by telling him he (Odysseus) has died, making Laertes cry. In this instance, Odysseus’ has no other purpose in using deception than he wants to, an action that causes his father pain because he believes his son is dead. While this moment does not follow the rest of the epic’s theme regarding deception, Homer makes his point regarding deceit clear in this moment: the concept of a true “hero” is flawed, and that the notion of a perfect heroic character who is always morally astute is impossible. Despite the divine intervention and favor that helps to bring Odysseus home, and despite his continued success as he works to reclaim his throne, his wife, and his status, Homer shows at the end of the epic how flawed Odysseus is as a character. While it would be easier to take a character like Odysseus and construct him to merely be an example of upstanding morals and the ways that using a tool like deception for a good cause is redeemable, Homer exposes at the end of the epic that a reliance on deception as a tool has its detriments to one’s character as well. Odysseus comes from a society where men are responsible for winning their battles and conflicts using brute force and strength, but Odysseus inverts this expectation by using a woman’s tools: deception, lies, cunning. It seems that because Odysseus is established as a “golden boy” even as he goes on murder sprees and taunts the Cyclops, his lies are deemed acceptable because he is meant to be using them for good causes, but Homer provides insight at the end of the epic to the way that Odysseus cannot change his lying and his deception, that it is more an aspect of his character than it is just a tool he decides to employ at his leisure.
Borderless Butterfly 