Deception is common in Greek mythology. Especially between Gods and Goddesses. They use their power of deception to trick and deceive humans, to fulfill their desires. An important figure in Greek mythology is Metis. She is the Goddess of wisdom and intelligence. Interestingly, Odysseus was gifted with wisdom and intelligence, which gives him the ability to deceive and deceive humans. Ulysses represents the idea of ​​metis. The ancient Greeks admired metis - intelligence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. However, an important question to ask is: What skills does Odysseus possess that make him the archetypal trickster in the Odyssey? Odysseus uses skills such as disguise, storytelling, and deception, which make it possible to recognize him as a trickster archetype. Being a trickster is what characterizes Ulysses. How the Oxford Dictionary defines a trickster: A trickster deceives and cheats people. Tricking is the ability to deceive and deceive people using skill and intelligence. This definition can be applied to Ulysses. Odysseus was called "enterprising man", given to him by Homer. Homer used these phrases or names to describe a quality of his characters. Chris Northcott writes in his book “So only a brilliant ruler or a wise general who can use very intelligent people for espionage is sure of great success.” This quote can be used to describe the importance of intelligence and wisdom in terms of achieving success. Ulysses is capable of achieving success thanks to his intelligence. It uses intelligence as a way to deceive humans. This is what makes it possible to call him a trickster archetype. This essay will focus on three different skills used by Odysseus: firstly, deception in the sense of tricking the Cyclops into getting drunk, secondly disguising himself as a beggar to outdo the suitors, finally using storytelling as a way to convince the Phaeacians to help him get home. Ulysses offers wine to the Cyclops. “Here, Cyclops, drink some wine to wash down that meal of human flesh…”. He does this by showing the hospitality, also called xenia, adored by the Greeks. However, Odysseus uses this gesture to stab a drunken Cyclops in the eye with a stake. Odysseus combines xenia with his deceptions, as he is certain it will work. Since an act of gesture and hospitality is very well received by the Greeks. In addition to hospitality, a lot of planning also goes into eliminating the Cyclopes. Odysseus could easily have decided to kill the Cyclopes, but he would have run the risk of losing his men. His physical strength may not have been enough to kill the Cyclops, but his mental strength certainly is. This is important to understand because a Homeric hero like Odysseus must act wisely, as his circumstances demand it. Homer shows the audience through this episode that physical strength is not always what defines a Homeric hero. Mental strength can be equally significant in defeating your enemy. Odysseus uses the Cyclops' stupidity against himself. "It is not anyone's betrayal, not violence, that is causing me to die." The Cyclops is too busy managing his own drunkenness, so much so that he doesn't recognize that there's no way Ulysses' name could be "Nobody." Another thing is that the Cyclops is considered a savage. This is a joke played on a stupid person, by a smart person. The result is the defeat of the savage. Odysseus' defeat of the Cyclopes shows that sometimes intelligence works better than brawn. Homer provided several parallels between the characters in thisbook, like the parallels between Athena and Ulysses. Athena is Odysseus' mentor and represents wisdom. Wisdom is a gift given to Ulysses. Homer gave the Homeric hero the chance to show his wisdom, through his deceptions. Another supporting piece of evidence that shows Ulysses's deception skills is this passage: “My name is Nobody”. When the Cyclops asks for help, he is unable to receive any help, because Odysseus told him before that his name was "Nobody". Odysseus plays it smart by hiding his identity from the Cyclopes. However, the importance of this passage is that Odysseus is well aware of the fact that he cannot kill the Cyclops, because his men are stranded. Therefore, he turns the tables by taking advantage of the Cyclops' stupidity. Along with this there is an irony in the word “Nobody”. Ulysses is not a "Nobody". He really is someone. He is a significant hero in Greek mythology. The Greek word for no one is outis, which is interesting because it sounds similar to metis, which means wisdom, skill, and craft. Mentor is a word derived from the word metis. Athena is Odysseus' mentor. She herself is the Goddess of wisdom. And this gift of wisdom was delivered to him. It is thanks to his intelligence and wisdom that he is able to deceive and deceive others. In this passage we therefore capture the irony of the name “Nobody”. It's actually someone. He received metis (wisdom), from the two goddesses: Metis and Athena. They are both goddesses of intelligence and wisdom. Throughout the Odyssey, disguise plays an important role in why Odysseus returns home to Ithica. Disguise is not only used by Odysseus. Athena, the goddess, used disguise in the Odyssey to get closer to Telemachus as his father's old friend. Since the Gods and Goddesses hold the power of disguise and are able to deceive and deceive humans, this suggests that Odysseus is quite powerful in terms of deception. Odysseus is not a God, but he is blessed with the same powers as the Gods and Goddesses. This gift of his makes him comparable and equal to the Gods. Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar to gain the approval of the suitors. "Your health, my ancient friend!" he said. “You are going through a difficult time now; but to your happiness." Odysseus manages to receive the approval of the suitors, after defeating one of them. Through disguise, Ulysses manages to make the suitors do what he wants. This is the art of disguise and deception. Since Odysseus' long story about not being able to return to Ithica continues for about 4 chapters, the reader wonders what the point of the story was. At the end of the tale, Alcinous says: “I am sure that you will reach your home without further deviation from your course, even if you have suffered much.” Ulysses manages to conquer the Phaeacians. They sympathize with him by helping him reach home. Once again Odysseus makes use of his gift, making people do what he wishes. It may not have been done by deceiving anyone, but he still deceived the Phaeacians into helping him return home to Ithica. Another important factor is Ulysses' ability to make others appreciate the art behind his tales. If he hadn't managed to make them exciting and full of emotion, perhaps he would never have conquered the Phaeacians. Even though the Phaeacians already had the poet Demodocus to perform the songs, Ulysses seems to stand out. His stories revolve around him. He is the poet of his own stories and successfully uses lies in his storytelling. He certainly exaggerates: "Odysseus, you are one of those men whose spirit never tires and whose body never tires." He exaggerates by complimenting himself through his story. This makes him appear important in terms of a hero and a strong mind. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now..