I think the single most important event in the plot is that Odysseus is very arrogant and does not really care for the safety of his men. There are multiple times in the story where Odysseus puts his arrogance before the safety of his men. After just narrowly escaping the cyclops Polyphemus and I mean narrowly. Polyphemus stops the sheep that Odysseus is hiding under because he finds it odd that his prized sheep did not go out to graze first. Odysseus was so close to getting caught because he had to take the very best sheep for his escape because anything other than the best would not be fitting for the scion of Zeus. Then after almost being caught and Odysseus and his men are literally fleeing in terror on their ships Odysseus finds it prudent to insult the cyclops Polyphemus. Polyphemus is outraged by this and throws a giant rock he breaks off from a cliff into the water which causes Odysseus’ ship to beach itself on the shower. After getting his men to push off from the shore Odysseus once again thinks it’s a prudent time to insult the cyclops. Odysseus’ men even try to talk him out of throwing insults at the cyclops because they know no good can come of it but he does not stop on account of his big ego. Odysseus has no care for his men because he thinks he is invincible so he does as he pleases. He even gives the cyclops his name as he is leaving which prompts the cyclops to curse him and his men. Odysseus even mentions that this curse that the cyclops Polyphemus puts on him is the cause of the destruction of his ships and his men. The sheer arrogance of Odysseus in this story just turns him off as a hero for me. However, I do believe that Odysseus is no different from the other characters in Greek mythology that are completely self-absorbed and narcissistic.
Bibliography: This reading note covers Homer's Odyssey translated to English by Tony Kline
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