Odysseus Did Not Seem To Worry About Death Too Much

Odysseus did not seem to worry about death too much. This should be evident through all the battles he fought in and how he fearlessly leapt right into very dangerous scenarios. By the time Odysseus reached Ogygia he had lost his ships and all his companions had been killed (Homer 435-436), so he was clearly good at escaping death. Once Kalypso, the goddess who lived on the island, fell in love with him, Odysseus seemed to completely lose hope. For seven years he was miserable, but he “still longed to return to his home and wife” (291). One of the greatest displays that Odysseus gives to show his most true character is when he refuses Kalypso’s offer of immortality and eternal youth. Why? Because all he wants is to go home and that was all he wanted for a very long time. He was not afraid of death and had no desire for immortality.
Since he was godlike and part divine, the thought of death probably never crossed his mind. That is, not until the death of his friend, more like a brother, Enkidu (various authors 91). Anyone knows what it is like to lose a loved one and how hard it can be. The whole idea of death and loss hit Gilgamesh suddenly. He realized that if Enkidu could die, he could as well; he even says “shall I not die too? Am I not like Enkidu?... I have grown afraid of death” (93). With this in mind he goes on a quest to find a way to overcome death. Later in his journey, after some trial and error, he meets with Utanapshtin who gives him a plant that will supposedly bring back his youth. A snake steals his plant and eventually Gilgamesh returns to his homeland, Uruk. He learns that he cannot have immortally and comes to terms with the fact that death is just a part of