Homer's Odyssey is a testament to how Homer believes people should behave in society. His characters are rewarded when they behave ideally and are punished when they do not adhere to certain behavioral codes. One of the social gestures Homer addresses is that of self-identification, the act of naming oneself. When Odysseus names himself Polyphemus, he does so with arrogance, contempt, cruelty and without respect for the gods. Poseidon, enraged by Odysseus' poor judgment, destroys his ship and kills his crew. However, when Odysseus appoints Alcinous king, he does so with modesty, patience, kindness, and divine respect. King Alcinous sympathizes with Odysseus and provides him with a new ship in which to return home. When Athena names herself Ulysses, she does so with vainglory and yet with impunity. Homer's message is simple: There is a right and a wrong way for self-identification among mortals. When Odysseus names himself with respect to virtue, as in the case of King Alcinous, he is rewarded. When he ignores virtue, as in the case of Polyphemus, he is punished. Athena, on the other hand, who violates this social code, can do so because she is a Goddess. His case reveals that Gods are not held to the same standards as mortals and therefore need not be modest. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Chronologically, the first example of self-identification in Odysseus' journey occurs with Odysseus naming himself Polyphemus, the giant Cyclops. Having already stabbed Polyphemus in the eye and taking off on his ship, Odysseus has achieved his goal of getting to safety. However, he cries to the shore: "If any man on the face of the earth should ask you / who has blinded you, made you so ashamed --- say Ulysses, / city robber, has put out your eye" (9.559-561) ). In this incident, Odysseus names himself to taunt the Cyclops and shed light on his own triumph. This is the wrong way to name yourself according to Homer. Odysseus' behavior is illogical because by revealing his name, he is actually taking the first step to help his enemy seek revenge. Now that Polyphemus knows the name of his attacker, he can tell his father, who happens to be Poseidon, the god of the sea, to punish Odysseus; Poseidon obeys. When Ulysses lands on the Phaeacian coast, he is alone, his men are dead and he has no ship. Later, when he tells his story to King Alcinous, he laments his mistake: "So stubborn---why? Why irritate the beast again?" (9.550)2E Here Homer is showing that self-identification should not be done for vainglorious self-glorification. In this display of arrogance, Odysseus pays no attention to modesty and suffers tragic consequences. As if humbled by his tragic journey, Odysseus displays the right form of self-identification when he washes himself on the shore of the Phaeacians. The king, Alcinous, welcomes the depressed Odysseus into his home and implores him to tell his story. Although Ulysses' greatest desire is to return to Ithaca and his family, from where he has been away for over ten years, he agrees to explain his situation. It begins: "If I can escape the fateful day, I will be your guest / Your sworn friend, though my home is far from here. / I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, known to the world / For every kind of trade - -my fame has reached the heavens" (9.19-22). Although Ulysses links his name to his world-famous achievements, this is not a case of vainglorious self-glorification. What he's really saying is that despite all the fame and humble glory he's supposedly achieved, he's still unhappy. This is the right form of identification because first of all Ulysses shows the virtue of.