How Odysseus would regard the Utopian society if he were to live in it for a year is an opinion question, but there is evidence that points to a thesis that Odysseus would thrive in Thomas More’s hypothetical world and that he would be discontent in such a place.

One could say that Odysseus would get along in More’s Utopia by claiming that his suffering helps him relate to a diverse community. In More’s realm, the oppressed are arguably taken care of, since the society focuses on sharing resources instead of individual wealth. Odysseus has had to figure out how to live without possessions and survive war, spells, and monsters. To do so, he needed people to assist him, like Athena and Eumaeus. Odyessus’s ability to connect with goddesses and people from all walks of life makes it possible to claim he would do fine in a place that claims to be about equality and the overall good.

At the same time, one could support the thesis that Odysseus wouldn’t be content in More’s Utopia because he is a warrior and a king. Odysseus destroys, schemes, and kills, and he revels in the appellation “sacker of cities.” Odysseus is a singular individual, and his heroic persona might make it hard for him to fit in with Utopia, where people should avoid war, abide by common laws, and put society above self-interest.