Argumentative Essay On What Makes Ulysses An Epic Hero

678 Words2 Pages

Argumentative Essay One of the most famous protagonists ever known, Ulysses is, indeed, a legendary warrior whose heroism shines in every way. Ulysses is a epic hero because he is wise and looks at the outcomes of his actions, is dedicated to pursue his goals, and will stop at nothing to get it, and is aware of everything around him thus, leading him to make careful decisions.

Ulysses’s heroism is hown in his wisdom and knowledge of outcomes. One example of this quality in the book is when Ulysses commands “no matter how I struggle, no matter what signals I make to you, do not release me, least I follow their voice to destruction, taking you with me” (87 Evslin). This makes Ulysses an epic hero because he is wise in the sense of giving his men precautions and is preparing for the worst outcome to possibly happen. It is also wise for Ulysses to warn and prepare his men for this, because knowing the importance of teamwork, Ulysses’s command requires dependance and effort from every crewmate. …show more content…

One example of this quality in the book is when Ulysses says “No my home is Ithaca. Penelope is my wife. Telemachos is my son. I have enemies. They live in my castle and steal my goods. They wish to kill my son and take my wife. I am king. I cannot tolerate insults. I must go home”(117 Evslin). This make Ulysses and epic hero because it’s a heroic quality to make admit your mistakes, and fix them. THe tone in which Ulysses says this is in a confident tone, and it infers that he will do something to stop this chaos. From this you can also infer that he is determined to go home, and won't be truly happy without accomplishing his

Show More
Related

  • Odysseus: The Antihero

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    Often through great literature, there is an epic hero. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the story of one man’s journey home from the Trojan War. The protagonist of the epic poem Odysseus is often regarded as a great hero. However, Odysseus is not quite the glorious soldier that people often see him as. Odysseus shows that he is an antihero through his pride, disloyalty, and bloodthirstiness.

    Read More

  • Epic Hero In The Movie 'O' Brother Where Art Thou

    163 Words  | 1 Pages

    An epic hero is an audacious or noble character, admired for great their achievements. In the movie O’ Brother Where Art Thou, main character Ulysses Everett McGill can be seen as an epic hero. First of all, in the movie O’ Brother Where Art Thou the plot of the movie revolves around Ulysses Everett McGill trying to get back home. In an epic, an epic hero goes through a long journey. In this case, Ulysses is trying to get back home to his family. Also, in the beginning of the movie Ulysses takes the lead with his two other men, showing that he is a natural leader. Being a natural leader is another trait of an epic hero, which is another trait Ulysses embodies. In conclusion, an epic hero is someone who is a courageous person, who is admired

    Read More

  • Homer's Odyssey: Woody As An Epic Hero

    741 Words  | 2 Pages

        An epic hero is character who is brave and noble, and that person is someone who carries good leadership traits and goes through an epic journey. Usually an epic hero is from an epic, and an example is Odysseus. Odysseus goes through a journey to return back to Ithaca, his homeland. In the modern era, there are epic heroes all around us. They can be in books, movies, or plays. One great example of a modern epic hero is Woody from Toy Story 3. He is confident, courageous,selfless,  and humane. Woody is a toy cowboy and his owner, Andy is going off to college. Woody and his buddies get misplaced and get donated to a child day care center. There, they have to try to escape and return home, after realizing how bad the place

    Read More

  • Odysseus: A True Hero

    1464 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.

    Read More

  • Odysseus: Epic Hero?

    671 Words  | 2 Pages

    The question has been raised as to whether or not Odysseus, the hero of Homers The Odyssey, is an epic hero. An epic Hero portrays many classic properties, including being very strong and courageous. Odysseus is an epic hero, because he portrays many of these and other traits, such as having a goal that is foremost in his mind, and having descended into the underworld.

    Read More

  • Odysseus The Hero

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    For a character to be an epic hero, he must possess four characteristics. These four characteristics include the following: (1) he must be high born, (2) the hero must have human weaknesses, (3) he must be brave,and 4) he must be clever. In The Odyssey, Homer’s character Odysseus was an epic hero because he possessed all four of the characteristics.

    Read More

  • Odysseus is an Epic Hero

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    People are heroes in different ways for different reasons. American soldiers are heroes because they fight boldly for their country. Corrie Ten Boom is also a hero because she took risks and saved hundreds of Jews. Abraham Lincoln is another example of a hero because he fought for what he thought was right and helped free all slaves. Similarly, Odysseus, the main character in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, possesses all of these characteristics and many more, making him a true epic hero.

    Read More

  • Odysseus: Not A Hero

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    The main character of the Odyssey, Odysseus the King of Ithaca is given a complex personality to an extent where it is hard to identify whether he is a true hero or not. True heroism is only achieved when a person achieves certain qualities that portray heroism. Odysseus is not a hero based on the standards of merciful, selfless, and gentle because of his actions of sacrificing his men, killing the suitors and being ruthless throughout the Odyssey. Along with many others qualities these three are helpful and necessary in a hero. A hero must be willing to do service for others and put the needs of others safety and protection before his own. Odysseus does not even come close to matching these qualities because he is a person, who only serves of himself, and he sacrifices his allies to achieve his goals and often he takes action ruthlessly.

    Read More

  • The Heroism of Odysseus

    2356 Words  | 5 Pages

    The idea of a true hero is varied from person to person, because each viewpoint has a different idea of the personality that makes one a hero. There have been many fiction and non-fiction heroes that show different character traits, which influence people’s definitions of a hero. However, each person’s unique thought about a hero still focuses about one central idea: a hero must prove himself in order to earn his heroic status. This is the cornerstone of all the opinions about heroes because heroes have to show their heroism in order to become who they are in the end. At the beginning they are inexperienced, ordinary people who go on their adventures, and face their fears and weaknesses, but they develop greatly throughout these journeys. After comprehending what true heroism is and following it only then will they become heroes even though each of them has different traits. In the epic poem The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus gains the title of hero during his journey back to Ithaka, from Troy, by proving to be one. It is through his characteristics and experiences that he becomes the well developed man at the end of the book. In truth, because of his confidence, loyalty, and difficult struggles, Odysseus becomes a genuine hero to the people he defended.

    Read More

  • Odysseus: an Epic Hero

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    Picture this: a hero of great legends who travels to the underworld and back to get directions to his home from a blind prophet. It sounds like quite an impossible journey, but that is exactly what makes Odysseus all the more fascinating. The Odyssey, an epic poem orally transmitted by Homer, a Greek poet who wrote The Iliad, had to contain some variety of attributes that Greeks valued in a person. That one embodiment of what the Greeks found intriguing in a character is Odysseus. Odysseus is known as what is called an epic hero. An epic hero is a protagonist of a story that represents the most important attributes of a civilization. Odysseus, being based in ancient Greece, is the embodiment of intelligence, loyalty, and strength.

    Read More

  • Hercules

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hercules the great hero and the son of the great god Zeus, was the most famous of all the Greek mythological heroes. Hercules was known for his strength, bravery, and adventuresome personality. Hercules like most heroes had a god as their father, and he had a mortal mother named Alcmene. Hercules like most heroes was not an ordinary mortal and a good example was his superhuman strength.

    Read More

  • Arrogance In The Odyssey

    351 Words  | 1 Pages

    All in all Odysseus ultimately displays the criteria for an epic hero. Not only that, but Odysseus also doubles as a leader and chief of an army. Odysseus is cunning, confident, and a fighter. Odysseus may be arrogant but he sure has a reason to be. Without Odysseus The Odyssey would no longer be an epic without it’s epic

    Read More

  • Hector as the True Hero of Homer’s Iliad

    2380 Words  | 5 Pages

    Stanford, W. B. The Ulysses Theme: A Study in the Adaptability of a Traditional Hero. Dallas, TX: Spring Publications, 1992.

    Read More

  • Achilles; the True Hero of the Iliad

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    In literature, there are two types of heroes, epic and tragic. An epic hero reflects their society’s values, immortalized in the eyes of their people, and shows courage in the face of adverse situations. Achilles is an epic hero because he embodied the honor that was so highly regarded in Greek society, chose to die early in battle and be remembered gloriously rather than living a long anonymous life in his homeland of Pthia, and avenged Patroclus’s death.

    Read More

  • Ulysses by Alfred Tennyson

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    'Ulysses' is both a lament and an inspiring poem. Even modern readers who are not so familiar with the classics, can visualize the heroic legend of Ulysses, and so is not prepared for what he finds in the poem— not Ulysses the hero but Ulysses the man.

    Read More

More about Argumentative Essay On What Makes Ulysses An Epic Hero

Open Document