Heroism In The Odyssey And The Hobbit, By J. R.

Heroism: Then and Now The saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” should give people motivation to continue on and face their problems. If you’re hurt at one point, but not killed, that shouldn’t stop you from moving forward. On the other hand, some people fear death, and they do everything to avoid being killed or hurt on their way to success. The different meanings of this saying are shown in The Odyssey by Homer and The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. The Odyssey is about the Greek hero Odysseus who hasn't returned to his home, Ithaca, for several years after the Trojan War. As Odysseus is determined to return back to Ithaca, he faces several obstacles throughout the years. As Odysseus faces his problems, such as monsters, he

Odysseus from The Odyssey shows that honor is what most heroes valued. Odysseus returns from home and sees the hundred suitors competing to win his wife Penelope. He plans to kill them all along with his son Telemachus. One of the suitors, Eurymachus, apologizes and offers him wine, meat, oxen, bronze, and gold. However, Odysseus says “ ‘Not for the whole treasure of your fathers...would I hold my hand’ ” (22.61-63). This shows honor because he refuses many valuable treasures. In addition, he risks his life by going against a hundred suitors and is implacable in his choice to kill them all. During his journey, he resists many appealing women that tempt him to stay in the name of honor and for his family. Therefore, this shows that Odysseus is honorable, and he can consequently be an example of how older heroes possessed honor. Furthermore, earlier heroes also held bravery as a trait. [Jeffrey

From escaping the cyclops to getting lost at sea and coming home to seeing the non-expected, he still managed to survive his hell on earth. One of his most powerful moment that shows how really brave odyssey is, is when his men were turned into pigs by the goddess Circe. Eurylochus who managed to escape goes and tells Odysseus what Circe had done. Odysseus then tells Eurylochus that he will go and save them, but Eurylochus warned him that no one returns alive. Eurylochus also,“.... Begs him [Odysseus] to sail away from Circe’s island.” ( 10.46-48) Odysseus being the courageous man he is went “ Against this advice” and “... Rushes to save this men from the enchantress” ( 10.46-48). Within these line odysseus shows how honorable he is to his men. Knowing the risk, Odysseus still chooses to risk his life to save his men rather than just leaving them for dead. His bravery is why his men honor him. Through all the danger they went through, his men never left Odysseus’s side and Odysseus never left theirs, which is a very good example of what being honorable is. Odysseus reveals that bravery is a powerful characteristic of a hero, because people will honor you for your bravery. [Zehaa