An epic hero can be defined as a brave and noble character in an epic poem. This character is admired for their great achievements. This definition is an exact fit for the main character in The Odyssey written by the blind poet, Homer. Odysseus left Troy after ten years of fighting in the Trojan War. With a victory under his belt, he headed back to his homeland of Ithaca. This journey took another ten years. Throughout this 20 year journey, Odysseus survived and conquered. Odysseus showed that he was a hero though many things; such as, being brave and cunning, having guides, servants and lastly being a mortal that is called upon to make a journey. Odysseus can be described as creative, cunning, brave, and compassionate. Those are adjectives …show more content…
Odysseus had the help of a very important goddess, the goddess of wisdom. Athena was on Odysseus’ side to help him through the horror, god Poseidon was sending him through. This is a trait of a hero. Odysseus was also not alone because he had his faithful crew on his side. His crew was very loyal and humble to him. This proves that he was a great leader to this men and his country before he left. Odysseus was very honest and compassionate to his crew members. When he himself was the lone survivor, he weep for his lost brothers. He cared deeply about these men and risked his own life many times for them. That proves he was a hero because that take a special type of person to lay down one’s life for another. Another trait to prove that Odysseus was indeed a hero, would be that he had the god of all gods on his side, Zeus. Zeus was there to help the hero shoot an arrow through twelve ax handles. Odysseus was the only man successful and that was because he was under the watch of these two brilliant immortals. This is yet again another example of the heroism of …show more content…
Odysseus literally overcame going through hell and back. Going into hell causes a lot of physical stress but emotional stress came about him when he saw his mother there. He did not know she had died because he had been gone so long but did not react to this news like any other hero would have done. Scylla and Charybdis were sure to be the end of Odysseus and it very well should of been, but once again the hero used his quick actions and was spared. He still could have perished from these obstacles,however he saved himself from the destruction. A hero must also be called to go on a quest or journey. The day Odysseus heard the news that he had to go to war was supposed to be the greatest day of his life, the birth of his son. He had to leave at the moment his son was into the world because of an oath he vowed to keep. He did not want to go to war however. That is why it is said he was called on a journey. Being called on a journey is also a trait that makes him a hero. All of these traits mixed together help to form the heroism of
Odysseus has all the qualities made to be a true hero. Not only did Odysseus fight on behalf of the Greeks in Troy (Trojan War), but everything he went through he learned a valuable lesson at the end; Odysseus endured so much during his journey going back to Ithaca but he never gave up on any of his principles. He also had good escape strategies, and he risked his life to save others. Imagine you being on the same journey Odysseus went through, do you honestly believe you would have survived? He made some minor mistakes along the way but nobody’s perfect. That’s why Odysseus is a hero because, he’s strong, and intelligent and was able to get out of sticky situations.
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.
Odysseus attribute of being a hero was displayed through his wit and strength in overcoming the obstacles that were placed before him, but he wasn’t putting his companions safety first. He was solely fixed on going back to his family, even though his family was already safe in the city. He also cheated on his wife when he arrived on the island hosting Calypso, this weakens his heroic claim
He has learned that a man is not as strong as he wants to be; a man is only as strong as the gods want him to be. Without the help of the gods Odysseus would not be the truly heroic leader he has become. He embodies all that is an epic hero, and upon his return home to his palace in Ithaka and his victory over the suitors Odysseus is definitely a larger than life hero.
All of his heroic deed would have been in vain and no one would have even remembered him. He could not have fought the suitors and proved himself . The act of returning was always the ultimate goal for Odysseus and the temptations of happiness, beauty, immortality, and eternal youth were much harder for him to pass up every time he had to put his life on the line and fight an army or evade a monster. He could have given in to any of the temptations at any time and never had to endure the pain and strife that came from his homeward journey. Without his heroic resources to help him escape the temptations by battling his way out or using his wit to escape he holds on and endures and finally returns.
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.
Overall, Odysseus is a hero because Odysseus is a clever and intelligent man, he is a courageous soldier and leader, and he is loyal to his crew. He never gives up even though it seems like nothing will go right. Odysseus fights against difficult odds and takes unimaginable risks, but stays loyal to his crew one hundred percent of the way. Odysseus is not only a model hero, but he is an epic
Everyone has that one character, whether they are fictional or real, that they admire and adore because of their accomplishments throughout their life. The few men that are able to ascend past decades and become known for centuries as a hero are categorized as epic heroes. Epic heroes are able to truly transcend through time and are often times studied by the highest scholars in the world. The most notable hero who is often referred to is one of the world’s first ever heroes known ad Odysseus of Ithaca. His tale involved three main sequential parts. His first challenge was the war at Troy which pulled him away from home for ten years. Next was his ten year journey to get back home as he battled the gods and monsters of all kinds. His third wave was when he had returned home. Odysseus had to fight against the suitors that were plaguing his home to regain his crown. In
Odysseus confirms his role as a hero because he puts thought into all of his choices, he is quick-witted, and he frees himself of excessive self pride. From sacrificing six of his own men to surrendering his self pride to the gods, Odysseus accepts the noble title and proves himself deserving of being a hero. He took on a journey in which he grew into himself and rid himself of the one thing that held him back all along; his hubris. At the end of the journey, Odysseus went from being a selfish, cocky leader to being a selfless, modest hero.
Odysseus is an archetypal hero because he receives super-natural help from the gods. Athena the goddess of war stood by Odysseus throughout his whole journey home from Troy. For example, when Odysseus finally arrived in Ithaca and was informed about the suitors invading his home, Athena agreed to support him through his plan of destroying them. "Grey eyes ablaze, the goddess urged him on 'surely I'll stand beside you, not when the day arrives for us to do our work."(13.448-450). This proves that Odysseus is an archetypal hero because he has the help of Athena, the goddess of war. This makes Odysseus a hero because one of the traits of an archetypal hero is receiving super-natural help. Athena was always by Odysseus' side , and with her help he was able to reach Ithaca. For instance, Athena lead Odysseus to Telemachus so they would be able to come up with a plan to get rid of the suitors. "... Athena's inspiration spurred me here, now, ...
In “The Odyssey” by Homer, Odysseus is portrayed as a hero who got lost at sea along with his men on his way home to his island Ithaca from the Trojan War. On their journey home, they travel to many places and anger many beings including gods. Throughout this, Odysseus is seen as a great hero who is strong and intelligent but also arrogant and greedy. Many people view as a terrible hero because of these flaws, however, Odysseus is a great hero because of his intelligence and strength who can overcome any obstacle.
What qualities should a person have to be considered an epic hero?What does Odysseus reveal to be classified as an epic hero? Odysseus and his men set off on a voyage back home from the Trojan war. after some conflicts along the way, Odysseus and his crew came to an island that was home to Cyclops. Along the journey, Odysseus showed some great qualities such as being clever and flamboyant when in action.
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.
These heroic element expresses Odysseus as a hero for some people. The others may argue that Odysseus is not a hero because he lost crew members when he reached back home in Ithaca. But with the help of certain characteristics readers highly disregard that he lost all of them. Through the usage of craftiness, loyalty, and bravery, Homer depicts Odysseus as a true hero.
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.