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The odyssey homeric heroism
The odyssey homeric heroism
Heroism in the Odyssey
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Odysseus is supposed to be the epitome of a pure hero yet the flaws he possess’s are greater than the virtues of which make him a pure hero. Desmond Doss is valiant war hero who possess’s a modicum of flaws. They are both hero’s in there own right. These hero’s were not the kind of man to leave a brother in battle behind. In other words Every hero has flaws because that’s what makes them human. In the end it does not matter if they are a villain or hero they are human in nature. Odysseus is the archetype of a pure hero in the mono myth the odyssey. He is the king of Ithaca with Penelope at his side. He left his wife and son for forty years due to leaving to fight in the Trojan War. He was a great warrior and general yet not the best father. …show more content…
It was head turning to see the number of virtues and vices were almost equal. His virtues were shown through his intelligence, bravery, self-control, loyalty, and determination. His vices on the other hand are shown through his failures. He lets his pride, arrogance, ego, unfocused ways, narcissistic, and conformational. The virtues he had did not outweigh such distinguishable vices. His pride was a common subject that got in the way of his travels back to Ithaca. He let his pride control him like most human beings yet he was supposed to be godlike pure hero who does not posses flaws. The vices are controlling his every move. His pride over takes his intelligence and self-control. This causes his …show more content…
He is more of what could be called a mortal hero rather than a pure hero. Odysseus was a brave and intelligent man who just wanted to return home and get just wanted to get his crew back to there families. He was a worthy adversary to many in the Trojan War. He was not the best father as he was not there for Telemachus and took him for granted when he got back to Ithaca. He let his jealousy control him when killing Penelope’s suitors. He was not wise in how he did it. He killed the suitors without a second thought. They did not believe he was Odysseus but instead charge at him in anger. The suitors were angry at the fact they would not be king or have Penelope to themselves. This situation would go bad either way. Odysseus is a great man but not a pure hero. Desmond Doss was known to most as a conscientious cooperator. He was called this for refusing to take up a gun in battle. He did this due to his beliefs as Seventh Day Adventists. In this time it was not something most people did for there faith. He was a firm believer in his faith and followed it word for word. He is a man of sacrifice whether it be for his faith or fellow man. He almost never did anything for himself. He was selfless in the majority of his actions. The call to action in his own journey begins in volunteering to join the
As seen throughout The Odyssey, a hero is perceived as a person who achieves great success never before seen and whose legacy lives beyond their years. Since The Odyssey was written around the eighth century BCE, the people that we view as heros in present day tend to embody different traits than the heroes of that time. Even though the word, “hero” does not have one specific definition, a hero is generally categorized as someone who is idolized for their bravery and does anything necessary to defend their people. Although Odysseus embodies the Homeric ideals of heroism in that he accomplishes triumphs that others have not, his successes are the product of divine intervention and his actions were primarily selfish; therefore, he is not a true
The majority of those who read The Odyssey consider the protagonist of the story, Odysseus, a hero. On many occasions, however, Odysseus makes decisions beneficial to himself alone. For example, when Odysseus and his men find themselves on Polyphemus's island, Odysseus's actions are self-centered and at the expense of his men. This can be said for most of Odysseus's actions in the story, as his main objective is to reach his home. Having his men by his side when he returns seems a trivial thing to him. Odysseus could be considered a hero, but many of his actions say otherwise. Due to the many unfaithful and self-centered decisions he makes in the story, Odysseus is not a hero.
Odysseus is an epic hero but at the same time he is also human. For example, he is cunning and heroic but he gives into temptation and is overly curious which gets him into trouble. Odysseus remained emotionally to Penelope so he needs a partner that is also faithful. Odysseus gives into the temptation of revenge when he rids of the suitors that were in his home.
There are numerous heroes throughout “The Odyssey,” but none of them are as significant as Odysseus. “The Odyssey” is a narrative poem written by Homer (around 800 and 600 BCE) to show the numerous adventures and experiences Odysseus goes through. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus a prominent Greek epic hero is on a quest to return back to his home in Ithaca; to his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachus. Just like real life, not all heroes are picture-perfect; they all have imperfections. In this case, Odysseus is sometimes insolent, and discourteous; but he is still considered an epic hero because of the many heroic qualities he endures. Odysseus proves himself to be an outstanding hero in various ways such as showing loyalty, intelligence, bravery, strength, and courage which are all some of the most momentous qualities found in a hero. If a true hero can prove they are a true hero, makes them a true hero.
...s throne. Odysseus, even today, is considered a modern day hero; the adventures he experienced on his way to Ithaca were portrayed in unlike any other literature piece. However, like most heroes, Odysseus’ flaw was his hubristic attitude towards the gods, particularly in the beginning of Homer’s Odyssey. Some actions, especially against Poseidon, caused his trip to be delayed, but he eventually made it home, and will forever be with Penelope, like it was meant to be since the beginning, for the gods spared his life despite his acts of hubris.
Odysseus’ character , as seen in the Iliad, is much like that of a Homeric hero. A hero in Homer’s world entails many attributes other than physical strength including, but not limited to, courage, honor, respect, intelligence, and good morals. Throughout The Odyssey, some of these character traits are illustrated, and some are slightly changed.
A hero accepts who he is as an individual, but strives to change himself for the better. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, the main character Odysseus is a valiant king who embarks on a life-changing voyage. While traveling from Troy back to his home in Ithaka, King Odysseus overcomes daunting obstacles, and in doing so discovers his place in the world. Odysseus is truly a heroic figure because he demonstrates courage, improves his character, and wins the support of the gods.
Odysseus: a hero in every way. He is a real man, skilled in the sports, handy with a sword and spear, and a master of war strategy. Most of the challenges and adventures in his return voyage from Troy show us this even if we had no idea of his great heroic stature and accomplishments in the Trojan war. I found in my reading of the Odyssey that most of the trials the gods place upon him are readily faced with heroic means. These challenges are not
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
Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness. Although he may be considered a war hero, Odysseus is not a hero in other respects. This is so because he is self-centered which is clear because he doesn't value other people's lives. He also is foolish risking the lives of his crew members for unnecessary reasons. He also outright disrespects the Gods at more than one point in the epic. As well, he lacks the loyalty of a true hero as shown by his affairs with other women even though his wife remained faithful. A hero is someone who does something for other people out of the goodness of his heart, Odysseus clearly is not this.
Odysseus, during his long journey, exhibited many heroic qualities including bravery, strength, and determination. He was determined to return to his family after hs journey, and he bravely fought to stay alive during the cyclope situation, as well as other situations, and showed strength by being able to battle the cyclopes in self-defense. However, Odysseus was also obnoxiously arrogant about his victory and was actually very selfish throughout his entire story; he almost did not leave his town to help with the war because he did not want to leave to protect his family. Although Odysseus exemplified heroic qualities, this does not make him a true hero.
...lusion, Odysseus makes ethical decisions to benefit others, overcomes adversity with vast amounts of courage, and illustrates humility by relinquishing his hubris to rightfully earn the title of hero. Whether Odysseus has to be unfaithful to his lover or saving lives by stuffing ears with wax, he never forgets that others’ lives are at stake and sparing them are of paramount importance. Also, the hero expresses a radiant sense of confidence that reflect in others whether physically, mentally, or spiritually. Finally, the hero abandons his bravado in order to find his role in the universe, under the power of the gods. Though he has made several mistakes in the past dealing with his cosmic hubris, he has apologized for his mistakes by showing piety in the gods that tower over him. Overall, Odysseus, through his many actions, has rightfully earned the title hero.
Odysseus portrays himself as anything but a hero throughout Homer’s The Odyssey. Odysseus goes through his life believing he is the best. He has no regard for anyone’s feelings but his own, and he believes nothing and no one can harm him, not even the gods. Odysseus feels he is always the leader and no one can tell him otherwise. Odysseus should not be considered a hero because he portrays himself as a selfish man that failed his crew, and is controlled by his hubris.
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.
In conclusion, Odysseus displays the good and heroic characteristics of cleverness, bravery and strength throughout his actions in response to the challenges he faced in The Odyssey. Like any great heroes in literature, Odysseus does have some character flaws, such as pride and violence. But his good characteristics makes him a hero to root for and agree with, despite any flaws that he has.