Comparring Odysseus of Homer's Odyssey and Moses of the Bible
Heroes and their stories have been at the center of almost every culture throughout history. There are vast differences among these legends since they have to serve each particular culture's needs. The events, settings and other characters may change dramatically, but the hero is basically the same for all. And the understanding that the use of violence is always justified in the name of the `Gods'.
The universal hero is initially one of questionable moral standing. This person doesn't decide to be a hero, which is much different then deciding to be a leader; rather he is chosen by a greater force or entity to become one, perhaps a god. He performs the same three tasks: to fulfill a destiny handed down by divine inspiration, undertake a journey where great sacrifices are made on his part to overcome difficult obstacles; like Odysseus traveling home after the Trojan War or Moses leading his people out of Egypt. Finally, the mission is not complete until the message learned throughout is shared for the greater good of the people whom the hero represents. Ultimately, the measure of the hero's success is whether the legend stands the test of time.
ODYSSEUS AND MOSES: IMPERFECT HEROES
While Greek culture differs from Hebrew traditions and their respective mythologies vary greatly, their heroes are one in the same. Odysseus and Moses, as well as Jacob, represent archetypal heroes that could appear in any culture at any point in time. Our universal hero is not a perfect one; he commits a crime, lies, or does something of questionable moral action, or is this merely using his metis. Though married to ...
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...he confronted the Pharaoh and commanded his Jews, he slowly gained confidence in himself and his ability. This transformation was carried through to the end. Moses went from being a meek citizen to an authoritative leader of a whole people, responsible for setting up the structure of their new society. Likewise, Odysseus changed from restless adventurer to dependable statesman. Both went on an epic journey that transformed them from within.
Because of all the parallels between Odysseus and Moses, it is perhaps of little surprise that, in the final analysis, they both learned the same lesson. Even though the messengers were different, be it Athena, Hermes or a burning bush the message is all the same: and that is to listen to and obey the words of ones Gods. This is the message they both brought back for their people to live by.
Opposed to that of common thought, superman is not the only type of character that fits the heroic persona. Although “superheroes” typically come to mind when one thinks of a hero, there are many other ordinary people capable of extraordinary things. A hero is a person who takes the initiative to set out on a journey of internal growth. During this symbolic journey, one truly finds himself and betters the lives of other mentally and physically. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Odysseus takes the path of heroism, resulting in the reborn spirit of a selfless, modest hero. During the process, Odysseus is faced with many challenges that he must overcome in order to earn the noble title. Odysseus proves himself to be a well-deserving hero because he is intelligent with his decisions, he displays cleverness, and he rids himself of hubris.
Every culture has a hero. Every hero has a legend. Every legend meets that culture's particular needs. The events, settings, and other characters might be different, but the hero is basically the same for all. The universal hero is initially an immoral character, but after overcoming difficult obstacles, he/she eventually becomes a better person. Jacob and Odysseus are such heroes. Both share an obvious characteristic of deceitfulness, but both still have differences, although discreet. They become a hero because they've changed into a better human being.
Throughout The Odyssey man is continually being tested to determine his destiny. He is tested for loyalty, determination, and valor. Odysseus along with many other characters have to conquer these values to determine their destiny. For example Odysseus is tested for loyalty to Penelope while out at sea. Then tested for his determination to get home. At times he was doubtful, but he never gave up. And lastly he was tested for his valor. He fought many battles to get home. And in the end it all turned out how he wanted it because he has passed all of his tests for his destiny. His destiny was determined by him, he truly wanted to get home, and indeed he did.
the very beginning of the play the three witches are talking and the first witch
...teristics and literary devices. The general archetypical description of a hero follows an outline of a muscular figure and super abilities. Yet on the contrary, in myths, heroes may not possess any of those traits. Whether the so-called hero is learning their lesson, overcoming struggle or even descending into darkness, all heroes share some similar and almost identical characteristics. A vast majority of all mythological heroes share the same basic idea which, helps audiences identify whether or not the character is indeed a hero or not. From story to myth or fairytale to drama, the hero is one character who changes the plot entirely. Whether that hero may be saving a burning building, or discovering who they are themselves, our heroes all give us hopes and dreams that one day even our worth will be recognized by ourselves and others as our admirable hero’s are.
Gilgamesh and Odysseus are similar not only in their physical appearances but also in the way the two of them deal with life's dilemmas. Although Gilgamesh and Odysseus possess great strength and sharp minds, their own flaws blind them similarly, which does not aid in their quest for what they desire. As part of their heroic character, the gods must guide them in order to reach their goals. In every epic from antiquity, the greatest challenge a hero must overcome is not a monster or an evil tyrant but themselves. They wish to have glory, honor, and a place in history forever. Doing something that no one else could ever do again is what a hero desires to do. From Gilgamesh to The Odyssey, epic heroes constantly have to reinvent themselves to overcome their own weaknesses and shortcomings. Each has to learn from their previous mistakes, using the gods? help, so they can fulfill their dreams. In doing this, Odysseus and Gilgamesh will reach their goals.
In the story The Odyssey, Odysseus showed many traits. I believe the most important trait he showed was loyalty. He showed it in multiple situations. Odysseus showed loyalty when dealing with the sirens, the louts eaters, and the cyclops.
With the Odyssey, Odysseus learned a big lesson in humility. The greatest example of this is in the last five books or so within the story. He has to dress, act, and live like a beggar in order to regain everything he had lost. While he was a beggar, the suitors treated him horribly. Antinous, leader of the suitors, was the worst of them all. He was the first to mistreat Odysseus and planned to kill Telemachus. He was also the one that would abuse him physically and verbally for some time to come. Also, if that weren’t enough, he planned a boxing match for Odysseus to be in to watch him get beat up. All this was happening and the other suitors were most likely following their leader in whatever he was doing. Odysseus had to control himself the whole time this was happening. If he had lost his temper, the suitors would have killed him, his son, and most likely taken over the kingdom. That didn’t happen though. Odysseus learned self-control and humility. He may not be perfect at it, but going through all the humility made him a better man. Along the same topic, he was a king going through this humility. It would be one thing for a peasant to go through it, but a king? This made it even harder for Odysseus. He had rank above all the suitors and could rightly kick them out of his kingdom. Instead he waits for the right time and kills them all. The “pre-journey” Odysseus would of thought of himself invincible and probably would have died trying to get his kingdom back.
The book The Odyssey there are many lessons and challenges that Odysseus faces. The three main ones are The Cattle of the Sun God where he learns what goes around comes around, The Cyclops Polymorphus where he learns that he needs to be more humble his crew helped him fight the cyclops but because he screamed out that he Odysseus had defeated the cyclops Poseidon got him into a lot of trouble, and he learned that he should be careful of self serving kindness in the time he stayed with
Over their travels in the epic The Odyssey, both Odysseus’ and his son Telemachus’ adventures were parallel but at the same time different. These travels led them both to grow and change drastically, and both learned some very important life lessons over the course of this epic.
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.
As the play continues the supernatural is used more. Act 1 Scene 3 is Macbeth’s first meeting with the witches, and is also the first time the audience sees or experiences the witches’ supernatural abilities.
Odysseus alters the way one can embody the warrior ethic by fighting a metaphorical battle opposed to a literal battle. Unlike Gilgamesh, who fought only to create a legacy for himself, or Achilles who was motivated solely by rage, Odysseus is fighting for a notion of home and is motivated by his need to return to his family. His devotion to returning his homeland and his family adds a new level of intimacy to the values of kingship, and displays the importance of kingship to those who are ruled over.
To the world today, a hero is someone distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, or strength; but really, anyone can be a hero. A hero can vary from someone as well-known as George Washington to someone as unheard of as anyone’s very own mother. Someone who has done a good deed for someone else is hero. The biggest heroes are the ones in well-known books and plays, such as Odysseus from The Odyssey, or have made a huge difference in the history of this world, like Mahatma Gandhi. Siddhartha Gautama is a hero, but not in the same way Odysseus or Gandhi are. Although these three influential people went through different journeys in order to accomplish different things, they are all heroes in their own way and have been through the same cycle of the road of trials and crisis/salvation.
The literature of a culture is a reflection of its beliefs. This is true of its mythology. In a fantasy setting, the qualities that a society exalts in a protagonist, here the hero of the myth, can be fully manifested, without being restricted by reality. Although these qualities differ, the principle remains the same throughout these cultures. Despite the differences chronologically and geographically between India, ancient Greece, and modern America, their heroes are similar in their superhuman abilities and courageousness. As heroes, they find themselves obligated to save others who cannot save themselves. The burden of their heroic status is to take on challenges and defeat them.