A Hero: Odysseus: The Hero

Odysseus: The Hero

Felix Adler, a hero himself who led political and social ethics, explains that the “hero is one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by.” The Odyssey is a series of epic poems written by Homer depicting the fearless adventures of Odysseus as he struggles to return back home from Troy. Many even believe him to be dead, yet he manages to overcome obstacles to go back to Ithaca, his home. The tale is spun around a Greek hero who exhibits all of the characteristics the Greeks hope to emulate. In The Odyssey, Odysseus proves himself to be a noble hero because he is valiant, shrewd, and altruistic. Odysseus is worthy of being named a legendary figure by

When a dire situation comes up, such as struggling to escape from a Cyclops, Odysseus is ready with a solution. He goes through the process of his clever thinking by “[drawing] on all [of his] wits, and ran through tactics,/ reasoning as a man will for dear life,/ until a trick came ― and it pleased [him] well” (9.332-334). Odysseus knows that the scenario can mean life or death to him, and his quick wit helps him and the rest of his crew to survive. Odysseus running through a list of tactics proves that he has an idea of what may or may not work, hence proving his intelligence. He has all sorts of tricks up his sleeve that are competent enough to make himself proud and also to win the favor of Athena. In addition, Odysseus has wisdom to take Circe’s advice on how to confront the Sirens. Odysseus “carved/ a massive cake of beeswax into bits/ and rolled them into [his] hands until they softened/ … [he] carried wax along the line, and laid it/ thick on their ears” (12.111-113, 116-117). Odysseus is wise to follow Circe’s advice and is thus able to pass by the Sirens without causing any trouble. He makes another plan of putting beeswax into his own ears and tying himself to a post so that he would be able to listen to the alluring voices of the Sirens. If he had not tied himself or instructed the rest of his crew to never untie him, he may have ended up dead on the shores where the Sirens live.

His sacrificial nature is truly exhibited when escaping from the Cyclops. In the adventure of the Cyclops, “three abreast/ [Odysseus] tied them silently together [under the rams] … / then slung a man under each middle one/ to ride there safely, shielded left and right” (9.337-340). This scenario captures the act of Odysseus making sure that his peers are safely secured. Instead of concerning his own safety is ensured by tying himself, he helps his comrades first. Hence, Odysseus values the lives of his crew members more than his own. Furthermore, when Odysseus returns to his palace after 20 years, he exhibits more concern and caring. When he finds out that his dog, Argos, has been treated poorly, he “[looks] away,/ wiping a salt tear from his cheek” (17.18-19). In this ease, the dog represents all the people who are neglected in Odysseus’ absence since they lack a proper master. This further proves his heroic side of feeling empathy because Odysseus understands what pain the dog must have gone through. Argos would not have been treated like this if Odysseus was not absent, so he becomes guilty as well. Therefore, a hero must be sacrificial in order to understand others’ situations and extricate them from danger. In conclusion, Odysseus is considered a heroic figure because of his bravery, cleverness, and selflessness. Not many people in the world can possibly exhibit