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Definition and characteristics of epic hero
Definition and characteristics of epic hero
Definition and characteristics of epic hero
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Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, “The greatest obstacle to being heroic is the doubt whether one may not be going to prove one's self a fool; the truest heroism is to resist the doubt; and the profoundest wisdom, to know when it ought to be resisted, and when it be obeyed”. The book, The Odyssey, written by Homer, explains about a man named Odysseus and his ten year journey home from the Trojan War. During his journey, he encounters new challenges such as battling mythical creatures and surviving the situations the gods and goddesses create. However in the end, he must prove himself worthy to the people of Ithaca and to his family. Considering this, Homer represents Odysseus as an epic hero multiple times. The author uses the element, leadership to develop Odysseus for his noble deeds. The author also describes him as being glorified, or worshipped by others. Therefore, Odysseus truly is an epic hero because of the descriptions Homer uses to describe Odysseus’s strategic acts in times of need and the growing inspiration everyone has for him. Homer demonstrates leadership through the epic hero character Odysseus by illustrating his courageous and brave traits on difficult situations. As Odysseus and his crew were facing the sirens, Odysseus …show more content…
Epic heroes do not always have to be a good guy from the start; it’s the choices they make that matter. This was perfectly exampled through Homer’s character, Odysseus. However, it was not easy reaching the goal like when Odysseus was trying to reach home. He knew the dangers he may face and the consequences that go with it, but he continued because of the importance of him being there. And with that, he passed these obstacles with the same motivation every time. Looking back at Odysseus’s expedition over the years, he did not only build a legacy, but defined the true meaning of being an epic
Often through great literature, there is an epic hero. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the journey of one man’s journey home from the Trojan War. The protagonist of the epic poem Odysseus is often regarded as a great hero. However, Odysseus is not quite the glorious soldier that people often see him as. Odysseus shows that he is an antihero through his pride, disloyalty, and bloodthirstiness.
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.
Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.
Have you ever thought, are modern day heroes similar to odysseus? Some modern day heroes are similar to odysseus and some are not similar. A modern hero like Iron Man is very smart and protects his men just like odysseus. A modern hero like the Hulk he is not similar just because he doesn’t think before he does. Iron Man is similar to odysseus.
Is Odysseus, the main character of Homer’s The Odyssey, really an epic hero? An epic hero embodies several heroic traits such as; having superior or super-human strength; being intellectual and courageous; and being a strong and responsible leader. An epic hero struggles and is overwhelmed with difficulties. An epic hero is on a quest of self discovery, war or some sort of goal. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is on a quest to return home to Ithaca after ten years of war in Troy. Odysseus, during his quest, is forced to venture through a merciless Cyclops, angered Gods, deeply obstinate Goddesses, the underworld, and determined suitors that are after his wife Penelope. Odysseus surmounts over these obstacles and returns home safely with courage, intelligence, superior strength, brave leadership, and also performs brave deeds.
The first characteristic that makes Odysseus an epic hero is that he answers a call to action. Odysseus answers two calls to action in The Odyssey. His first call is to go to Troy with Agamemnon and rescue Helen even though his son Telemachus has just been born and his wife Penelope doesn't want him to go. Odysseus does not have much of a choice due to the promise he and the other men made when Agamemnon won Helen's hand in marriage. Odysseus' second call to action is to get home to his family after the war in Troy despite all of his confrontations on his journey home. Odysseus does not give in to temptation and not return home, he continues on his journey so he can reclaim his wife and island.
Often through great literature, there is an epic hero. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the journey of one man’s journey home from the Trojan War. The protagonist of the epic poem Odysseus is often regarded as a great hero. However, Odysseus is not quite the glorious soldier that people often see him as. Odysseus disproves his title of a hero through his pride, his disloyalty, and his bloodthirstiness.
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.
Odysseus obviously presents these traits in the way that he is able to escape and defeat Polyphemus. His crew looks up to him as an honorable leader and trusts him with their lives, and he feels the same way toward them. Homer constructs a perfect example of a strong protagonist and Odysseus’ cleverness of his little scheme evidently creates a feeling of success and accomplishment for him and his crew. This is only one example of many different occasions that Odysseus is rightfully claimed an epic hero. A similar condition arises when Odysseus has to block out the song of the Sirens, a threat to sailors, when he and his crew pass by their island. He urges his crew to “tie me up, tight as a splint, erect along the mast, lashed to the mast, and if I shout and beg to be untied, take more turns of the rope to muffle me” (lines 695-698). True heroism is displayed in this scene by the way that Odysseus is able to sacrifice his strength or sanity and trust his crew in order to fulfill their goal of passing the Sirens. Through Odysseus’ achievements, Homer forms an incredible epic hero that is able to draw the plot of the
In a hero’s quest a character has to be introduced to pain and suffering and leave a comforting environment in order to gain growth. In The Odyssey, the enticing poem written by the Ancient Greek Poet Homer, Odysseus must take a leap of faith to reach the land of Ithaca by stopping at various lands. Arthur Dent, the protagonist in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, has an identical experience. As Odysseus takes risks to reach his overall goal, Arthur must travel across the galaxy with his friend Ford perfect to find a new home. Being introduced to a uncanny world is a great example of what can happen when you get out of your comfort zone and what you can learn from new struggles. As odysseus has learned, These new struggles
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.
In homer's Odyssey the main character Odysseus is a person who only tries to help himself. Although he earns the trust of his men while in Troy, he loses it on his perilous journey home. Many times in the epic he manipulates others, commits foolish acts and is full of hubris. He tries to take shortcuts and as a result of this is men are killed and his boats destroyed. He plays with the lives of his men and he is punished for it. Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness.
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.
Homer’s literature served as a moral messenger to the people of ancient Greece. The Odyssey by Homer demonstrates the character development of Odysseus, the epic hero, and his journey of self-discovery. Odysseus was a great, wise, noble, and well respected war hero to his people. Odysseus had one tragic flaw that was demonstrated by his actions throughout the book. The author Homer continued to strip Odysseus of his arrogance throughout the story, by throwing challenges his way, making him pay for his mistakes, and allowing him to continue to overcome obstacles. The main purpose of Odysseus journey also to reach his home a more humble man. Reading Odysseus’ journey also served as a way to look at morals. The