As Debi Mazar said, “A hero is somebody who is selfless, who is generous in spirit, who just tries to give back as much as possible and help people. A hero to me is someone who saves people and who really deeply cares.” Homer, in the epic poem The Odyssey, explains Odysseus’s actions on his journey home, to where he defeats the suitors that dwell in his house, using his worldly possessions and trying to court his wife. Homer develops his explanation through Odysseus’s narration of his journey of fighting against a Cyclops, angering a deathless god, escaping a land of giants, and being trapped by a powerful goddess among other fated incidents. The author’s purpose is to show how Odysseus overcomes the life-risking situations on his journey …show more content…
But I alone anchored my black ship outside, well clear of the harbor’s jaws...they speared the crew like fish...but while they killed them off in the harbour depths I pulled the sword from beside my ship and I hacked away at the ropes that moored my blue-prowed ship of war and shouted rapid orders at my shipmate...but the rest went down en mass. Our squadron sank.” (Homer, 23). When they land on Laestrygonian land, Odysseus already has his own plans. He parks his ship in a way that would make it easier for him and the small crew on board with him to get away if needed. While the giants killed off his shipmates, Odysseus doesn’t help any of them . He escapes with the small crew he has. Odysseus sailed off leaving a huge portion of his crew to die. They later end up on Circe’s island, where his men get turned into swine and he makes a deal with Circe. Despite the fact that his comrades consistently begged him to go home, Odysseus stayed at Circe’s island for a year. “It’s time to help me home. My heart longs to be home, my comrades’ hearts as well. They wear me down, pleading with me whenever you’re away,” (Homer, 27). The intent of the trip was to go home, but his “stubborn spirit” caused them to remain there for …show more content…
“Those men who court your wife and waste your goods? I have a feeling some will splatter your ample floors with all their blood and brains” (Homer, 40). Odysseus does eventually kill some of the suitors that tried to court his wife and use all his worldly possessions. It was rather a cruel punishment, considering the fact that they were unaware that he was even alive. He was not saving or helping anyone by mass murdering the suitors. Odysseus then takes to ridding of the woman servants that the suitors had. “When you have thoroughly cleansed the whole hall, take the women outside and run them through with your swords till they are dead...I shall not let these women die a clean death, for they have acted as sluts sleeping with evil suitors disrespecting my house,” (Homer, 53). Odysseus thinks that the character of women is defined by who they sleep with and therefore should be punished. The women servants haven’t done anything particularly wrong and Odysseus is allowing them to be killed out of spite. A hero wouldn’t let anyone die on
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.
Once Odysseus has served enough time in a place against his will, he would be determined to leave that place. Odysseus’ journey towards home was now going to be able to be finished. For seven years Calypso held him prisoner on the island of Ogygia and he was determined to leave and see to the rest of his journey. Calypso agrees to let him go and she gives Odysseus some advice and guidance saying, "Only I will not aid [you] on [your] way, for I have no ships fitted with oars, nor crews to bear [you] over the broad oceanridges; but I will freely give [you] counsel and not hide how [you] may come unharmed to [your] own native land"(47). Calypso recognizes Odysseus’ greatness. Calypso says she will give some advice, but Odysseus will have to prove his greatness by making his own ship and understand how he will make it home.
A true hero will go through immeasurable lengths to benefit not him or herself, but the people around them. Heroes are neither selfish nor uncaring. They seek every opportunity they get to help those in need. One must have also gone through the entire hero’s journey to be deemed a hero. He must start off naïve and inept and through his challenges, transform into someone worth calling a hero. Most importantly, a hero is not perfect. He must listen to other’s ideas and utilize them. However, in The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus disrespects his crew men and the gods’ advice, lets hubris interfere with his men’s lives, and is unfaithful to his wife Penelope.
In Odysseus's mind he has very good reasons to kill the suitors. He decided to kill them when he found out that they wanted to marry his wife. The suitors has all assumed that he was dead, for 20 years. As a result they tried to marry his wife. Penelope also believed that he was still alive and she tried to delay any marriages. Odysseus's idea to kill them all is not very logical especially because while he was away on his 20 year expedition he cheated on his wife two times. Odysseus actions were very rash. The reader can see this when Eurymachus says, “Rash actions, many here,” (Homer 818). Eurymachus knows that Odysseus has made rash decision and he is trying to show him his ways and how it is bad. Later the reader reads that Odysseus doesn’t really see that and he is just excited to be reunited with his wife.
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.
A hero is someone who would sacrifice himself for others, someone who is selfless and caring. Odysseus from Homer’s, “The Odyssey” does not have these traits. Throughout the book, Odysseus displays many negative character traits that show he is not someone to be admired or treated like a hero. He is too proud, he does not listen, and he constantly puts his needs before that of his men.
Odysseus is the hero in the Epic “The Odyssey” by Homer. He embodies many characteristics of a typical Epic hero, but he still strays from the norm in some ways, which makes him unique. He values Ithaca, his home, so much that he spends years getting back, struggling the whole way, and doing what it takes to protect his home.
The definition of a hero is unique for every individual; however there are several regulations that majority of individuals can agree on. A hero must exhibit traits such as humility, kindness, and courage. Once the candidate expresses hubris, displays cruelty, or retreats from a formidable challenge, he cannot be considered a hero. Lastly, a hero candidate must overcome challenges that defy the odds. He must deliver a gift to society that benefits society as a whole; such gifts can be freedom, liberty, or hope. Odysseus in The Odyssey, by Homer, fulfilled these requirements and rightfully earned the title of a hero. Odysseus is well deserving of the title hero because he has put the needs of others before his own, shown signs of courage in the face of adversity, and displays humility by ridding himself of his hubris.
Kirke violates and then fulfills her duty of xenia in her initial and subsequent treatment of Odysseus and his men in many ways. When Odysseus’ men find their way up to Kirkes’ house they were quite puzzled as to why her wolves and mountain lions continue to lay there with only a flickering of the tail. But the men proceeded to walk up to the house anyway, where they stood at the door and listened to her sing, not knowing if she was a goddess or a lady they went on the greet her. When she lets the men into her house she prepared the men a meal of cheese, barley and wine which she had poisoned hoping they would lose all thought of their home land. But when her posion
Human Sacrifice and Pederasty are extremely dangerous rituals as they both literally open the gates of hell and effectively persuade the most powerful evil forces that exist outside of our dimension to enter into this world. The wizard or instigator serves as that passage for these Evil Spirits to enter into this world.
During this episode as noted, Odysseus only has two options of where he can sail after he passes the Sirens, either near Scylla or Charybdis. Scylla is described by Circe to have “twelve legs. . . and six long swaying necks, a hideous head on each, each head barbed with a triple row fangs” (The Odyssey 12. 99-102). If Odysseus sails near this monstrous creature “she shoots out her head, out of that terrifying pit. . . with each of her heads she snatches up a man from the dark-prowed craft and whisks him off” (12.104-111). On the other hand, Charybdis lives underwater and “gulps the dark water down” causing a whirlpool that is capable of sinking an entire ship; however, she only does this three times a day (12.115-116) So, to clarify, if Odysseus sails near Scylla he is guaranteed to lose six of his men; but, if he sails near Charybdis there is a possibility that all of his men will survive or all of them will die. This decision is the challenge Odysseus must overcome during this episode. Odysseus chooses to sacrifice and lose six of his men by sailing near Scylla instead of taking the risk of losing all his men by sailing near Charybdis, even though there was a possibility that they all could have survived if they sailed that direction. However, even though he lost some of his men he
Before letting him leave the island, Circe tells Odysseus that he must face Scylla, a sea monster, and Charybdis, a whirlpool. Circe says, “Better by far to lose six men and keep you ship” (274). Odysseus is told beforehand that no ship could pass unscathed, but he chooses to not to tell his crew. He knowingly sacrifices his crewmembers’ lives and has no qualms about it, which shows his inner selfishness. He makes sure to protect his own life, but he sees his crew as disposable. Homer characterizes Odysseus this way in order to convey his views about humanity: humans are instinctively selfish. Odysseus also carelessley kills his remaining crew when he taunts the Cyclops. After hearing Odysseus’s name, Polyphemus prays to Poseidon and asks that Odysseus “never reaches home” but if he is destined to return, make sure he returns “a broken man—all shipmates lost, alone in a strangers ship” (228). If Odysseus had never told Polyphemus his name, he and his crew might have made it home more quickly and safely. Instead, his hubris causes an inescapable curse. Odysseus cannot bear the thought of forfeiting his fame, which leads to even more hardship on his quest to return home. Homer uses Odysseus to demonstrate the danger of egotistical
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.
The hero is the man who fights for what he loves. A hero is someone who rises above circumstance to take back what is his or hers. A hero is a man who was favored by the gods. All of these qualities and more can be found in both Odysseus and Telemachus. Odysseus and Telemachus both showed many manifestations of a hero throughout the Odyssey. It was a journey of change and growth for both men. Out of this journey they returned with much wisdom and personal gain. Odysseus and Telemachus have truly walked the path of the hero’s journey.
...ily have the right to take all of these men’s lives. However, through hubris Odysseus feels righteous and powerful, enough to simply slaughter the suitors only moments after bragging.