What It Takes To Be An Epic Hero

Do you think you have what it takes to be an epic hero? Well, Odysseus does. The Odyssey, written by Homer, is about the long journey Odysseus takes to get back home to Ithaca. In his ten year journey after the Trojan War, which took place in 1200 B.C., Odysseus didn’t choose to go to the war, he was forced to. He faked being insane just to not go. To test that he was actually insane they took his son and put him in the middle of the road. They figured that, if he was insane he wouldn't try to save his son. Odysseus did save his son, but got sent off to war. The war was ten years long. Odysseus faces many adversities, such as, a cyclops, a six-headed monster, and many gods, like Poseidon. He also loses many of his men throughout his journey. In the end, he does make it back home to Ithaca. After being gone for 20 years. Odysseus is an example of an epic hero because he demonstrates cleverness, he faces many demons and monsters, and his leadership skills..

One of the things that makes Odysseus an epic hero is his cleverness. Odysseus shows that he is in the Cyclops’ cave when he tells Polyphemus his name is Nohbdy. “My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy” (Homer 903). This is clever on Odysseus part because now when Polyphemus says who hurt him everyone thinks “nobody” hurt him, when in fact somebody, Odysseus, really did hurt him. He stabbed his eye out. Also while being clever in making things up, he says Poseidon, god of the seas, destroyed their ship, but their ship is completely intact. Odysseus says this along with that his name is Nohbdy to protect his identity. This also demonstrates cleverness because it shows that can he can think quickly and come up with good answers. Another way he sh...

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...es cleverness, he faces demons and monsters, and through his great leadership skills. He demonstrates cleverness in the Cyclops cave twice. Once when he tells Polyphemus his name is Nohbdy, and when he hides his men on the pectoral fleece of Polyphemus’ animals. He faces Scylla, the six- headed monster, and only six rather than all men are destroyed, and the Cyclops, Polyphemus, the one-eyed son of Poseidon, who wants Odysseus and his men dead. He shows off his leadership skills when he puts beeswax in his mens ears and has his men tie him to the ships so his men don't have to listen to The Sirens’ song, and he does, but can't get to them because he is tied up. He also shows leadership skills when he saves them from The Lotus Eaters, telling them not to eat what they offer them. There are many other things that make Odysseus an epic hero, but these were just a few.