An epic hero can be defined as a brave and noble character in an epic poem. This character is admired for their great achievements. This definition is an exact fit for the main character in The Odyssey written by the blind poet, Homer. Odysseus left Troy after ten years of fighting in the Trojan War. With a victory under his belt, he headed back to his homeland of Ithaca. This journey took another ten years. Throughout this 20 year journey, Odysseus survived and conquered. Odysseus showed that he was a hero though many things; such as, being brave and cunning, having guides, servants and lastly being a mortal that is called upon to make a journey. Odysseus can be described as creative, cunning, brave, and compassionate. Those are adjectives …show more content…
Odysseus had the help of a very important goddess, the goddess of wisdom. Athena was on Odysseus’ side to help him through the horror, god Poseidon was sending him through. This is a trait of a hero. Odysseus was also not alone because he had his faithful crew on his side. His crew was very loyal and humble to him. This proves that he was a great leader to this men and his country before he left. Odysseus was very honest and compassionate to his crew members. When he himself was the lone survivor, he weep for his lost brothers. He cared deeply about these men and risked his own life many times for them. That proves he was a hero because that take a special type of person to lay down one’s life for another. Another trait to prove that Odysseus was indeed a hero, would be that he had the god of all gods on his side, Zeus. Zeus was there to help the hero shoot an arrow through twelve ax handles. Odysseus was the only man successful and that was because he was under the watch of these two brilliant immortals. This is yet again another example of the heroism of …show more content…
Odysseus literally overcame going through hell and back. Going into hell causes a lot of physical stress but emotional stress came about him when he saw his mother there. He did not know she had died because he had been gone so long but did not react to this news like any other hero would have done. Scylla and Charybdis were sure to be the end of Odysseus and it very well should of been, but once again the hero used his quick actions and was spared. He still could have perished from these obstacles,however he saved himself from the destruction. A hero must also be called to go on a quest or journey. The day Odysseus heard the news that he had to go to war was supposed to be the greatest day of his life, the birth of his son. He had to leave at the moment his son was into the world because of an oath he vowed to keep. He did not want to go to war however. That is why it is said he was called on a journey. Being called on a journey is also a trait that makes him a hero. All of these traits mixed together help to form the heroism of
Courage and bravery are two things that Odysseus has a lot of. This is evident when he defies the god Poseidon, telling him that he is unstoppable. Odysseus then gets back on his ship on starts to sail on Poseidon's waters back to Ithaca. Pride is good to have, but in Odysseus’s case, it’s a little too much. On the other hand, he does things that make him a great hero. When Circeturned his crew into animals, he climbed straight up a mountain, risking his life just to save his crew. He will do anything to get back to Ithaca and see his wife and son, no matter how crazy it is. He even goes into the underworld to speak to a prophet about how to get back to Ithaca. Being brave and courageous is all about being willing and able to go to the extremes to help or possibly save people or even a place in need.
To begin with, Odysseus deserves to be called a hero because his courage is necessary for his survival. If Odysseus did not have courage, then he wouldn’t have survived the journey. Even though Odysseus is not fearless, he still has courage because he fights of the terrors. When approached with Polyphemos, the Kyklops, Odysseus was very afraid because the Kyklops was a huge man-eating monster. But Odysseus had the ability to not worry, control his men, and have the courage to fight the Kyklops using his wits. Another example is when Odysseus had the option to either go to Skylla and have only six men die or go towards Kharybdis and have either all men die or all men live. Odysseus was not very sure which one to go towards. The quote “that sight-far the worst I ever suffered” (XII, line 334) shows the reader that he was not fearless and rather frightened, but he was courageous by going with his “gut” feeling and going towards Skylla to risk six men instead all of them. Odysseus is also calm when in difficult situations, which means he doesn’t worry when things take a turn for the worst. Odysseus was calm when he was floating on the middle of the sea after the gods had destroyed his ship and his companions had died because they had eaten the cattle. It took him a lot of mental courage to stay calm and have hope that the gods would...
In conclusion, Odysseus conveys the qualities of a true hero, He shows fortitude, bravery and he portrays qualities of management. Odysseus shows these qualities throughout the journey in which he faced many challenging people and places. However, Odysseus overcomes each and every one by having only one set goal: to get home. As long as he reached that goal, nothing could stop him. Like a true hero, Odysseus never lost these traits, no matter how bad of a mess he was in.
Another characteristic that Odysseus had to be an epic hero was that he was brave. Even though Eurylochos urged Odysseus to not go to Circe and leave the island without his crew Odysseus refused to. He responded to Eurylochos by saying “…as for me, go I must and go I will.';(p.117). Odysseus was a loyal leader, and even though he knew that he faced an impossible task, he went to Circe’s to bring his men back to safety.
A main reason why Odysseus is not a hero is because he manipulated the truth and achieved his victories through lies. Achilles, the hero from the Iliad explains his thoughts on the matter, “I hate that man like the very Gates of Death / who says one thing but hides another in his heart” (Knox, 37). Bernard Knox who wrote the introduction to the Odyssey explains how Odysseus prides himself on his ability to cover and manipulate the truth. Bernard also says, “He will gladly employ deceit to win victory” (Knox, 38). A hero is a man of honor with a noble purpose and heart, but Odysseus has neither. The main characteristics of a hero are that they can do heroic things, but retain their nobility. If we sacrifice the truth for progress then we are no
Odysseus is a hero because he acts courageously while facing the many challenges he encounters. Odysseus’s shows great bravery when he engages in physical challenges. Odysseus daringly fights against the suitors, while significantly outnumbered: “For I must tell you this is no affair / of ten or even twice ten men, but scores, throngs of them” (XVI, 291 – 293). Even though Odysseus is facing hundreds of men, his bravery keeps him confident that he can win the battle. Odysseus must use his physical strength when Poseidon punishes him with turbulent waves: “Odysseus’s knees grew slack, his heart / sickened, and he said within himself / Rag of man that I am, is this the end of me?” (V, 307 – 309). Odysseus is exhausted from the torrential sea, yet refuses to give up because of enormous courage and his unwillingness to surrender. Odysseus must also cope with emotional challenges throughout his journey. His emotions are tested when he ventures to the underworld, Hades, and must confront his greatest fear, death: “From every side they came and sought the pit / with rustling cries; and I grew sick with fear. / But presently I gave command to my officers” (XI, 45 -47). Although Odysseus is deeply fearful when he comes face to face with the dead, his mental f...
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.
Odysseus attribute of being a hero was displayed through his wit and strength in overcoming the obstacles that were placed before him, but he wasn’t putting his companions safety first. He was solely fixed
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.
Everyone has that one character, whether they are fictional or real, that they admire and adore because of their accomplishments throughout their life. The few men that are able to ascend past decades and become known for centuries as a hero are categorized as epic heroes. Epic heroes are able to truly transcend through time and are often times studied by the highest scholars in the world. The most notable hero who is often referred to is one of the world’s first ever heroes known ad Odysseus of Ithaca. His tale involved three main sequential parts. His first challenge was the war at Troy which pulled him away from home for ten years. Next was his ten year journey to get back home as he battled the gods and monsters of all kinds. His third wave was when he had returned home. Odysseus had to fight against the suitors that were plaguing his home to regain his crown. In
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.
In “The Odyssey” by Homer, Odysseus is portrayed as a hero who got lost at sea along with his men on his way home to his island Ithaca from the Trojan War. On their journey home, they travel to many places and anger many beings including gods. Throughout this, Odysseus is seen as a great hero who is strong and intelligent but also arrogant and greedy. Many people view as a terrible hero because of these flaws, however, Odysseus is a great hero because of his intelligence and strength who can overcome any obstacle.
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.
Odysseus was an epic hero depicted in the Homer's The Odyssey. He responded to the call to travel to Troy to help Agamemnon get Helen. He encountered great confrontation along the way. He fought the Cicones, the Lotus Eaters, the Cyclops, Polyphemus, the Laestrygonians, the witch goddess Circe, the lonely Sirens, Scylla, Charybdis, the Sun, and Calypso. He and his men traveled great distances under severe circumstances. Odysseus answers a second call to return home to his family. He returns a more mature warrior and a wiser man. Because of this he is able to conquer the suitors and reclaim his palace and his family. As in all Greek literature, the epic hero Odysseus answers a call to action, suffers through great confrontation, and returns with a better understanding of life.