...In Homer's the odyssey there is a character named Odysseus. Odysseus goes on an amazing journey and along his way he goes through many things that mold him into an epic hero. Odysseus also proves his heroism through his behavior. During the story Odysseus often presents us with his great intelligence, his superhuman strength, and also his great leadership and bravery. However though Odysseus does not always act like a hero and does immoral things but when the time is right, the true heroic side of him will come out and we will see how heroic Odysseus really is. Odysseus is a true epic hero and has the the personal characteristics to prove it. Throughout the Odyssey Odysseus presents us with examples of his superhuman strength. That is characteristic...
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...The epic poem, the Odyssey, by Homer tells the adventures of the epic hero Odysseus. Though they have human frailties, an epic hero possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence and also overcomes perilous situations. In book 9 of the Odyssey, Odysseus demonstrates several of these characters as he escapes from the Cyclops Polyphemus. The epic hero Odysseus demonstrates intelligence, bravery, and cleverness. One quality of an epic hero that Odysseus possesses is that he is intelligent. The Cyclops asks Odysseus where he left his ship, inquiring it was around the point or by the shore. Odysseus sees through the question and responds, “it broke up on the rocks at your lands end” (189). Odysseus does not want the Cyclops to find...
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...In Homer’s the Odyssey, a man named Odysseus spends years and years trying to get home to his family. On his long journey, he encounters a number of different situations that test his true character. The reader finds out who Odysseus really is based on the situations he is put in and how he chooses to handle these situations. From being stuck on an Island with Calypso, a nymph goddess, to almost being eaten by a vicious cyclops, to seeing his wife for the first time in 20 years, Odysseus stays true to his character. Throughout the epic, Odysseus shows constant signs of bravery, leadership, intelligence, cleverness, and wholehearted faithfulness, and these things are what makes him such an admirable character. Bravery and leadership go hand in hand because bravery is a trait that all good leaders have. Odysseus showed amazing bravery and leadership skills throughout the Odyssey. One place where Odysseus’s bravery and leadership are revealed the most is when Odysseus and his men encounter Poseidon’s Cyclops son, Polyphemus. Odysseus used his leadership skills and bravery to help his men escape the wrath of Polyphemus while...
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...When a story talks about heroes we think of those with special powers, right? If they can’t fly, lift boulders, or break the sound barrier while running then how could they possibly be heroes? In truth the definition of a hero is left to all of us to decide. Must they have super powers or be normal people in a super situation I don’t know. However, with his bravery, intellect, and compassion for others Odysseus is certainly a hero. Odysseus’ vast bravery gives an example of how all heros should act. In many situations when all would flatter Odysseus stood his ground and didn’t give in. For instance when his men were turned into animals by the witch Circe and they begged him to leave the island, “Against this advice, however, Odysseus rushes to save his men from...
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...Odysseus: An Epic Hero In The Odyssey written by Homer, the main character is Odysseus, an epic hero. He has to leave his home Ithaca, and ends up on a great voyage landing on many islands. All of which, is home to gods and goddesses, good and bad. Along the way he shows his very heroic characteristics, while battling these supernatural forces. For example when he fights the Cicones, the singing sirens, or even the one eyed beast. However ,Odysseus the great epic hero was still able to stay strong and proceed his way home. To begin, his loyalty is revealed by his crewman. He is almost like a big brother to them. His first sign of loyalty is revealed once he sees his undead crewman, Elpenor, left unburied on Circe's island. Elpenor has too much to drink, and ends up falling to his death. After, Elpenor falls, he asks Odysseus to return and bury him properly, so Odysseus ‘’...cut down timber on the foreland, on a high point, and built his pyre of logs’’ (209). Odysseus does not want one of his men to live unconsoled in the Land of the DEad, especially after he sees him face to face after his death. This is when he returns to...
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...Characteristics of epic heroes such as those found in Beowulf, Gilgamesh, the Iliad, and the Odyssey often reflected traits that were seen as favorable within the societies in which they were written, which, in turn, led to these archetypal heroes greatly impacting surrounding societies. When comparing and contrasting epic heroes such as Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Hector, Achilles, and Odysseus, it becomes evident that...
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...Ian Warren Mrs. Barber English 10 14 November, 2016 Odysseus As An Epic Hero To most people, a hero is a strong, brave person with an amazing costume. Heroes usually have super-powers and are constantly saving people. However in the novel The Odyssey by Homer an epic hero is a character with great bravery and courage to do the tasks that might not be very easy. Odysseus definitely defines these requirements. He is on a long quest to get back home and faces many monsters and deadly situations. Throughout the Odyssey, while facing many obstacles and distractions, Odysseus must be brave and make courageous choices to make it home. A example of a great monster Odysseus comes upon was the Cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus was trapped in the...
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...An example of his strength, both mental and physical, and his bravery is when Odysseus ends up on an island of Cyclopes and he and his men enter one of their caves. Even though Odysseus’ men beg him to leave, he stays which proves his bravery. When the Cyclops returns, he asks Odysseus what his name is and Odysseus replies, “Me? I am Nobody.” Which after he defeats the Cyclops by stabbing him in the eye with a spear that he made, which proves his physical strength, the Cyclops goes out of the cave and shouts , “Nobody has hurt me!” A man named Todd Beamer also proved his mental and physical strength and his bravery. Todd beamer was on Flight 93 on 9/11 when hijackers took over the plane. While passengers made calls to loved ones for the last time, Todd proved his mental strength by calling a GTE operator and explaining the situation very calmly, instead of saying goodbye to his family. He and several others then decided to act against the hijackers, which proves his physical strength and his bravery, to prevent others on the ground from getting hurt. The ability to use bravery, physical strength, and mental strength to complete a great task fits my definition of a...
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...The Odyssey, although little about the author, has continued to maintain information about the provenance, the genre, and the intended audience of the story. The author, homer, was said to have been born in Eastern Aegean. He was responsible for writing both The Odyssey and the Iliad. Another fun fact about this man is that he was blind, and was presumed that he not only spoke his works, but could have sung them, as well. This Greek mythological folk tale was created between the eleventh and eighth century BC, this was during the Greek Dark Ages. Scholars believe that The Odyssey was written somewhere in the Greek costal region. This story was composed to keep the readers in suspense, therefore, it was written for wide audiences. During the time when...
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...In Homer’s The Odyssey, the author tells us of a magnificent story of lust, deceit, greed, and heroism. The Odyssey is a display of a journey of determination, willpower, patience, and virtue. The author tells the tale of Odysseus, on his voyage home to Ithaka. This is happening after the end of the Trojan War. Odysseus, the main character, goes through a series of many unforeseen trials and tribulations in this exemplary journey. This exemplifies his character and displays him as a hero in the eyes of the audience. During these different happenings, Odysseus makes decisions that do not correspond to his character. Odysseus is displayed as not only a hero but also as a good leader to his men. Throughout all their trials such as the Sirens, Polyphemus (the cyclops), and the enchantress Circe, Odysseus is displayed as clever, patient, cunning, and fearless. Odysseus made decisions not only for himself but also for his men as well. For example, he did not leave his men on the island of the Lotus Eaters when they clearly had no desire to go back to Ithaca; he knotted them onto the boat and left the island. He was determined to get home with as many of his men as he possibly could, though they repeatedly disobeyed him. Odysseus is one of history's greatest leaders and this is a vital part of what makes him such an epic hero Another characteristic that stand out and makes Odysseus a hero is his ability to overcome his obstacles in order to reach his goal. Odysseus is faced by many...
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...adventures are one of the oldest and most celebrated works of literature. These adventures paint pictures of larger-than-life heroes, terrifying battle scenes, and heroic triumphs. Most epics served the purpose of transmitting culture and history, as well as entertaining readers. Among classical epics are the well-known Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, and The Odyssey. However, is the epic adventure a dying breed of literature? Is it possible that epic stories have sustained the test of time and evolved over the centuries? The Lord of the Rings trilogy, including The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, is one of the greatest examples of a modern day epic. What do The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and The Lord of the Rings all have in common? They all share typical characteristics of epic adventures in some form or another. Though the motives and reasons may differ, the theme of journeying is common to all epic adventures. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, King Gilgamesh sets out on a perilous adventure with his closest friend Enkidu in order to find enduring fame and glory. In The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus embarks on a 10 year-long journey through trials and tests to find his way back home to his wife and son. Epic hero Achilles, of The Iliad, sets out to fight in the legendary Trojan War. Similarly, Frodo Baggins, unassuming hero of The Lord of the Rings, sets out from his home and place of comfort to destroy the evil artifact, The...
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...In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus shows fortitude by being willing to defend his ship and men from the shades and when he got what he wanted, he stayed behind to talk with his mother. Odysseus came from the witch Circe’s island. She had turned his men to pigs and the only way he could get his men back was to travel to the underworld and talk to Tiresias, who could tell the future. He is now in the underworld and is trying to find Tiresias. To start, Odysseus shows fortitude by being willing to defend his ship and men from the shades. The spirits of the dead or shades were swarming his ship. He stayed strong and testified “Meanwhile I crouched with my drawn sword to keep/ the surging phantoms from the bloody pit/ till I should know the presence of...
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...Greece were typically disrespected, Homer integrates examples of women’s strength by incorporating clever and intelligent women in The Odyssey. In ancient Greece, the common belief was that under the law, women were completely under control of their husbands. This is evident because women who were the only child of their fathers wouldn’t inherit his property; but rather her husband. As a result, this became a defining stereotype that ruled over women in Greece. Also,because the Greek law requires women to be ruled by their husbands, the idea that women were unable to make their own decisions and were denied the basic rights that all men in Greece were granted is portrayed. Contrasting this common belief of Greek values;however, Penelope is illustrated as a powerful women by using her wits to trick the suitors. In The Odyssey, Penelope was able to hold off the suitors during her husband’s absence by unraveling the shroud she is weaving for Odysseus. While she claims she would eventually marry one of the suitors once she finished her loom, she prevents this by, “weaving at her great web-by night...she’d unravel all she’d done”(Homer 96). Throughout Penelope’s actions, the strength of women in ancient Greece is revealed because of her role in the household during Odysseus’...
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...tributes for their courage and great deeds performed during their combat. In other light, the cowards of ancient Greece and the middle ages were considered a burden and were affronted. Throughout many books authors have explained different aspects of what it means to be a hero. Homer, author of the Odyssey, and Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote, convey this characteristic frequently. In the Odyssey, Odysseus was a skillful fighter, but it was yet the proof Homer’s readers needed of his heroism. Odysseus also transpired characteristics of restraint and mercy. On the other hand, Cervantes’ character was not born a hero. He was fooled by chivalric ideas of heroism and sets out to reform the world along with his witty companion. Odysseus and Don Quixote are from two totally different eras, but both of them tried to conquer the world with their heroic acts. Not only their heroic acts made them well known, it’s also their imagination that makes them stand out. In comparison, imagination is what makes Quixote the hero, and imagination just adds a dimension to Odysseus’ character that rules him along. Don Quixote is the hero with the ability to change reality with the force of an idea. For example, Quixote tries to convince his companion that harmless windmills may be threatening giants. Is he a madman or an idealist? Instead of seeing two prostitutes, he sees ladies of quality. These ladies responded kindly to...
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...In life there are leaders and there are followers Odysseus is an example of a leader. Odysseus is a great hero, he has been away for 20 years going through obstacles he faces in life just to stay alive for his family. He fights with all his might just to make it back home to the great island of Ithaca. He has to fight off many monsters in his journey to help save him and his men, just in the end for him to be the only one left who survived in the war. Odysseus has many traits other than the ones I’m going to talk about but these ones are my favorite about him. These traits show a lot about what kind of person he is the ones I picked were brave, determined and intelligent. One of Odysseus many characteristics is that he is brave. He showed his bravery in many ways such as fighting courageously in the war with troy, he faced great dangers on his decade long voyage home. He never backs down from a challenge, and he always keeps his head high in dangerous situations to fight off anyone that comes near to harming him or his men. Odysseus faces the Cyclops Polyphemus, travels to the Underworld, overcomes the Sirens, out works the monsters of Scylla and Charybdis, and leaves behind the beautiful Calypso while many things also pop up...
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