...have examined Odysseus. Students and scholars alike debate weather Odysseus is a true hero, as read in The Odyssey. There is many supporting evidence to prove all sides of the debate and opinions held of Odysseus. It is of my opinion that Odysseus is a hero for his homeland, his family, the Greek people, and for us to learn from to this day. To support my reasons for my topic I want to explore Odysseus in the physical strength he had to overcome extreme conditions that he faced on his journey. For example, during one part of his voyage, Odysseus came upon the Sirens. He knew that if he gave into the temptation of their song, he would be killed. Odysseus, had made wax for ear plugs for his crew to use...
Words: 1203 - Pages: 5
...Odysseus; Hero? “A true hero is not measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.” This was said by Hercules in the Disney movie by the same name. Odysseus should not be judged on his physical strength, but rather how much he is willing to sacrifice of himself in order to save others. While he is strong and clever, his heart holds only arrogance. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus goes on many adventures while traveling home. However, he does make some bad decisions along the way. He chooses to be egotistical instead of keeping possible outcomes of his actions and thoughts in mind. These choices get him in trouble in many instances. He and his men had to escape from a cyclops and once he used his cleverness to get leave, his ego come out, which brought trouble to he and his men. Therefore, readers should know that Odysseus is not a hero because he displays carelessness, disloyalty, and arrogance on many occasions throughout the story....
Words: 808 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 843 - Pages: 4
...wife. In the story, The Odyssey, Odysseus goes on a 10 year quest to get back to his wife, Penelope, and his son Telemachus. On this quest he has to battle sirens who sing men to their death, cyclops who eat people, circe, who turns men into animals and most importantly has to sail on the ocean, which the only god that hates Odysseus, Poseidon. Odysseus had to conquer monsters in order to get back to his wife and his son. Therefore this is why I think that in the book The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus was a good hero. One reason why I think that Odysseus was a great hero was because he tried to save everyone he could. “ Odysseus urges his exhausted crew by Thrinacia, the island of the sun god, Helios. But the men insist on landing. Odysseus makes them swear not to touch the god’s cattle”(Homer 922). This shows that he is a good leader because he warns them so that they won’t die so they want to go back to...
Words: 541 - Pages: 3
...Odysseus from “The Odyssey” is referred to as a true Greek Hero by many and is studied by English Classes around the world. What The Odyssey is about is the hero, Odysseus, who is trying to get home to Ithaca after winning the Trojan War. The war took him ten years and the voyage home is taking him ten meaning Odysseus has been gone for a total of twenty years. Odysseus is in fact a true hero, yet he does have flaws through either fulfilling, or failing to fulfill the following, arête, eudaimonia, and hubris. A perfect example of Odysseus not fulfilling arête is when they see Elpenor in The Kingdom of the Dead and he says the following: “Don’t sail off / and desert me, left behind unwept, unburied, don’t, / or my curse may draw god’s fury on your head” (Book XI 79-81). Elpenor was part of Odysseus’s crew and he died when he fell off of a building and broke his neck. Odysseus and his men did not have time to bury Elpenor because they had to leave to visit Hades. This is a perfect example of Odysseus violating arête. Even though they had a place to be they could’ve easily buried Elpenor, it is in a way hospitality. Zeus, who is the god of hospitality, would not be pleased with Odysseus, especially since he always shows hospitality with whom he encounters. Elpenor even said that the gods will draw...
Words: 725 - Pages: 3
...Hero versus Hero A hero is like a the one and only happy fish in a bright blue ocean sea full of vicious sharks. A hero is someone who is admiring or is inspiring to a person. A hero is a person who is full of courage, kindness, and might. Odysseus from The Odyssey by Homer has many heroic qualities same goes to Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. While Odysseus has earned his place in being a hero, it is clear that Dorothy tops off the list with heart full of courage. It is true that Odysseus is a hero because he is courageous, determined, and mighty, however he performs those things in a stingy way. To begin, Odysseus is courageous. According to the text, “There was a loud hiss as the burning wood pierced the watery membrane” (Homer 27). While some people believe Odysseus is courageous because he stabs the cyclops in the eye,...
Words: 488 - Pages: 2
...Odysseus has everything he needs in order to take on the role of hero throughout his journey. In Odysseus’s personality, he possesses the ability to strategize. The protection and care that Odysseus gives to his men help in portraying him as a hero. Odysseus has a goal-oriented mindset, the work and effort he puts into achieving his goal shows the heroic side of him. The character traits worn by Odysseus’s personality make it easy to see the hero inside of him. Odysseus possesses character traits amongst a wide variety that make him a hero in Homer’s, The Odyssey. Having the ability to strategize in all aspects of life aids in the characterization of Odysseus as a hero; Odysseus clearly displays his abilities through his decisions over the...
Words: 1237 - Pages: 5
...Who is a better epic hero? - After reading and learning about the stories of Achillies and Odysseus and their journeys, I feel that the better hero would have to be Odysseus . Even though his journey was very long and hard, he always had his family on his mind. And, even when his curiosity lead him to unimaginable places and things, Odysseus was able to think his way out of it with his cleverness. Not to mention the fact that he is extremely brave. Brave in many cases where others weren't, and that makes him the better hero. - Through the harsh and long travels through Calipso's island, Circe, the underworld, and many other places Odysseus visited, he kept one thing in mind throughout the whole journey. His family. Odysseus would constantly...
Words: 458 - Pages: 2
...When people think of a hero, they think of people like Batman and Superman. Odysseus on the other hand, is his own kind of hero. At tough times through Odysseus’ journey to get back home, he still proceeds to go home with the same will and force to see his loving wife, Penelope. In his effort to get back to Ithaca, Odysseus uses all his force to protect his men from the dangerous creatures and bad guys of the world. Odysseus is the greatest hero of all time because of his care and safety for his crew, motivation to go back home, and loyalty to his wife Penelope. One thing about a hero is they need to make sure that their city is in line and they need to take care of their people. Like Odysseus, he takes cares of his men like they are his brothers....
Words: 900 - Pages: 4
...A hero can’t exist without a villain and victim. But what defines the role of the hero is what others think of them and the actions they’ve taken. Consider heroes in pop-culture who are depicted saving civilians from otherworldly creatures and how we feel towards them. And then imagine how different you’d see it if you were to change point of view. What defines a true hero is action and perception, a hero is nothing without the people they inspire. Think of Odysseus and how he is illustrated as a hero for the entirety of The Odyssey. He was called a hero by those he fought alongside as well as the people he networked with in Ithaca. But to some others he was quite a villain, like Poseidon who felt hatred towards him for the slaying of his son Polyphemus(IX.584-597). While Odysseus was at sea (for three years) he was depicted as both the hero and...
Words: 394 - Pages: 2
...Odysseus: Hero or Not In Homer’s epic The Odyssey, Odysseus is a true thinking man’s hero. He faces many obstacles in his journey home from the Trojan War, with a curse from the sea god, Poseidon. Odysseus battles monsters, makes tough decisions, and fights with his integrity to get home, but through what some call “bad luck” and the size of his pride Odysseus finds himself in a pretty difficult predicament. However, like any other heroic tale, in the end he’s able to go home to his wife and son. The question is did he come back as a heroic legend or a selfish punk? Believe it or not, Odysseus is the demanding hero in this poem. Through tough decisions, sacrifices, and his humble attitude…at times; Odysseus shows the reader he is still a human...
Words: 588 - Pages: 3
...A hero “is a typical man, who is admired or idealized for his courage, exceptional achievements, or noble qualities” according to the dictionary, and most people would probably agree too that a hero is “someone who does something extraordinary for other people or a country. Odysseus, the main character of the Odyssey written by Homer, would probably fit the definition of a hero for some people. However, when going deeper on what a hero is or supposed to be, Odysseus is not even close to own that title. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is revealed as an authentic hero. After analyzing the three major characteristics of a hero which are selflessness, compassion, and intelligent it is seen that Odysseus has only one of them and should not be viewed as...
Words: 1095 - Pages: 5
...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...
Words: 740 - Pages: 3
...In The Odyssey by Homer,our protagonist Odysseus embarks on a journey back home after the Trojan War. During his adventure, the hero encounters many obstacles including both gods and monsters alike and must overcome them. Throughout this quest, Odysseus embodies the characteristics of a traditional epic hero in that he is clever, enduring and determined. Odysseus’s intellect is difficult to overstate. He is not the kind of person that constantly relies on physical strength alone to be victorious. He is also quite knowledgeable as well. During the epic, Odysseus is able to overcome several physical obstacles using his mental prowess alone. One prominent example of this is when Odysseus confronts the cyclops Polyphemus. When the one-eyed brute traps the hero in his cave,Odysseus offers him wine from his ship. This puts Polyphemus in an intoxicated sleep and give Odysseus the opportunity to strike. He and his men use a large staff they find to blind the giant. “Straight/forward they sprinted, lifted it, and rammed it/deep in his crater eye” (ll.376-378). Polyphemus screams out in pain....
Words: 613 - Pages: 3
...constituent attributes of a Greek Epic Hero? Explicate with reference to Odysseus and Achilles. The definition of an epic hero is very wide and varied. It includes a lot of attributes and criterions, but for a particular hero to reach the epic stature, it isn’t really necessary to fulfill all the demands and to come up to all the standards. In a very conventional sense, an epic hero is supposed to possess these qualities or is supposed to come up to these standards: 1. Is an important figure from history or legend. 2. Is usually favored by Gods or even partially descended from Gods i.e. semi-divine nature. 3. Takes part in a cyclical journey or quest, faces adversaries and returns home with significant transformation. 4. Illustrates traits, performs deeds and exemplifies certain morals that are valued and held dear by the society/ culture from which the hero comes. 5. Usually embodies cultural and religious beliefs of the people. 6. Has no superpowers, but is smart, brave and has fears too; which he must overcome to protect his friends, family and / or nation. 7. Can also be a warrior of some sort who performs extra-ordinary tasks that most find difficult. 8. Is also a polished speaker who can address councils of chieftains or elders with eloquence and confidence. Literature is replete with examples of epic heroes. Classical Greek literature in particular has produced some of the most famous epic heroes. The epic hero in Greek literature is best defined...
Words: 2029 - Pages: 9
