...everybody needs a hero at some point. According to Mike Dilbeck, a hero is someone who “transforms compassion (a personal virtue) into heroic action (a civic virtue”). In Homer’s “The Odyssey”, Odysseus is the king of Ithaca, father of one son, and husband of a noble wife. After leaving Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a short journey home, in which he makes bad decisions that cause him to take much longer to arrive back in Ithaca than he should have. Odysseus’s selfishness, disloyalty, and mercilessness eliminated any chances he had of being a hero. Some may argue that Odysseus was a hero because of his extreme cleverness or cunning ways. Yes, Odysseus was clever and cunning, but in most situations he did not apply those skills correctly. Therefore, Odysseus was most definitely not a hero. To begin with, Odysseus’s selfishness is made obvious during his encounter with Polyphemus. Everything he does is for the good of himself. Every action he takes is only taken to build onto his ego. If Odysseus had not decided to provide the Cyclops with all his information, his journey...
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...Odysseus the Great Do you ever thought of how hard it is to be a hero? How about what a hero really is? In Homer’s timeless epic The Odyssey,Odysseus of Ithaca is the hero. A hero is someone who is loyal to his country, family and gods. Odysseus, king of Ithaca because he is loyal to his country, family, and gods. “Odysseus leaves the ship and rushes to Circe’s hall. The god Hermes stops him to give him a plant that will act like as an antidote to Circe’s power” (page 7580).This shows loyalty to his country because Odysseus is willing to eat something that might kill him to save his men. “I sent out two picked men and a runner to learn what race of men that land sustained.They fell in, soon enough, with lotus eater, who showed no will to do us harm, only offering the sweet lotus to...
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...some people would argue it is King Arthur others believe it to be Odysseus. Odysseus is the king of Ithaca in Homer's Odyssey. Both of these kings prove to be great but only Odysseus proves to be an epic hero. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus proves to be an epic hero due to his cunningness, resilience, and determination. In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus proves to be an epic hero due to his cunningness. Odysseus shows he is cunning in how he constantly overcomes the challenges the Gods face him with. The narrator says “I crouched with my drawn sword to keep the surging phantoms from the bloody pit” (Beers and Odell 776). This proves Odysseus is cunning by showing he is knowledgeable in how sought...
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...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....
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...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,...
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...The definition for hero according to the Oxford English Dictionary is “A person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities”. Odysseus was shown as a hero in The Odyssey because he was the main character. If The Odyssey did not portray Odysseus as the main character then I would still think that Odysseus would be main male heroic figure. Odysseus was a person who was praised by most people such as the swineherd, Eumeaus. Odysseus was a “male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize.” according to OED. The reason we should sympathize to Odysseus because he was away for many years and he did not get to see his wife or son for over ten years. Odysseus is considered very heroic in the story so he uses an alias identity to go places with the help of Athena. Odysseus is considered a hero because he was loyal, brave and clever throughout his journey to home which is Ithaca. Odysseus and his men stop at an island when they were travelling. They went in a cave and found food and fell asleep....
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...In “The Odyssey,” Homer writes about Odysseus’s 10 year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. While Odysseus fights in the trojan war, Telemachus and Penelope have to deal with suitors who betrayed Odysseus. They betrayed him by trying to marry his wife. Odysseus was able to return home and kill the suitors and live happily with his wife, Penelope. Odysseus's character, actions, and legacy prove that he is an admirable hero. Another trait that Odysseus possesses is cunning. I feel that cunning is his most significant quality because it has salvaged him from numerous dangers along his journey. The most obvious case of Odysseus’s cunning is when he was dealing with Polyphemus. First, Odysseus gets Polyphemus drunk and then blinds him. He also makes him open the mouth of...
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...According to Joseph Campbell, “A hero is born among a hundred, a wise man is found among a thousand, but an accomplished one might not be found even among a hundred thousand men.” In The Odyssey, Odysseus tries to get his men home safe, but he fails. Along the way, Odysseus and his men have many obstacles and stuff to prevent them. Odysseus shows he is a hero because he is smarter, stronger, and emotionally stronger than other men. Odysseus shows he is a hero when he is able to string his bow, but the other can’t. Odysseus talks to a goddess and says how he got lost from his home and how it’s taking forever to get back. Odysseus explains, “He saw the townlands and learned the minds of many distant men, and weathered many bitter nights and days in his deep heart at sea, while he fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home”(1.6-9)....
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...Is Odysseus a Hero? The definition of a hero is: a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. In the epic poem Odyssey by Homer, the main character Odysseus has both positive and negative qualities. Two of Odysseus’s negative qualities are that he is arrogant and reckless. However, he is a tactician and he is also patient. Therefore, in the epic poem the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is a hero. His notable weaknesses are him being arrogant and reckless. He is arrogant because he thinks he's great because the “gods know his name.” This is arrogant because he thinks he is better than average people because his name is known by the gods. Another reason he is arrogant is because he tells the cyclops...
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...Homer suggests in The Odyssey that a hero is someone who not only helps others, but also undergoes some hardship as part of that process. According to this definition, Odysseus is the hero of The Odyssey. Odysseus’s selfless actions demonstrate that he is a hero, for he chooses to offer service to those in need and firmly withstands burdensome trials. On the difficult journey back home, Odysseus’s men are trapped under the captivating spell of the Lotus-Eaters. Odysseus promptly responds to this crisis: “Whoever ate that sweet fruit/ lost the will to report back, preferring instead/ to stay there, munching on lotus, oblivious to home./ I hauled them back wailing to the ships,/bound them under the bunches, then ordered / all hands to board their ships on the...
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...powers to save humans from danger, but have you heard about Odysseus though, strong, wise, and Loyal. Throughout his journey he has shows the traits mentioned above and that's what makes him so heroic. First, He was the most heroic in the Circe’s Island. To Begin, he approaches Circe without fear to save his men. Circe is the goddess of magic, she turns people into animals. Second, he goes to the underworld with no fear of getting his futures told. Third,he successfully gets out from the underworld and Circe’s Island, which is a difficult task to do and it's a task which takes a lot of courage. In doing that It shows his determination to make it back to Ithaca , his home. Throughout his journey he faces Circe, goddess of magic and the brother of Zeus known as Hades. His Bravery through his journey is what makes him a hero....
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...In the words of Christopher Reeve, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” A hero doesn’t have to save the world from a world wide mass destruction like superman. They also don’t have to be male. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus and real life modern day hero Razia Jan model what a good hero really is. Odysseus and Razia Jan reveal how a good hero is someone who can overcome obstacles because it exhibits determination, inner courage, and selflessness. A good hero has the determination to keep moving even when there are hardships along the way. Through his entire journey Odysseus is being thrown into danger and terrifying situations nonstop....
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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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...Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, left his home to fight for Greece and along his journey he faced many hardships, but he conquered them all. The Odyssey written by Homer, tells the story of Odysseus’ journeys and how he made it through these hardships to regain his kingdom, and to be reunited with his wife, Penelope. The Odyssey was a thrilling and suspenseful story that keeps you wondering how Odysseus will conquer these hardships, and bring him and his men safely back to Ithaca. From escaping Calypso with the help of Athena, to fighting the cyclops Polyphemus, Odysseus had to be a strong leader to help his men overcome these journeys. Odysseus was an epic hero because he was intelligent, brave, and he was a strong responsible leader. Odysseus was an epic hero because he was very intelligent. One of the many journeys that he and his men had to face was with Polyphemus. While Polyphemus slept Odysseus courageously stabbed him in the eye, in order for him to open the heavy door...
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...concept of a hero has been interpreted in many ways throughout the ages an Odysseus is one literary hero that stands the test of time. There are many heroic traits that makes Odysseus in The Odyssey a hero even in today's world. The first trait that makes him a hero is Odysseus is hubristic which is one of his flaws. The next trait is he is stro In the Odyssey Odysseus portrays many traits that make him a hero such as his flaws. In multiple books he shows how hubristic or pride he is especially in book nine at the cyclops island. When Odysseus and his crew first arrived on the island Odysseus picks out a dozen of his best fighters to scope out the island. They find one of the cyclops caves and de themselves at home and “built a fire, set...
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