Everyone likes to throw the word “hero around”, but I dont think everyone actually realizes what a hero is, everyone has a different perception of what makes someone a hero. To some, a hero can range from someone with supernatural abilities that dedicate their whole lives to keeping the world safe from any threat to just someone with no special super power, it’s just people to admire or look up to. With the word having such a wide spectrum, it seems fairly easy to fall into the hero category. That range leaves no doubt why Odysseus and Dante are epic heroes; with what they went through, traveling through sea and passing straight through hell, they have also earned the title of being respectable heroes. According to The Odyssey, it is shown that a hero has a quality of being a risk taker; a trait Odysseus demonstrates throughout his journey. When Odysseus stabbed the Cyclopes in the eye, it is considered a huge, bold risk “Straight forward they sprinted, lifting it, and rammed it deep in his crater eye” (book IX. 380-381). Odysseus knew if he didn’t act quick, him and his men would live out their last days waiting to be lunch for the Cyclops. However, Odysseus is considered a god among men because of his quick thinking, he knew he had to succeed in order to avoid that fate. Not only were they inspired by the fact that they had to act on the situation to save their lives, but it also seems like they had some external motivation. As Odysseus’ men stood around him, “some god inspired us”, Odysseus said (book IX. 379). Which is weird because that was just moments before an attack was launched to a son of a god. Odysseus, a witty yet normal human, was able to defeat the giant Cyclops Polyphemus, son of a god. Not only was the Cyclops defeated and his men were now safe, but Odysseus was smart enough not to leave a trail behind his work. When prompted for his name, Odysseus simply said “Noman is my name. They call me Noman. My mother, my father, an all my friends, too” (IX. 364-365). Odysseus knew this would cut off any chances of him being traced back to his attack on the son of a god. However, that effort was in vain. Odysseus also shows how smart and cunning he is. When he is talking to one of the suitors he says “ I too once lived in a lofty house that men admired; rolling in wealth I’d often give to a vagabond like myself, whoever he was, whatever need had brought him to my door. And crowds of servants I had, and lots of all it takes to live the life of ease, to make men call you rich. But Zeus ruined it all- gods will no doubt” (Homer, 393). In this quote he basically wanted to teach a lesson to the suitor. He wanted him to not judge people because in the end, everyone is equal. Odysseus also shows his wits when he said to a suitor “ I too once lived in a lofty house that men admired; rolling in wealth I’d often give to a vagabond like myself, whoever he was, whatever need had brought him to my door. And crowds of servants I had, and lots of all it takes to live the life of ease, to make men call you rich. But Zeus ruined it all- gods will no doubt.” (book IX.82-86). This quote shows Odysseus being cunning because he was disguised as a beggar trying to explain to the suitor that one day you could be at the top while pushing people to the bottom and the next day unexpectedly be at the bottom with the same people. Odysseus wanted to teach the suitor a lesson that everyone is equal, and to not judge people. Odysseus is a hero because he is loyal, compassionate, and cunning. Odysseus is a loyal man in more than one way. On his nine year journey home Odysseus and his men came across a nymph called Circe. Circe and Odysseus start to argue because Circe turns his men into pigs. Circe will not change them back unless Odysseus sleeps with her. In their argument, Odysseus said “How dare you tell me to treat you with warmth? you who turned my men to swine in your own house now you hold me here as well - teeming me with treachery you lure me to your room to mount your bed” (X. 74-77) Odysseus was furious with Circe but had to sleep with Circe. Although it was unfaithful, Odysseus had to make a choice whether or not to save his men, resulting in his loyalty to his men to influence his decision. Odysseus is a very compassionate and caring person. Odysseus shows a couple of times that behind his powerful role he is very caring, he showed this when he reunited with his house keepers “They came crowding out of their quarters, torch in hand, flung their arms around Odysseus, hugged him, home at last, and kissed his head and shoulders seized his hands, and he overcome by a lovely longing broke down and wept.....over in his heart he knew them one andall.”(22.525-529) that quote is about how Odysseus breaks down because he misses his house keepers because they are more like family. Another quote showing Odysseus’s compassion is “Many cities of men he saw and teamed their minds, many pains he suffered, heart sick on the open sea fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home.” (1.4-6). That quote represents what Odysseus fought for. He fought for himself, his men and the drive he had to return home to his family. It is not just his actions that show that he is a hero, but also a hero in spiritual sense. In the spiritual sense because he remains loyal and faithful to his wife, son, and his comrades. Now Odysseus may sort of be considered as a “philanderer” but in a way he tries his best to remain faithful to Penelope while afar. A way he shows this is when he tells Calypso that he loves his wife even if she may not be as beautiful as Calypso. “Look at my wise Penelope. She falls far short of you, your beauty, stature. She is mortal after all and you, you never age or die...nevertheless I long- I pine, all my days- to travel home and see the dawn of my return.” (X. 239-243). This quote reveals how much Odysseus loves her and how he is longing to get home and be reunited with his wife. Although Odysseus has many heroic qualities, his imperfections are shown with some of his mistakes. He also has one big imperfection that is made obvious throughout the journey, his bigger than life ego. “Nevertheless we sailed on, night and day, for nine days, and on the tenth at last appeared the land of our fathers, and we could see people tending fires, we were very close to them. But then the sweet sleep came upon me, for I was worn out with always handling the sheet myself, and I could not give it to any other companion, so we could come home quicker to our own country” (X.28-34).
Odysseus put himself above everyone by saying that. He basically said that he has been doing most of the work and no one in that ship can do what he does as well as he does. Odysseus’s ego is what taints his image of a respectable hero. After successfully and stealthily blinding the Cyclops, he had tricked him into believing that Odysseus’s name was noman, in an effort to hide them incase the Cyclops called out that noman had hurt him. However, that was all in vain as Odysseus revealed his name along with more details about him right before they left. As they were departing on the ship, Odysseus shouted “Cyclops, if anyone, any mortal man, asks you how you got your eye put out, tell him that Odysseus the marauder did it, son of Laertes, whose home is on Ithica” (IX. 500-504). This was very ignorant on Odysseus part, he had successfully hidden his identity just to throw it away. According to Schwarts, he lacks some qualities of heroes such as being descended from Gods (82-86). There is also some controversy as to whether or not Odysseus is a respectable hero because of the errors he committed throughout his journey. However, not every hero has a flawless, perfect journey. Even a hero him/herself is someone who is not perfect. Heroes have imperfections like humans do; it’s one of the few things that tie heroes to being normal aside their other characteristics. For Odysseus, there are many that don’t agree he should be a respectable hero. Some say he isn’t a hero because of all the terrible things he did throughout his journey, but remember a hero has flaws. One being he blinded Polyphemus, son of the god Poseidon. When just the blinding is isolated, it deprives Odysseus of any respectable hero qualities. However, Odysseus had to keep him and his men safe at all costs, Polyphemus being blinded is simply a by-product of that goal. Odysseus should actually be respected more for his bravery and clever thinking. Even though Odysseus didn’t change his ego problem, he still faced many obstacles that he overcame through his wits. Gods such as Poseidon even directly challenged him, yet he still succeeded (Foote). Many admire him and although he isn’t a god, he was by far superior to many ordinary men. He deserves to keep his earned title as an epic hero.

Works Cited
Alighieri, Dante. Inferno. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Shorter Third Edition. Ed. Peter Simon. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013. 1053-1172
Foote, Thomas. "We Followed Odysseus." Smithsonian. Smithsonian Magazine, Sept. 2001. Web. 06
Homer. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Shorter Third Edition. Ed. Peter Simon. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2013.271-466. Mar. 2014.
Sheila Schawrtz, The Idea Of The Hero, The English Journal, Vol. 58, No. 1 (Jan 1969), pp. 82-86