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Why Is Odysseus A Hero

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Not all heroes wear capes, sometimes it's the villains that wear the capes. The story The Odyssey is about a king named Odysseus and he is sailing home from Troy after the Trojan War was over. There are many reasons why Odysseus is not a hero, throughout the whole story Odysseus wasn't doing heroic things, he was almost doing some villainous things. One of the reasons why Odysseus is not a hero is that he is a murderer. In the story it says “ In blood and dust he saw that crowd all fallen, many and many slain. Think of a catch that fisherman haul into a half-moon bay in a fine-meshed net rom the whitecaps of the sea: how all are poured out on the sand, in throes for the salt sea, twitching their cold lives away in Helio’s fiery air: so …show more content…
He sailed them straight through two monsters and almost destroying their ship. He could have told them that was going to happen because he already knew but he didn't, and a lot of his men died because he didn't tell them the truth.If you're a hero, you are not suppose to kill innocent people, only “bad guys” do that. When you fight bad people heroes just throw them in jail, not kill them in cold blood. The second reason why Odysseus is not a hero is that he is a thief. In the story it says “Why not take these cheeses, get the stowed, come back, throw open all the pens, and make a run for it? We’ll drive the kids and lambs aboard. We say put out again on good saltwater!” (565). Odysseus and his men plans on stealing the cyclops food and taking all of his sheepes. Not only did he plan to do that but he also invaded the cyclops's cave and ate his food. Another reason why Odysseus is a thief is that he stole from the village of Cicones. “ I stormed that place and killed the men who fought. Plunder we took, and we enslaved the woman, to make division, equal shares to all” (562). …show more content…
He could lie at a moments notice and he can do it easily so he can get away with it. ”’Give me another, thank you kindly. Tell me, how are you called? I'll make a gift will please you. Even cyclops know the wine grapes grow out of grassland and loam in heavens rain, but here's a bit of nectar and ambrosia!.....”’ Cyclops, you ask my honourable name? Remember the gift you promise me, and i shall tell you. My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy’” (569). Odysseus lied about who he is, which proves that he isn't a hero because heroes are suppose to be honest and not lie about who they are even if they lied to save the lives of his men. It proves how fast and how good he can lie to the cyclops and it shows how often he does it too. Even though you have to do bad to do some good it still doesn't make up for the fact that he still

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