Period 3 -053012 Odyssey Essay Odysseus, from the epic poem The Odyssey written by Homer, is a classic epic hero. Although he has admirable qualities, he also has faults like any other human being. His cleverness and leadership make him a hero. Not all heroes being perfect, he has a very overactive curiosity.…
Despite being a stout hearted war hero, Odysseus is certainly not a hero in any other aspect. There is not one human being who could possibly agree that a cheating, prideful, men killing monster is in any way heroic. If any of Odysseus’ distasteful characteristics has not yet proven his anti-heroism, imagine how the souls of Odysseus’ dead men feel about him being considered a…
The Epic Hero That Was Not The general populous has hailed Odysseus as the epitome of the epic hero for several centuries, but to the modern reader, he comes off as anything but. While he was extremely driven by one goal, getting back home to his family, he performed some not-so heroic deeds on his quest and once he arrived back in Ithaca. Odysseus had many affairs and was disloyal to his wife, slaughtered hundreds of people in the name of righteousness, and above all, exemplifies hubris, or arrogant pride. These traits and behaviors are not acceptable for anyone, especially a person considered to be and hailed as a hero. Odysseus is not the epitome of an epic hero.…
I believe Odysseus to be a hero, because all his flaws are what make him human. He is not a god, so he will make mistakes. His intelligence saves him and his men’s lives, and he does not give up. He was a great leader and was willing to pay a price for knowledge. He recognized that knowledge really is power, and decides to learn everything he can on his journey home. He also acknowledges that sometimes lying, cheating, and stealing might sometimes be necessary. That is what makes him human. “He achieves both kleos and nostos in the end and doesn’t have to die for either”…
Some may say Odysseus is a hero because he led his men out of captivity inside the cave of Polyphemus. He was clever in thinking of a way out, but he could’ve avoided the whole situation if he wasn’t so stubborn. His crew wanted to take the cyclops's cheese and goats and make a run for it but he thought “Ah how sound that was! Yet I refused. I wished/ to see the caveman and what he had to offer-/no pretty sights, it turned out for my friends.”(pg.151, ln 248-250) He focused too much on his own needs and didn't think of this crew men's safety first. A hero would think of his companions first before the wants of himself. His stubbornness put all of his men at risk which reveals his villainous quality of being stubborn.…
Is Odysseus a hero? In my opinion, yes he is a hero for many reasons. Such as trying his best to keep his crew safe and alive, putting his family first, and getting through rough times.…
Every story needs a hero. In the Odyssey, the characters face challenge after challenge and they had a leader that helped them overcome every obstacle. Odysseus was this leader and he is considered the hero of the story. He is considered the hero because of how he handled the situation with Polyphemus. His journey was dangerous and hard but he persevered through it and was able to overcome every obstacle that was put in his way.…
Odysseus: A Hero Odysseus is a strong man and cares about his family which he needs to get back to after The Trojan War. Odysseus is strong and he leads his men with confidence. He also is a hero because of the amazing and brave deeds that he has performed. Also, Odysseus has supernatural strength, with the help of gods, and is very intelligent. Odysseus shows these traits by completing tasks that were ahead of him. He also had to trick many to get back to his family. Odysseus defeats many who stand in his way because he knows family is the most important thing to him. The story of Odysseus in The Odyssey shows that he is a true hero.…
Odysseus: A Hero or a Flawed Hero? The epic poem, The Odyssey written by Homer near the end of the 8th century BC, focuses on a Grecian hero named Odysseus. Although after the falling of Troy Odysseus embarks upon a long, grueling journey home, it is through his travels that Homer is able to illustrate him as a hero. A hero is known as, “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.” (Dictionary.com) Homer’s projection of Odysseus is essentially a fundamental way of helping one become familiar of what a hero actually is and the impact that this individual has on society and its people. Odysseus fulfills the different attributes that characterize a stereotypical hero, yet at the same time demonstrates that a hero can, indeed, be flawed.…
The Greeks idea of a hero is very different from the idea of a hero today. The Greeks saw heroes as someone that was more than life, someone who battled monsters and gods, who did the impossible and went on dangerous quests. Odysseus is one of these heroes. He is a greek hero from the story the odyssey, this man was said to be half god half man, he out tricked the trojans only to find himself on a 20 year trip filled with monsters and gods. He shows leadership “‘friends have we never been in danger?’” (?) and cunning. He defeats the cyclopes and resisted the siren's song. but like every hero in the greeks mythology he has a fatal flaw. Achilles had his heel and odysseys had…
To my opinion, a hero should do things for the goods of other people, the country, and the society, just like Odysseus. A hero should be caring for others, he/she should be willing to sacrifice in order to achieve the good of others, even willing to sacrifice his/her life. A hero should also be moral, making ethically right decisions. In addition, a hero should help others…
Sometimes, Odysseus really acts like a hero, but sometimes not. In the Trojan War, he was very strong and brave, and he protected his men, but in book 9-12, he doesn’t seem to be the leader of his crew because they decide against his warning more than once. In book 11, he gets scared of the spirits of the dead and runs away.…
In the "Adventures of Ulysses" by Bernard Evslin the main character Odysseus goes through a series of exciting and dangerous trials during his trip back to Ithaca after the Trojan War. In this story Odysseus is portrayed as an epic hero. This can be seen through the fact that he is essentially noble, performs amazing tasks and feats and overcome weakness and temptations most would not be able to endure.…
Overall, Odysseus is a hero because of his strength, intelligence, and loyalty. It is clear that, at least by the Greeks’ standards and expectations of a hero Odysseus meets all those points. Afterall, there would not be a story about him if he is not a hero, epics are meant to tell the adventures of a hero who goes against great odds, which is what Odysseus is described of doing. The definition of a hero of the Greeks’ perfectly describe Odysseus and that is what makes him a hero, he does not classify as a hero to all, but to his crew and those who know him, he is their…
Odysseus’ characteristics, nerver cowardly and admired for great events, resemble to the characteristics of a hero. He shows throughout the book that he has these and proves it. Odysseus gains the first characteristic, never cowardly, and shows how he uses it to help him get home. Odysseus gains the second characteristic, admired for great achievements, as well throughout the book. This helps him in many different ways from gaining supplies to simply making a friend. Odysseus the true hero contains all these characteristics and many…