“I am Odysseus son of Laertes, known before all men for the study of crafty designs, and my fame goes up to the heavens.” Odysseus was quoted saying this in Book 9. Odysseus said this when he was greeting others. Some of the reasons he does these things is because he is an epic character. The Odyssey clearly shows Odysseus is an epic character through the conflict he faces, his long journey, and the hardships he endures.
Odysseus has been shown to be an epic character through the conflict he faces. One example of this is Polyphemus, or the Cyclops he encounters in a cave. The Cyclops was not allowing his men and himself to leave, and Polyphemus was eating them. He later stabbed the Cyclops’s eye and escaped. Another example of conflict would be Poseidon. Since Polyphemus is Poseidon’s son, he isn’t happy with Odysseus for stabbing out his son’s eye, so he creates terrible storms for Odysseus to encounter. One last conflict, mentioned in Book XXII, is when Odysseus kills the suitors who have been causing him problems. They wanted to marry Odysseus’s wife, and have created injustice.
Another example of how Odysseus is an epic character is his long journeys. His main voyage itself has taken Odysseus 15-20 to finish and get back home. He has also traveled to 15+ islands from Troy to Ithaca. As mentioned in Book XV, Odysseus arrived in Ithaca from Crèche.
Finally, the hardships Odysseus endured made him an epic character. One of the hardships Odysseus faced was being gone for so long. This also hurt his relationship status. Another hardship would be the suitors. They ate his food and drank his beverage. Finally, in book V, Odysseus gets to leave Calypso’s island after being captive for so long.
Clearly shown above are reasons why Odysseus is considered an epic character. These reasons include the conflicts he faced, his long journey, and the many hardships he endured. These and many other reasons make Odysseus an epic character. Without them, he wouldn’t be what he is today.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
{Odysseus was a hero because he was very brave throughout the many perils he encountered on the voyage home from the Trojan War. Odysseus tried his hardest to get all of his men home however he knew if he didn’t sacrifice some men no one would get home. Odysseus was clever and a bit of a smart-aleck he used these traits to his advantage. He lost all of his men because they wouldn’t listen to him. He tried to save them all however they refused to listen to him.}…
- 291 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In a conclusion, Odysseus’s dauntlessness, cunning and allegiance led him to overcome the barriers on his journey to get home and kill the suitors that have occupied his castle. He showed archetypal traits throughout his whole journey. He got supernatural help and instruction mostly from Athena. He remained loyal to his wife Penelope however he was pleased from sleeping with Calypso and Circe, which was his weakness. Through his journey, Odysseus faced serious problems and tried to overcome them with the best solution possible. His bravery is a role model for people these days. All of the supporting evidences are enough to shows that Odysseus is the archetypal hero of the epic. Having all the traits and meeting all the hero criteria is not…
- 146 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
An epic hero is a character that possesses courage, strength, and a desire to achieve immortality through heroic actions. A person is considered a hero if they have a problem in their journey and had the strength and courage to solve or address the problem. Odysseus is an epic hero because he possesses the traits of that of a hero. He had the intelligent idea of the Trojan horse and made the Greeks win the Trojan war. After all, he survived the likes of Poseidon, the cyclops, the lotus eaters etc. And after his courageous journey he returned to Ithaca and restored piece in the island.…
- 347 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Odysseus is an Epic hero because he showed intellect, fortitude, and wisdom. Odysseus was a very cleaver and intelligent he knew when to attack and when to hold back. If Odysseus and his men would have killed Cyclops I his cave they would died as well because there was a bolder in the exit of the cave (book 9 lines 289-295). Odysseus told Cyclops that his name was nobody to trick the other Cyclopes into thinking that there was nothing wrong. (Book 9 lines 360-362).…
- 418 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, The hero Odysseus displays many heroic traits that make him an epic hero. The Odyssey is about Odysseus journey home after the Trojan War. On his way back home, he harms a Cyclops’s eye, so Poseidon becomes very angry and make Odysseus’s trip extremely difficult. Odysseus encounters many monsters and his entire crew perishes. When he finally returns home after 20 years, Athena helps him reunite with his son and kill all on the suitors that have made themselves at home in his house with his wife. Some of the many characteristics that Odysseus shows throughout his journey may include courage, leadership and curiosity.…
- 923 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
To start, Odysseus was developed with standard Greek heroic traits. First, Odysseus was courageous in the face of opposition, as shown by his encounter with Charybdis and Scylla. The protagonist of The Odyssey commanded his crew to row onwards in the face of the monsters, showing his courage. He was also intelligent, as he devised a plan to escape the wrath of Polyphemus. Odysseus made the Cyclops drunk with his liquor before blinding him and allowing his crew to escape on the underside of the sheep of the island. Finally, the main hero of the story was perseverant, as illustrated when he left Ogygia, battled Poseidon’s storms, and made it to King Alcinous’s island.…
- 684 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
An epic hero is a figure of great, larger-than-life stature where his most remarkable traits are those valued by his culture. The Odyssey by Homer, tells a fascinating story of king Odysseus, who takes a twenty year journey in order to return to his home of Ithaca after his great victory in the Trojan War. After many years of life risking danger, is Odysseus really considered an epic hero? What makes a true epic hero? Odysseus’ pride, intelligence, and courage are the exact traits found in an epic hero.…
- 955 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Homer depicts Odysseus as the stereotypical epic hero. He was of noble birth, being the king of Ithaca. He was known for being cunning and brave, and traveled to fight against an evil. He fought in the Trojan War to rescue and return Helen to her husband Menelaus, King of Sparta. After the war he became a legend and everyone knew…
- 571 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Odysseus’s tale has been told several times, and most depict him as an epic hero. In fact, he shows several qualities one finds in classic Greek heroes, such as Achilles, Hercules, and Theseus. Like most epic heroes, Odysseus has been mostly harmed by the gods. From him angering Poseidon by blinding his Cyclopes son Prometheus, to Zeus striking down his ship, Odysseus did not have the gods on his side during his journey home. Athena, however, aided him when he arrived to his homeland. Although she did not help during his travels, Athena assisted Odysseus in his battle against the suitors in his kingdom. She was one of the only goddesses on his side. Odysseus also possesses the personal qualities of an epic hero. He is confident and cunning,…
- 160 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
What is an epic hero? Homers’ “Odyssey” is about an epic hero named Odysseus and his quest home. “The Odyssey” begins after the Trojan war had left Odysseus trapped, pointlessly seafaring for 10 years after angering Poseidon, the god of the sea. He tries desperately to return home to Ithaka and his wife, Penelope, and newborn son, Telemachus. Odysseus then has many hardships upon which he overcomes through his intelligence and wit. Odysseus is an epic hero because he is intelligent, he listens to the god’s advice, and he is witty; able to think on his feet. With the help of the gods he can survive things most men couldn’t.…
- 751 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
(Odysseus) Odysseus is the protagonist of the very well-known story the Odyssey. Which is about Odysseus’s 20-year long journey home after the war in Troy. On the journey, he faces many…
- 499 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In the spiritual sense Odysseus is a hero, because he remains faithful and loyal to his wife and household. Although he has been wandering away from home for almost twenty years, the only thing that…
- 760 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Odysseus is a hero. He displays many qualities that make him a hero. He is a leader that takes charge, he fights for what he believes in, he tries to keep his men alive or do something for the greater good, and his driving force is very important to him. He is a hero.…
- 682 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Odysseus is the hero that appears in The Odyssey, Homer's epic about Odysseus’s 10 year struggle to return home after the end of the Trojan War. In this epic, Odysseus battles mythical creatures and endures the wrath of the gods. All while being the epic hero of the story. Being the protagonist of this epic, Odysseus has many qualities that make him the hero.…
- 479 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
So I know that Odysseus is an epic hero From those 3 examples. This piece of literature is important to the world of literature because “The Odyssey” is a great beginning to all of the modern super heroes. This piece of…
- 396 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays