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All civilizations have a specific set rules and customs in which they believe defines the perfect person. Often, their example of the perfect person is told in an epic, in which there is a hero. From devastating good looks to superhuman strength, there is always something that separates this character from other people. Often, it is their bloodline, where one of their parents is a god. Sometimes, however, it is what they do and how they present themselves is what defines them. Or, it is how they battle, whether it is physically, mentally, or linguistically. Every culture’s hero is different, but they will have a few similarities between their characters.
Achilles, of the Iliad, is considered an epic hero, due to his goddess mother and his invincibility. His mother is Thetis, “a goddess of the sea and the leader of the fifty Nereides” (Thetis: Nereid Nymph). His father, a human named Peleus. At birth, his mother had a prophecy of Achilles’ death, and trying to prevent it, she dipped him into the River Styx, which granted him invulnerability to all weapons. Years later, Achilles was a hero of the Greek army, and played a huge part of the Trojan War. His fame though, caused his terrible hubris. Often sparring with King Agamemnon, he was strong headed and stubborn. In one argument, King Agamemnon states “Not so quickly, brave as you are, godlike Achilles-trying to cheat me.” (Homer., Fagles, and Knox 81). Although he was often disliked by other strong leaders, they did recognize his background.
Another character that is recognized as an epic hero is Odysseus from The Odyssey, not because of his bloodline, but rather his superior intellect. In The Odyssey, Odysseus has been separated from his family due to the Trojan War, and w...
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Often through great literature, there is an epic hero. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the journey of one man’s journey home from the Trojan War. The protagonist of the epic poem Odysseus is often regarded as a great hero. However, Odysseus is not quite the glorious soldier that people often see him as. Odysseus shows that he is an antihero through his pride, disloyalty, and bloodthirstiness.
One characteristic that Odysseus had to be an epic hero was that he was highborn. Odysseus was Prince Laertiades of Ithaca. The goddess Circe knew he was highborn and addressed Odysseus with his formal name “Prince Laertiades…'; (p. 120). When his men feared that he was dead and Odysseus returned to them unharmed, from their hearts they said, “You are back again my prince! How glad we are…';(p.120). Also, because Odysseus had not returned home to Ithaca, many men tried to wed his wife, Penelopeia, so that they could rule his kingdom.
Is Odysseus, the main character of Homer’s The Odyssey, really an epic hero? An epic hero embodies several heroic traits such as; having superior or super-human strength; being intellectual and courageous; and being a strong and responsible leader. An epic hero struggles and is overwhelmed with difficulties. An epic hero is on a quest of self discovery, war or some sort of goal. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is on a quest to return home to Ithaca after ten years of war in Troy. Odysseus, during his quest, is forced to venture through a merciless Cyclops, angered Gods, deeply obstinate Goddesses, the underworld, and determined suitors that are after his wife Penelope. Odysseus surmounts over these obstacles and returns home safely with courage, intelligence, superior strength, brave leadership, and also performs brave deeds.
Odysseus, the protagonist of the Odyssey by Homer fits the outline of an epic hero because he is courageous, quick-witted, and a natural leader. Odysseus isn’t only known for his muscles, also his clever mind. He is one of the great heroes that possesses both brains and brawn. He is also a hero with outstanding skill and bravery. It is no wonder why many teachers refer to Odysseus as a powerful hero. I believe Odysseus is a hero because he is clever, can overcome obstacles, is very brave, a leader but like all great heroes, he has his weaknesses.
Achilles, the greatest of the Greek warriors, is portrayed as a hero in some ways but, on the other hand, performs some controversial acts in the Iliad. Throughout the entire Trojan war, Achilles spent most of his time pouting in his tent after Agamemnon kidnapped his prized maiden, Chryseis.
People are heroes in different ways for different reasons. American soldiers are heroes because they fight boldly for their country. Corrie Ten Boom is also a hero because she took risks and saved hundreds of Jews. Abraham Lincoln is another example of a hero because he fought for what he thought was right and helped free all slaves. Similarly, Odysseus, the main character in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, possesses all of these characteristics and many more, making him a true epic hero.
In the introduction of the Essential Illiad given by Sheila Murnaghan, Achilles is labeled as “the greatest of the Greek heroes”. In classic mythology a hero is a person of great strength and courage celebrated for bold exploits and is often the offspring of a mortal and a god. Achilles was the greatest fighter among the Greeks or Trojans and feared no man in battle. He was also the offspring of a mortal and a god so by classic mythology definition, Achilles was indeed a hero. A hero is defined by the present day Websters Dictionary as: “one who inspires through manners and actions; an individual who leads through personal example and accomplishments requiring bravery, skill, determination, and other admirable qualities.” Achilles, in no manner, fits this definition. By contemporary standards, he is instead a pathetic villain. Aside from being a kidnapper, rapist and murderer, Achilles proves to be emotionally weak, selfish, and malicious. Many times throughout the Illiad, Achilles is also referred to as “godlike”. The gods of Greek mythology were subject to the same emotions and character flaws as humans, and though privileged to some foresight, the gods had similar mental capacities as humans. What really set the gods apart were their powers (controlling the elements, changing their appearance, etc.), great strength, and immortality. Because of his great strength and apparent invincibility, it is easy to see why Achilles would...
A Greek epic hero has many characteristics that makes them admirable to others. Characteristics of an epic hero includes, being of noble birth, being a warrior and performing extraordinary feats, being loyal and fighting for a noble cause, and having intelligence and flaws, and facing supernatural beings or receiving help from supernatural beings. Both Achilles and Odysseus were born of noble birth. Achilles was the son of Peleus the king of Myrmidons, while Odysseus was the king of Ithaca. In addition, Achilles was a demi god, whose mother Thetis had dipped him in the river Styx to receive invulnerability, while Odysseus grandfather is Hermes, the messenger god. Both men were a great warrior and had performed extraordinary feats. Both men
The question has been raised as to whether or not Odysseus, the hero of Homers The Odyssey, is an epic hero. An epic Hero portrays many classic properties, including being very strong and courageous. Odysseus is an epic hero, because he portrays many of these and other traits, such as having a goal that is foremost in his mind, and having descended into the underworld.
There are numerous heroes throughout “The Odyssey,” but none of them are as significant as Odysseus. “The Odyssey” is a narrative poem written by Homer (around 800 and 600 BCE) to show the numerous adventures and experiences Odysseus goes through. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus a prominent Greek epic hero is on a quest to return back to his home in Ithaca; to his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachus. Just like real life, not all heroes are picture-perfect; they all have imperfections. In this case, Odysseus is sometimes insolent, and discourteous; but he is still considered an epic hero because of the many heroic qualities he endures. Odysseus proves himself to be an outstanding hero in various ways such as showing loyalty, intelligence, bravery, strength, and courage which are all some of the most momentous qualities found in a hero. If a true hero can prove they are a true hero, makes them a true hero.
The Greek army’s greatest warrior during the Trojan War, Achilles was born of the goddess Thetis and the mortal Peleus. (Murnaghan, 1997, p.xxv)“Strong, swift and godlike” as Lombardo translating Homer puts it (1997, p.5), his presence on the battlefield reverberated fear through his enemies. Being a general in the Achaean army, his original rationale as to engage...
Clearly defined in The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Aeneid, and The Ramayana are the indispensable traits required by an epic hero. Through these works, each epic hero undergoes a series of particular events that illustrates the essential traits to being an epic hero: being a great warrior, piety, and knowledge.
Picture this: a hero of great legends who travels to the underworld and back to get directions to his home from a blind prophet. It sounds like quite an impossible journey, but that is exactly what makes Odysseus all the more fascinating. The Odyssey, an epic poem orally transmitted by Homer, a Greek poet who wrote The Iliad, had to contain some variety of attributes that Greeks valued in a person. That one embodiment of what the Greeks found intriguing in a character is Odysseus. Odysseus is known as what is called an epic hero. An epic hero is a protagonist of a story that represents the most important attributes of a civilization. Odysseus, being based in ancient Greece, is the embodiment of intelligence, loyalty, and strength.
Achilles was a man who could do many and fight many all at the same time. A great skill in which to be a epic hero of the Trojan war. He is brave enough to face these enormous obstacles head on and still carry out the ending. Achilles’ obstacle is the very warriors of Troy but he still proved to be more worth than a hundred soldiers. Achilles was in the frontline and with normal expectancy any solider would have fallen first. But not Achilles, he overcame this obstacle of soldiers by conquering their beach in less than a day.
Because he embodied Greek ideals, was ‘immortalized’ through his actions and glorious death, and was courageous, Achilles was an epic hero. Honor was of the utmost importance to both him and the entire Greek society, he chose to die a hero in battle, and he avenged the death of Patroclus even through mourning; Achilles is the true hero of the Iliad.