A Hero vs An Average Person

940 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Archetypal journey of Odyssey

What qualities does a hero have? Is it someone who inspires us, or someone who you simply admire? A hero to me is someone who is brave, a leader, intelligent, and strong. A hero has to be able to sacrifice himself for others. A hero is someone who doesn’t look down on others, but someone who encourages others to look up to them. Odysseus, man of many wiles, husband of Penelope, father of Telemachus, Son of Laertes and Anticlea has all the qualities of a hero, but also has some flaws. Odysseus seems to be more than the average person, therefore he is an average person with a mixture of good and bad qualities. Intelligence, and strength, are both great traits that describe Odysseus, and his weaknesses are his pride, sensuality, lack of leadership, and temptation.

First of all, Odysseus shows great heroism through his intelligence. This quote for example “It was so strong that we usually diluted it in water twenty to one. The Cyclops tossed it back and then demanded more.” This quote relates to Odysseus when he shows intelligence and puts Polyphemus asleep by getting him drunk off wine in order to save his men. In todays time an example would be getting someone drunk to take advantage of them to fight them, because they’ll be drunk, and wouldn’t be as stable as they would be sober. This relates to when Odysseus got Polyphemus drunk. This is taking advantage because he stabbed his eye when Polyphemus was asleep which is taking advantage of him. Also, Odysseus shows intelligence when he comes up with the idea of the Trojan horse. This shows intelligence because he came up with the idea of sneaking men in the Trojan horse and having the Greeks leave it in front of Troy as a gift, but he really was tricking them so th...

... middle of paper ...

.... Right when Odysseus was out of sight the crew disobeyed and killed some of the cattle angering the Sun God. This also made Odysseus’ trip longer and got the last of his men killed. An example about this from todays time would be if you were demanded by your boss to go and do your work, but you just sat down and didn’t do it you would face the consequences of getting fired, which in Odysseus’ case his mens consequences were death. Overall, his weaknesses cause him to be an average person, and not a hero.
In conclusion, a hero can be both someone we admire or someone who inspires us. Not someone who fails along with his successes quit a bit. Odysseus’ mixture of great and bad qualities make him better than the average person, but not as good as a hero. He has great qualities along with some bad ones. This means he is an average person with good and bad traits.

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Odysseus In The Spongebob

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus, during his long journey, exhibited many heroic qualities including bravery, strength, and determination. He was determined to return to his family after hs journey, and he bravely fought to stay alive during the cyclope situation, as well as other situations, and showed strength by being able to battle the cyclopes in self-defense. However, Odysseus was also obnoxiously arrogant about his victory and was actually very selfish throughout his entire story; he almost did not leave his town to help with the war because he did not want to leave to protect his family. Although Odysseus exemplified heroic qualities, this does not make him a true hero.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Pride Quotes

    828 Words  | 2 Pages

    A hero is someone who would sacrifice himself for others, someone who is selfless and caring. Odysseus from Homer’s, “The Odyssey” does not have these traits. Throughout the book, Odysseus displays many negative character traits that show he is not someone to be admired or treated like a hero. He is too proud, he does not listen, and he constantly puts his needs before that of his men.

    Read More

  • Odysseus: From Hubris To A Selfless, Modest Hero

    1256 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus confirms his role as a hero because he puts thought into all of his choices, he is quick-witted, and he frees himself of excessive self pride. From sacrificing six of his own men to surrendering his self pride to the gods, Odysseus accepts the noble title and proves himself deserving of being a hero. He took on a journey in which he grew into himself and rid himself of the one thing that held him back all along; his hubris. At the end of the journey, Odysseus went from being a selfish, cocky leader to being a selfless, modest hero.

    Read More

  • The Hero’s Journey in Homer's The Odyssey

    1885 Words  | 4 Pages

    The hero is the man who fights for what he loves. A hero is someone who rises above circumstance to take back what is his or hers. A hero is a man who was favored by the gods. All of these qualities and more can be found in both Odysseus and Telemachus. Odysseus and Telemachus both showed many manifestations of a hero throughout the Odyssey. It was a journey of change and growth for both men. Out of this journey they returned with much wisdom and personal gain. Odysseus and Telemachus have truly walked the path of the hero’s journey.

    Read More

  • Is Odysseus A Hero? in the Poem The Odyssey by Homer

    662 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus has all the qualities made to be a true hero. Not only did Odysseus fight on behalf of the Greeks in Troy (Trojan War), but everything he went through he learned a valuable lesson at the end; Odysseus endured so much during his journey going back to Ithaca but he never gave up on any of his principles. He also had good escape strategies, and he risked his life to save others. Imagine you being on the same journey Odysseus went through, do you honestly believe you would have survived? He made some minor mistakes along the way but nobody’s perfect. That’s why Odysseus is a hero because, he’s strong, and intelligent and was able to get out of sticky situations.

    Read More

  • Odysseus The Hero

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus was also an epic hero because he had human weaknesses. One of his weaknesses was that he was arrogant. Even after he defeated Polyphemos (the Cyclops) Odysseus stayed longer just so he could taunt him. He “…wanted to shout out again…although [his] comrades…tried to coax [him] not to do it'; (p.110). Odysseus, against his crew’s wishes, shouted, “…Cyclops! if ever a man asks you who put out your ugly eye, tell him your blinder was Odysseus!'; (p.110). Another human weakness of Odysseus was that he had a bad temper. When Eurylochos refused to go back to Circe’s mansion, Odysseus “…thought for a moment that [he] would draw [his] sword and cut off his head…';(p.121). If his men did not stop him, Odysseus probably would have killed Eurylochos and therefore lost a good man because of his short temper. Lust was another weakness of his. For Seven years Odysseus and Circe were lovers. Because he stayed with Circe, Odysseus prolonged his return home to Ithaca. Odysseus had many human weaknesses.

    Read More

  • Odysseus The Hero

    1489 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, Odysseus deserves the title of a hero because he shows bravery, displays a change in character, and has the Gods supporting him throughout his journey home. Odysseus has the courage to overcome physical, emotional, and intellectual challenges. While Odysseus he is on the hero’s journey, he vastly improves his character. He changes from arrogant to humble, and learns leadership qualities, and most importantly, his place in the world. Odysseus has the revelation that the gods are above him, and are in control. Because he realizes the supremacy of the gods, his reward is assistance from the gods themselves. Odysseus is not a perfect man, and is flawed, just like every other human. However, heroes are not gods.

    Read More

  • Temptations Of Odysseus

    1479 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus: a hero in every way. He is a real man, skilled in the sports, handy with a sword and spear, and a master of war strategy. Most of the challenges and adventures in his return voyage from Troy show us this even if we had no idea of his great heroic stature and accomplishments in the Trojan war. I found in my reading of the Odyssey that most of the trials the gods place upon him are readily faced with heroic means. These challenges are not

    Read More

  • Odysseus: an Epic Hero

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, Odysseus’ intelligence, loyalty, and strength are all key aspects which make Odysseus an epic hero. Besides having those characteristics, he has passed impossible tasks and could be compared to many American superheroes such as Batman. Both have relatively the same characteristics: strength, loyalty, intelligence, courage, and pride, but what makes them an epic hero is not entirely what they have been through. It is actually their ability to portray what their civilization finds most heroic in a person that makes them an epic hero.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Hero Quotes

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    Overall, Odysseus is a hero because Odysseus is a clever and intelligent man, he is a courageous soldier and leader, and he is loyal to his crew. He never gives up even though it seems like nothing will go right. Odysseus fights against difficult odds and takes unimaginable risks, but stays loyal to his crew one hundred percent of the way. Odysseus is not only a model hero, but he is an epic

    Read More

  • Odysseus' Selfishness

    914 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus portrays himself as anything but a hero throughout Homer’s The Odyssey. Odysseus goes through his life believing he is the best. He has no regard for anyone’s feelings but his own, and he believes nothing and no one can harm him, not even the gods. Odysseus feels he is always the leader and no one can tell him otherwise. Odysseus should not be considered a hero because he portrays himself as a selfish man that failed his crew, and is controlled by his hubris.

    Read More

  • Odysseus: Not A Hero

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus is not a hero based on the standards of merciful, selfless, and gentle. His actions against Polyphemus, the Suitors, and his men truly show that he is in fact the opposite of a hero. The actions he takes to return home safely and to get back his throne are very cruel and show signs that he lacks the nobility of being called a hero, or a king, or a warrior. He has shown that he powerful, destructive, and ruthless and these are qualities that a hero must not have. Odysseus, the mighty King of Ithaca is not a hero because he is not selfless, gentle, or merciful.

    Read More

  • The Heroism of Odysseus

    2356 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...-evaluation and corrected himself by turning his life around so that he could be fully aware of what it means to be a hero. Even though he has different traits from different heroic people he still succeeded in proving himself, like all heroes do. Now he truly understands his place in the world, his purpose, and what he must do in the future as the main hero of his household. Journeys like Odysseus’s would influence people to think about a hero in a complete opposite way than stories about pure-hearted knights in shining armor because it shows a person’s mistakes and how he handles or copes with them while maturing overtime. Even though different traits can describe who is or who is not a hero Odysseus is beyond doubt a well-developed hero.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Character Analysis

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, Odysseus displays the good and heroic characteristics of cleverness, bravery and strength throughout his actions in response to the challenges he faced in The Odyssey. Like any great heroes in literature, Odysseus does have some character flaws, such as pride and violence. But his good characteristics makes him a hero to root for and agree with, despite any flaws that he has.

    Read More

  • The Definition of a Hero

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    When I think of a hero I immediately think of someone who is strong, intelligent, handsome, and daring. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. Courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness, and the will to try are just a few of the overlooked qualities of a hero. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa.

    Read More

More about A Hero vs An Average Person

Open Document