Achilles And Odysseus: An Epic Hero

An integral part of every epic story is the epic hero, a character often with superhuman qualities, designed to complete a difficult or seemingly impossible task. Ancient Greek poet Homer’s classic epics The Iliad and the The Odyssey center around some of the most memorable epic hero archetypes, Achilles and Odysseus, respectively. Each of these characters exhibits essential traits of the Greek epic hero, but Homer also designs Achilles and Odysseus to possess unique, complex identities that distinguish and highlight their particular strengths and weaknesses. When examining these heroes, one can admire Odysseus for the resilience, cunning, and faithfulness that set him apart from the brash, impulsive, and occasionally selfish Achilles. Both

men exhibit the Greek ideals of courage, bravery, and compassion, but, ultimately, Odysseus is the better hero because of the essential qualities which he exhibits and Achilles lacks.
One of the essential elements of a Greek hero is his courage, and this is a trait which both Achilles and Odysseus exhibit during each of their stories.

While Achilles is a great and powerful warrior, he still risks his life when he engages in battle with the Trojans, courageously leading his men and fighting in such a way that renders admiration from both parties of the war. Odysseus, on the other hand, also exhibits courage in battle, but, additionally, exhibits courage during the many perilous trials that he and his men endure on their journey home. While Achilles does have great capacity for courage and bravery, his own agenda often prevents him from using these virtues for the benefit of his comrades. A necessary characteristic of a true hero is the ability to put personal grievances aside for the greater good. When Agamemnon demands Achilles’ prize of battle, the maiden Briseis, Achilles’ pride is so injured that he refuses to take part in battle. This exhibition of selfishness and single-minded pettiness on the part of Achilles attests to this character’s tendency for menis, an unbound rage and wrath. This menis both makes Achilles an invaluable soldier and prevents him from being as admirable of a hero as Odysseus. The latter hero endures countless personal losses, yet keeps the well-being of his men first and foremost in his

mind.
While Achilles’ menis is one of his identifying characteristics, Odysseus can be characterized by his metis, or his cunning. While Achilles tends to be very prideful and tends to receive others’ praise only when he feels his pride is being maintained, Odysseus, contrarily, has no problem with lowering himself for the greater good. An excellent example of this humility is when Odysseus physically disguises himself as an old man in order to trick the Trojans during his ingenious plan of the Trojan horse. In this instance, the hero uses his cunning to defeat a more powerful opponent. This cunning is a regularly displayed trait of the hero Odysseus. He not only uses his trademark trickery for his own benefit, but Odysseus makes protecting his men a consistent priority. Unlike Achilles, who is a leader mostly because he is an example of a powerful soldier with a strong sense of duty for his country, Odysseus makes wise decisions on behalf of his men, which makes him a truly noble, compassionate leader.
Odysseus’ skill for making and executing strategic plans in tricky situations is one of his most admirable qualities, particularly when compared with the brashness of Achilles’ often anger-fueled decisions. Odysseus is praised by his men for being the cleverest of the Achaean commanders, and he makes no decisions without careful thought and planning. In The Odyssey, this Greek hero leads his men from the Lotus-eaters’ entrapping island, out of the giant Cyclops’ cave, away from the treacherous sorceress Circe’s island, past the alluring Sirens, through Skylla and Charybdis, and even off of Helios’ island. While receiving some help from the gods, Odysseus can be admired for utilizing his wit and exhibiting perseverance throughout all of these obstacles. The eventual loss of his men in a storm at sea only capitalizes upon Odysseus’ heroism, as he bravely endures this loss, then seven years of captivity on Kalypso’s island, and another shipwreck before he uses his skillful rhetoric to tell the Phaiakians his story and evoke their pity to win his freedom.
Rhetorical eloquence is another important aspect of Odysseus’ cunning. His strength as a public speaker is particularly demonstrated during his retelling of his adventures and when he regains control of his crown. If not for his rhetorical expertise and skill with evoking empathy, passion, and understanding from his listeners, Odysseus’ cunning would not be as potent as it is. This eloquence, along with Odysseus’ thoughtfulness before taking action, make this hero not just a cunning soldier, but a wise and effective leading force for his soldiers and his country. Returning to the central point of action in The Iliad, one can identify how continuously brash, anger-filled, and revenge-bent Achilles is. Because of his pride, Achilles endangers his dearest friend, Patroclus, and, by allowing Patroclus to enter into battle in his armor as disguise, Achilles is responsible for his best friend’s death. The prideful wrath, stemming from personal insult, that precedes the events that lead to Patroclus’ death is perhaps Achilles’ greatest weakness, or his characters’ figurative “Achilles’ heel.”
A true epic hero exhibits characteristics of soldierly courage, qualities of a great leader, and specific abilities that make him stand out among his fellow characters. Homer’s classic Greek epics feature some of the most memorable heroes in all of literature. One of The Iliad’s protagonist heroes, Achilles, demonstrates courage, bravery, strength, and military prowess. Because of his pride, egotism, and quickness to brash anger, however, this hero falls inferior to the great commander Odysseus, who not only displays classic heroic qualities, but also exhibits invaluable cunning, wit, and eloquence that make him an unforgettable and memorable hero.