Comparing Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief

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Recommended: Definition and characteristics of epic hero

According to Dictionary.com, an epic hero is defined as a brave and noble character in an epic poem admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. There are several traits needed to be considered an epic hero. These characteristics include a noble birth, great strength, travel, mixing with the supernatural, humility, national heroism, and being an outstanding fighter. Odysseus, along with Percy from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, possess most, if not all, of these traits. Both heroes travelled, are great warriors, and mix with the supernatural. While some differences between Percy and Odysseus are evident, both are similar in that they possess the traits needed to be epic heroes.

Both heroes mix with the supernatural on a few different occasions. The supernatural includes gods, goddesses, or mythical characters. Odysseus received help from Athena, goddess of wisdom, when he killed all of the suitors in his castle. According to the text, "Several times Athena saves Odysseus' life by turning aside the suitors' deadly blows. " (Ln 1372) Athena clearly helps Odysseus survive his fight with the suitors. Percy fights the Minotaur, a combination of a man and a giant bull, in order to try and save his mom. The minotaur is sent by Hades, god of the underworld, to retrieve Percy's mom. …show more content…

This makes you an epic hero because if you stayed in the same place all of your life, no one would ever hear about you. Odysseus travelled around the Mediterranean for twenty years, stopping at many different places, after the Trojan War. "What of those years of rough adventure, weathered under Zeus." (Ln 22) Percy travelled from New York to Hollywood, California, stopping in Tennessee, Virginia, and Las Vegas. He also went to the Underworld and to Mount

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