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Definition and characteristics of epic hero
Definition and characteristics of epic hero
Definition and characteristics of epic hero
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In the Greek Society, epic poems educated people on how to live, honor the gods, and be hospitable citizens. A textbook example of such a poem, The Odyssey by Homer, tells of the journey and struggles of Odysseus, an epic hero. Epic heroes typically happen to be strong, quick thinking, and honorable men, but Odysseus’ tragic flaws repeatedly cause strife and cataclysmic misery along his quest to Ithaca.
In an epic poem, monsters and supernatural beings affect the outcome of a journey. Considering that Odysseus fights monsters, works under the gods’ wills, goes on a perilous passage, and displays traits associated with heroes, he is conceivably an epic hero. The King of Ithaca also embodies many laudable qualities often attributed to epic
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heroes, such as: thirst for glory, power and courage, and upmost -- his quick thinking. “(He) weathered many bitter nights and days in his deep heart at sea, while he fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home” (Pt 1, L 8-10).
Odysseus, fidelitous to his shipmates before his own life, embraced his virtue of loyalty by having faith in his crew. Accordingly, on the Island of Lotus Eaters, Odysseus’ crew, downtrodden from nine days at sea, succumb to the lotus plant -- forgetting their homeland. “I drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, tied them down under their rowing benches, and called the rest…and we moved out again on our sea faring” (Pt 1, L 50-57). In the interest of his crew, Odysseus acts appropriately, and protects the hope of homeland in his men. Displaying quick thinking, Odysseus saves the remaining of his crew -- by hiding under sheep when attacked by the cannibalistic Cyclops, Polyphemus, who instead of welcoming the visitors, devoured two. Not only does Odysseus possess a strong …show more content…
physique but also strong mental strength. Despite the death of his crew and seven-year kidnapping by the goddess Calypso, Odysseus, notwithstanding, travels home and finds yet another struggle after his twenty-year absence; Penelope, his wife, resisting the suitors who desire her hand in marriage. By Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare, Odysseus is able to reconcile with his son, and slay the impudent suitors. Although Odysseus saves people, he also endangers them at many points; all due to his tragic flaws.
Characteristics that help a hero attain success, but when used in excess, cause the hero to weaken and suffer defeat. Odysseus, a curious and confident hero, is flawed when these virtues become extended in too high a quantity. After Polyphemus is blinded, the king and his crew barely make it out of the cave, but aboard the ship, Odysseus begins to brag -- bringing out his arrogant and overzealous side. Polyphemus almost knocks the boat to shore twice before Odysseus realizes to stop, but he had already been cursed. “Should destiny intend that he shall see his roof again… far be that day and dark the years between. Let him lose all companions, and return under strange sail to bitter days at home” (Pt 1, L 456-462). The reason Odysseus went to Polyphemus was to appease his curiosity, but yet again, his trait became a tragic flaw when he failed to think about his actions. Neglecting to think about the consequences of words and actions became the downfall of Odysseus’ luck with the gods and the fate of his
crew. Even though Odysseus possesses many tragic character flaws, he, in the majority of his expedition uses his traits to his advantage, making him an epic hero. Because Odysseus tries to save his crew and keeps hope in his homeland, The Odyssey by Homer is the story of an epic hero who goes through his journey home and learns many things along the way. After all, his mistakes and problems helped teach the citizens of Greece how to live and please the gods.
This shows that Odysseus’ self-serving nature extends beyond material greed into the equally sinful realm of pride. In a classic display of hubris, Odysseus taunts the Cyclopes fulfilling the sole purpose of stroking Odysseus’s ego. At first it appears that our hero is lacking foresight, but Odysseus tells Polyphemus his name in hopes that tales of his cunning will spread throughout Greece: a very selfish goal, directly resulting in the endangerment of the lives of both him and his men throughout the remainder of their travels.
In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus must face many obstacles on his journey. He is only able to conquer them because of his wonderful qualities. He meets, a Cyclopes, Sirens, a six-headed monster, a regurgitating whirlpool, and a group of greedy, lovesick men. Some Odysseus's more important qualities are, determination, cunning, and protecting.
Odysseus is unique among epic heroes in that his strength comes not from inhuman powers or exceptional physical ability, but mainly from his mind. Odysseus, regularly uses cunning, guile, and superiority of intellect to overcome obstacles. In this paper I will compare Odysseus to other epic heroes, both in terms of character and in terms of responses to crises, comparing his reactions with those of other heroes placed in similar situations.
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 definition of a hero is unique for every individual; however there are several regulations that majority of individuals can agree on. A hero must exhibit traits such as humility, kindness, and courage. Once the candidate expresses hubris, displays cruelty, or retreats from a formidable challenge, he cannot be considered a hero. Lastly, a hero candidate must overcome challenges that defy the odds. He must deliver a gift to society that benefits society as a whole; such gifts can be freedom, liberty, or hope. Odysseus in The Odyssey, by Homer, fulfilled these requirements and rightfully earned the title of a hero. Odysseus is well deserving of the title hero because he has put the needs of others before his own, shown signs of courage in the face of adversity, and displays humility by ridding himself of his hubris.
A person will typically think a hero as one who is equipped with great strength or ability. But a hero is more than just being brave or strong. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus goes through many challenges and is faced with his biggest weakness: his hubris or excessive pride. Though, Odysseus earns the title of a hero because he exhibits courage, utilizes cunning, and overcomes his hubris.
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.
Homer’s work, adopted epic conventions and captivates the audience by presenting majestic characters. All points considered an epic cannot solely be labeled as a poem. The omission of epic conventions does not allow for a plot such as The Odyssey’s to develop. Therefore, the existence of distinguishing elements is classified as indispensable. An epic calls for the reader to focus and appreciate the manner in which it is presented. The style is ideally formatted to expose heroism to the audience, whether it’s teenagers today or the ancient Greeks. The Odyssey defines heroism through Odysseus and the concept although modified is relevant and valuable to our society. Ultimately, the events of the series of cantos strengthen the regard in which we hold heroic
For a character to be an epic hero, he must possess four characteristics. These four characteristics include the following: (1) he must be high born, (2) the hero must have human weaknesses, (3) he must be brave,and 4) he must be clever. In The Odyssey, Homer’s character Odysseus was an epic hero because he possessed all four of the characteristics.
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.
Odysseus is a hero because he acts courageously while facing the many challenges he encounters. Odysseus’s shows great bravery when he engages in physical challenges. Odysseus daringly fights against the suitors, while significantly outnumbered: “For I must tell you this is no affair / of ten or even twice ten men, but scores, throngs of them” (XVI, 291 – 293). Even though Odysseus is facing hundreds of men, his bravery keeps him confident that he can win the battle. Odysseus must use his physical strength when Poseidon punishes him with turbulent waves: “Odysseus’s knees grew slack, his heart / sickened, and he said within himself / Rag of man that I am, is this the end of me?” (V, 307 – 309). Odysseus is exhausted from the torrential sea, yet refuses to give up because of enormous courage and his unwillingness to surrender. Odysseus must also cope with emotional challenges throughout his journey. His emotions are tested when he ventures to the underworld, Hades, and must confront his greatest fear, death: “From every side they came and sought the pit / with rustling cries; and I grew sick with fear. / But presently I gave command to my officers” (XI, 45 -47). Although Odysseus is deeply fearful when he comes face to face with the dead, his mental f...
The epic poem The Odyssey, written by Homer, centers around the main protagonist Odysseus and his long journey back home. Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, returns home after defeating the Trojans in a ten year war. On his way back, he angers Poseidon, god of the sea, by blinding his son, Polyphemus the Cyclops. Due to Odysseus’ actions, Poseidon refuses to let Odysseus reach home, and Odysseus and his crew are forced to go through a series of obstacles throughout the epic. Through this adversity, Odysseus must show his heroic attributions in order to survive. Homer portrays Odysseus as a hero by giving him characteristics such as: craftiness, loyalty, and bravery.
The Odyssey is an example of Greek history portrayed in literature. As in all Greek literature, the epic hero Odysseus answers a call to action, suffers through great confrontation, and returns with a better understanding of life. Greek stories such as, The Odyssey set the stage for today's modern action movies with epic heroes such as Indiana Jones, Frodo from the Lord of the Rings, and Western cowboys like Roy Rogers and The Lone Ranger.
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.
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.