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Comparison of the illiad and odyssey
Comparison of the illiad and odyssey
Comparison of the illiad and odyssey
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The Odyssey by Homer is said to be one of the most gripping tales for the contest of an ideal hero. An ideal hero in an adventurous tale is said to be a perfect man with great courage, no character flaws and always thinks about what is best for people around him. Of course, people would argue that Homer did not go through the whole struggle of writing this epic poem just to prove that Odysseus, the protagonist is an impostor, but there are a lot of cases throughout this story where he makes questionable choices. Odysseus is driven to many wanderings during which he sees many wonders and endures many sufferings to finally reach his family which would be a perfect definition for a hero according to a dictionary but if we look deeper Odysseus is man who is self-centered, rash and ignorant to other people's values and needs. Odysseus’s ego is the main catalyst that …show more content…
His over-confidence and egocentric decisions create more problems even than it solves. These decisions that run throughout the poem puts his life as well as his crew’s lives in danger. The infamous incident with Polyphemus, the one-eyed cyclops is a prime example of Odysseus’s recklessness. When Odysseus and his crew wandered into an island of cyclops who were said to be lawless, without culture and direct descendants from Poseidon, they got into a cave that was inhabited by Polyphemus. Odysseus quickly realized the danger that he poses to him after eating six of his men and that he cannot kill him even though he got him drunk off of his wine. Of course, there is no denying that Odysseus was cunning and intelligent man with great insight when he was asked what his name was, he replied, “Noman is my name. They call me Noman – My mother, my father and all my friends” (Homer 279). But at the same time, he tried to taunt
A true hero will go through immeasurable lengths to benefit not him or herself, but the people around them. Heroes are neither selfish nor uncaring. They seek every opportunity they get to help those in need. One must have also gone through the entire hero’s journey to be deemed a hero. He must start off naïve and inept and through his challenges, transform into someone worth calling a hero. Most importantly, a hero is not perfect. He must listen to other’s ideas and utilize them. However, in The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus disrespects his crew men and the gods’ advice, lets hubris interfere with his men’s lives, and is unfaithful to his wife Penelope.
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.
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.
In Homer's Odyssey Odysseus is a character who, sometimes behaves like a proper hero and also as a very self-centered character at other points. He earns the respect of his men during the Trojan War by making good sound decisions and caring about the welfare of his men. But, in his adventure home Odysseus is definitely not taking the responsibility of a hero among his men. On almost any page you turn to in the epic, you can find some act of greed or foolishness coming from Odysseus. He plays with the lives of his men with no regard for the well-being or their families. Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness.
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.
A hero accepts who he is as an individual, but strives to change himself for the better. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, the main character Odysseus is a valiant king who embarks on a life-changing voyage. While traveling from Troy back to his home in Ithaka, King Odysseus overcomes daunting obstacles, and in doing so discovers his place in the world. Odysseus is truly a heroic figure because he demonstrates courage, improves his character, and wins the support of the gods.
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
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.
There are many different perspectives of what a hero is but one opinion that most people would agree on is that a hero is someone who selfless and would sacrifice their own feelings for others. In The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus does not present the qualities of a hero but instead shows how one might lack true heroism. The character traits of being self-centered and unfaithful describe Odysseus as non-heroic. Odysseus must leave home to defend his people in the war for 10 years, but isn’t able to get home until another 10 years later. Throughout his journey, Odysseus selects lousy decisions that ends up making him unheroic such as being unreliable, unsympathetic of someone else’s emotions, and barbaric. This clearly shows that Odysseus is not hero material considering the fact that he is untrustworthy and manipulative.
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.
The main character of the Odyssey, Odysseus the King of Ithaca is given a complex personality to an extent where it is hard to identify whether he is a true hero or not. True heroism is only achieved when a person achieves certain qualities that portray heroism. Odysseus is not a hero based on the standards of merciful, selfless, and gentle because of his actions of sacrificing his men, killing the suitors and being ruthless throughout the Odyssey. Along with many others qualities these three are helpful and necessary in a hero. A hero must be willing to do service for others and put the needs of others safety and protection before his own. Odysseus does not even come close to matching these qualities because he is a person, who only serves of himself, and he sacrifices his allies to achieve his goals and often he takes action ruthlessly.
The epic hero walks the fine line between the gods and the mere mortal man. Not only do they embody the ideal characteristics valued in their societies, they simultaneously falter at the same weaknesses of ordinary men. In The Odyssey by Homer, the main character Odysseus, demonstrates throughout the story that he is worthy of the title “epic hero.” After proving himself as a courageous leader in the Trojan War, he embarks on a ten year journey to return home to Ithaca. Although, this voyage is not made easy through the interference and wrath of the gods, and the various creatures he faces along the way. Using his authority and guile, Odysseus is able to overcome many of the obstacles in his path; however
Odysseus had a life nobody would have wanted. He fought for everything he has and had to prove his self to everyone who ever doubted him. He also fought in the Trojan War, which was talked about in the book The Iliad, by Homer. In the book he was one of the suitor to pursue Queen Helen that including, Ajax, Agamemnon, Phoenix, and Nestor. He was one of the men that survived the Troy War and it look his ten year to come home, Ithaka. Odysseus was the son of Laertes and Antikleia. During the Odyssey early year’s people seen his strength showing. According to mythencyclopedia, while out hunting with his uncles and his grandfather, the young hero saved the adults by killing a wild boar. Before the creature died, however, it wounded Odysseus on
Homer’s literature served as a moral messenger to the people of ancient Greece. The Odyssey by Homer demonstrates the character development of Odysseus, the epic hero, and his journey of self-discovery. Odysseus was a great, wise, noble, and well respected war hero to his people. Odysseus had one tragic flaw that was demonstrated by his actions throughout the book. The author Homer continued to strip Odysseus of his arrogance throughout the story, by throwing challenges his way, making him pay for his mistakes, and allowing him to continue to overcome obstacles. The main purpose of Odysseus journey also to reach his home a more humble man. Reading Odysseus’ journey also served as a way to look at morals. The
Ithaca is not that big. It is a small island off Greece in the Ionian Sea. It does not produce much, just about enough to keep its families fed. However, it is the home of the great Odysseus. The gods have been watching it to see when he will return and what will happen when he gets there.