Odysseus the Hero

Strength doesn’t have to be measured in muscle. In the epic “The Odyssey” by Homer we are introduced to a man by the name of Odysseus. “Run then, while I hold them off with arrows as long as the arrows last”. He is an epic hero. Odysseus is an epic hero because he shows the traits of other heroes throughout history, make difficult choices in sticky situations, and has extreme amounts of cunning and wit.
A hero like Odysseus has some traits in common with some of histories greatest heroes. These traits are show in different places throughout the novel. He shows his extreme strength capabilities when he is fighting off the suitors who are trying to court his wife. He battles alongside his son Telemachus, Athena, and two herdsmen to kill all of the suitors (over one-hundred). At one point in this battle he had to single handedly take out ten (or maybe a bit more). Before this, he and his men were sailing home from Troy when they encountered a Cyclops' cave. The cyclops trapped them in the cave and began eating the men. Odysseus kept his hopes up and courageously thought of a plan while he had to watch his men be eaten alive. But above all, one thing every hero has in common is a weakness. “I grieved, but held her off, through pang on pang of tears.” Odysseus laughs at the cyclops when he escapes, causing the cyclops to chuck rocks in the direction of the boat. This almost sunk the boat and would’ve killed everyone. This weakness shows how heroes are made to be imperfect. But what if there are lives at stake? It takes strength to stand up for what is right.
Sometimes, as a hero, Odysseus has to make choices. There are situations where the outcome may not be desirable, but is required. These choices take a strong person who can under...

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... wasn’t sure if the man she was talking to is really her husband. He could not prove it until he noticed his bed. He explained how his bed had been made and who made it. Instantly Penelope knew it was him and apologize for antagonizing him.
Odysseus’ story has been re-told, passed on, and admired for generations on end. This story not only shows a story of doing what you think is right, but it also show the story of one of the worlds most known hero. Odysseus is a strong hero, showing strength, courage, and weakness, which are all traits of many other heroes. Not only does he have these traits, but he is able to understand what is right for the whole group. He makes sacrifices that may be saddening and cause a loss, but help in the long run. But most memorable is the amount of cunning and wit he showed throughout the story, a reminder of all the epic things he did.