A hero can be described in a multitude of traits with the definition of a hero varying from person to person. When thinking of a hero, a universal description thought upon is someone who accomplishes an epic task for the greater good of a society with only benevolent ideas in mind. Some people we think of the fit this description are police officers, fire fighters, and servicemen. In The Odyssey by Homer, the main character, Odysseus, is considered a hero for fulfilling many heroic traits throughout his journey. Odysseus is a hero due to the extraordinary leadership abilities exemplified as a result of his tenacious bravery, swift intellect, and selfless acts. Without Odysseus’s various kinds of bravery in challenging situations, the hero would have surely perished. Odysseus faces obstacles, which require him to display valor in combat in order to over come these impediments. On the Land of the Kyklopes, Odysseus must utilize his courage to stab Polyphemos. Odysseus is aware of the fact the colossal monster he is about to infuriate could easily pulverize him, but he must be brave in order for his men and him to escape the beast’s cave. Another instance of this bravery comes during book XXIII when Odysseus has no other choice but to fight the dozens of suitors, whom out number his miniscule mob of men, to the death. In both scenes, Odysseus has the odds against him in battle. However, as a pending hero he understands he must be brave in combat to continue on his journey in pursuit to return home and save Ithica. Another type of bravery shown by Odysseus is his gallantry, which is defined as adventurous bravery. Throughout the epic poem, he makes various stops on alien islands without knowledge of what awaits inland.... ... middle of paper ... ...imate love, his purposes are strictly business and the only women he loves is Penelope. Also, he locks the women in a room before the fight with the suitors is about to take place. Selflessness is an essential trait to be qualified as a hero. Along with selflessness, hand-in-hand, comes the honorable trait loyalty. Loyalty is to be faithful to a person, party, or cause and Odysseus shows this through his selfless acts. As you can see Odysseus demonstrates many heroic qualities through his courage, cunning, and generosity. Odysseus has to undergo many hardships that test him mentally and physically as a human being. He is faced with many challenges and temptations that most people would have succumb to. Even though Odysseus is not the perfect hero because of his rare moral flaws, he should still be considered a hero due to the fact that he is still a human.
Opposed to that of common thought, superman is not the only type of character that fits the heroic persona. Although “superheroes” typically come to mind when one thinks of a hero, there are many other ordinary people capable of extraordinary things. A hero is a person who takes the initiative to set out on a journey of internal growth. During this symbolic journey, one truly finds himself and betters the lives of other mentally and physically. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Odysseus takes the path of heroism, resulting in the reborn spirit of a selfless, modest hero. During the process, Odysseus is faced with many challenges that he must overcome in order to earn the noble title. Odysseus proves himself to be a well-deserving hero because he is intelligent with his decisions, he displays cleverness, and he rids himself of hubris.
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.
Overall, Odysseus is a hero because Odysseus is a clever and intelligent man, he is a courageous soldier and leader, and he is loyal to his crew. He never gives up even though it seems like nothing will go right. Odysseus fights against difficult odds and takes unimaginable risks, but stays loyal to his crew one hundred percent of the way. Odysseus is not only a model hero, but he is an epic
The majority of those who read The Odyssey consider the protagonist of the story, Odysseus, a hero. On many occasions, however, Odysseus makes decisions beneficial to himself alone. For example, when Odysseus and his men find themselves on Polyphemus's island, Odysseus's actions are self-centered and at the expense of his men. This can be said for most of Odysseus's actions in the story, as his main objective is to reach his home. Having his men by his side when he returns seems a trivial thing to him. Odysseus could be considered a hero, but many of his actions say otherwise. Due to the many unfaithful and self-centered decisions he makes in the story, Odysseus is not a 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.
Odysseus was a brave person and he showed he was brave throughout his whole journey. He showed he was brave because he defeated a cyclops and if his plan did not work he could have been killed. His men were all
Homer’s The Odyssey is a Greek story that follows the journey of its primary character, Odysseus, back to his home in Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus encounters many challenges in his journey home, from encounters with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the witch Circe and even the ghosts of dead Greeks. Meanwhile, his household in Ithaca is being threatened by suitors of his wife, Penelope, all wanting to inherit Odysseus’ possessions in the belief that he was already dead. Like many epic heroes, Odysseus possesses many admirable qualities. Three good characteristics of Odysseus are—cleverness, bravery and strength—here are some supporting instances from the epic that demonstrates Odysseus possession of such characteristics.
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.
One experience where Odysseus had to be brave, is when he encounters Scylla, a six headed monster, and Charybdis, a whirlpool that swallows up the sea and anything that passes by. As Odysseus and his men make their way through the whirl pool, the waters start to whirl and they started to get sucked in. Odysseus encourages his men to keep rowing, as they venture through. “Friends have we never been in danger before this? More fearsome is it now, than when the Cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had! Did I not keep my nerve and use my wits to find a way out for us (603-608)?” Right after making it through the whirlpool, they saw the thing they dreaded the most. Heading toward them in the sky was Scylla. Swift as hawk the brutal beast sweeps down by the boat of Odysseus and takes 6 of his men, one for each head,eat them. This must have been been a tremendous to experience.” She ate them they shrieked there, in her den, in the dire grapple, reaching for me- and deathly pity ran me through at that sight- far the worst I ever suffered questing the passes of the strange sea. We rowed on. The Rocks were now behind; Charybdis, too, and Scylla dropped astern...
The idea of a true hero is varied from person to person, because each viewpoint has a different idea of the personality that makes one a hero. There have been many fiction and non-fiction heroes that show different character traits, which influence people’s definitions of a hero. However, each person’s unique thought about a hero still focuses about one central idea: a hero must prove himself in order to earn his heroic status. This is the cornerstone of all the opinions about heroes because heroes have to show their heroism in order to become who they are in the end. At the beginning they are inexperienced, ordinary people who go on their adventures, and face their fears and weaknesses, but they develop greatly throughout these journeys. After comprehending what true heroism is and following it only then will they become heroes even though each of them has different traits. In the epic poem The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus gains the title of hero during his journey back to Ithaka, from Troy, by proving to be one. It is through his characteristics and experiences that he becomes the well developed man at the end of the book. In truth, because of his confidence, loyalty, and difficult struggles, Odysseus becomes a genuine hero to the people he defended.
From the beginning of time, heroes have been classified by traits that are deemed the best qualities of a person which are defined by a culture and held by an individual. These individuals are respected with the highest form of admiration and flattery which in turn raises them to hero status in the eyes of their admirers. They have succeeded in being the bravest and strongest in character and exemplify all that is and can be good in the world they live in. In the Odyssey, Odysseus was described as a fearless warrior, who used his wit not heroics to do battle in the Trojan War. He confidently led his men into war, fought through many trials trying to get home, and finally led them successfully home. In the Aeneid, Aeneas was characterized as
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.
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
In conclusion, Odysseus’ intelligence, loyalty, and strength are all key aspects which make Odysseus an epic hero. Besides having those characteristics, he has passed impossible tasks and could be compared to many American superheroes such as Batman. Both have relatively the same characteristics: strength, loyalty, intelligence, courage, and pride, but what makes them an epic hero is not entirely what they have been through. It is actually their ability to portray what their civilization finds most heroic in a person that makes them an epic hero.