Odysseus The Hero

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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.

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