Odysseus As An Epic Hero Essay

Odysseus As An Epic Hero Essay
In the epic Odyssey, Homer uses characterization to express that Odysseus is a good example of an epic hero. In the Cyclops's Cave, Odysseus
used his superior intellect to escape a dangerous situation. After Odysseus blinded Polyphemus, he needed a way to escape since there was a rock
covering the entrance that was too heavy to move. He looked at the ram and sheep the cyclops owned and thought of an intelligent plan. He tied his
six men under the sheep, with him under the ram, to escape the cave without the cyclops seeing them leave. Polyphemus was not able to see so he
"stroked each ram, then let it pass, but [the] men riding on the pectoral fleece the giant's blind hands blundering never found", (Fitzgerald, lines
352–354). Odysseus was known for his intellect by inventing the plan of the Trojan Horse, so there is no reason why Odysseus would not know
how to get out of a sticky situation. Just by looking at the sheep, he came up with an entire plan to leave unnoticed. It takes most people longer
than a second to come up with a plan of escape. His men didn't even help him come up with the plan. Odysseus told them what to do, and they
followed. An epic hero is typified as coming up with brilliant plans in the knick of time, just like Odysseus did to escape the cave with all of his
surviving men. In the Land of the Dead, Odysseus reveals his sympathy for others. After staying in Circe's palace for one year, she advises that
Odysseus and his men go to the land to hear the
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Odysseus: Challenges Of An Epic Hero
The blue, glistening sea tossed and turned underneath the black ship of Odysseus, the master mariner, guiding his crew back to Ithaca. For many years
they had been on this dangerous ocean searching for their homeland, all the while facing treacherous monsters, dangerous women, and the wrath of the
sea–lord. Throughout this classic epic poem by Homer the man named Odysseus meets many challenges to test his character. From the beginning to the
end of The Odyssey Odysseus displays traits of an epic hero, or a person with nobility and honor. Many epic heros are smarter, stronger, and braver
than the average person and usually go on long voyages and overcome many difficult obstacles. Ultimately at the end of the story or poem the hero
achieves their goal. Odysseus demonstrates the traits of an epic hero perfectly because he is intellectual in the face of danger, he obtains the quality of
bravery and courage, and is a persistent warrior throughout his journey.
The mastermind of war, Odysseus, is very strategic and intellectual, leading him to win tough battles and hurtle many obstacles. In this epic he displays
his intelligence by planning thoroughly and quickly. In doing so, he saves lives, tricks the unexpecting, and persuades goddesses. His plans are
effective and well...show more content...
Within the epic poem, The Odyssey, he never shrinks away from hard or dangerous tasks presented to him. Each time he comes at them head first and
fearless. The wily fighter encourages his men to be fearless, "Courage–no panic, no one hang back now!" (pg. 223; Line 422) His men and his son
think of him as a honorable man of bravery, Telemachus states, "all my life I've heard of your great fame–a brave man in war and a deep mind in
counsel..." (pg. 346; Line 272) No ordinary man can exhibit enough courage and bravery to empale a cyclops eye or willingly travel to the

Odysseus: A True Hero Essay
Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and
bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The
Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.
As part of the hero profile, one would have to be determined, and Odysseus certainly was. If a hero is determined, they only have one goal in mind.
To be determined, the hero goes through perils and challenges and most importantly they can never lose hope. Likewise, Odysseus has a goal: to make
it home to...show more content...
A second time would be when Zeus allowed Odysseus to fall into deep slumber. "But while I slept, the crew began to parley: silver and gold, they
guessed, were in that bag bestowed on me by Aiolos' heart..." (Book X, Lines 39–41). Another way Odysseus shows determination as a hero is when
he wants repossess the control over his kingdom. While on his journey back home, the suitors and Antinoos have taken over his kingdom. He is
determined to get rid of them and take them out permanently. Like a true hero, Odysseus never lost hope; no matter how bad the situation was.
Another quality of being a hero is, having courage; and Odysseus clearly conveyed this during his journey. In order to be courageous, the hero has
to be fearless, meaning he has to act confident about his actions. This applies to Odysseus and the deities. If Odysseus were to appear weak, than
the gods may think he's too weak for the journey and won't make it out alive. So, as a way of showing his courage, confidence overcomes Odysseus
and he talks to the gods as if he were one of them. "After these years...to my harm." (Book V, Lines 183–190). Odysseus shows no fear when speaking
with Kalypso. Also, Odysseus shows more courage when he blinds Polyphemos. He humiliates Polyphemos, without even thinking of the effects.
"Kyklops, you ask my honorable

Odysseus' Journey as an Epic Hero
Odysseus ' Journey as an Epic Hero
In the epic poem The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus displays the epic hero. An epic hero is given certain qualities. These qualities make the
person (usually male) seem larger than life, he or she embodies the values from their culture, he usually goes on a journey that consist of a series of
trials, has an ego, and is able to persuade people with his conversation. This description describes Odysseus exactly, but leaves out one major detail,
which are his internal battles. Odysseus is very emotional, and he never tries to hide it.
When the journey began, Odysseus was very proud and overzealous; this is why he had so many struggles. Odysseus ' journey first starts when he has
to build his own...show more content...
(Homer168) This situation is ironic, because an epic hero never really shows their soft side, and in Odysseus ' case he is always seen crying when
something saddens him.
Telemachus and Odysseus meeting for the first time is another emotional situation that Odysseus goes through. When they meet, Odysseus gets so
excited that he kisses Telemakos on the forehead, and begins to cry. He hadn 't seen his son since he was a baby, and he was surprised to see that he
was still alive. After they reunited and spoke about the things that were going on back home in Ithaca; they decided to plan a surprise attack on the
suitors that are taking over their house. Although Odysseus was not directly in Telemachus ' life, Odysseus did teach Telemachus how to be a man. It
was Odysseus ' absence and hope of his return that kept Telemachus looking for his father, and which made him eventually grow into manhood.
Odysseus is confronted by a man that wants to challenge him in discus throwing. At this point in his journey, he is very irritable, because he wants to
go home. He has more on his mind than playing games. He goes on to say, "Hard days and many have I seen and suffered
I sit here at your fields meet, yes; but only as one who begs your king to send him home."(Homer p.129) Odysseus feels he has had enough of visiting
everyone else 's culture and he is now ready to go back to his own. He has seen many different people and is wondering if he will ever get back home.
Not

Essay On Odysseus
For the Ancient Greeks, Odysseus was seen as a great hero. Also known as Ulysses to the Romans, was a very important character in Homer's The
Odyssey. He was the father of Telemachus, and spouse of Penelope. He was the great King of Ithaca. The Ancient Greeks perceived Odysseus as a
hero due to his intelligence, his capabilities, and how the ancient beliefs of heroism distinguished him. Odysseus' intellect helped create a hero image
for the Ancient Greeks.Throughout the story Odysseus continuously uses his intelligence and manipulation to get himself out of trouble. For example,
In Book Nine of The Odyssey, Odysseus is telling a story oh how The Cyclops asked Odysseus his name and he replied "Nobody–that's my
name"(9.410). Odysseus and a...show more content...
Odysseus fit perfectly to the early ideas of the heroic. The Ancient Greeks believed heroes to be honorable, noble, strong, and intelligent. Odysseus
showed these qualities when Calypso offered him the chance to be immortal. Though the offer tempted him, Odysseus declined. The fact that Odysseus
declined something that most people would kill for, shows he is honorable and loyal to his family. It shows he would rather go back to Penelope and
Telemachus, the people that need him, rather than stay alive forever with a "bewitching nymph". In addition, Odysseus followed many of the
"qualifications" the Ancient Greeks had for war and glory within heroism. Ancienthistory.abc–clio.com states, the Odyssey insists that Odysseus–aided
by his patron Athena, goddess of victory (Od. 13.386–88)–masterminded the stratagem that doomed Troy: the Trojan Horse." The Trojan horse was a
plan that helped the Greeks defeat the Trojans in the Trojan war. The Ancient Greeks saw Odysseus as a war hero as he highly influenced the Greeks
win in the war. Futhermore, Odysseus was seen as a role model to the Ancient Greeks. Ancienthistory.abc
–clio.com says, "heroes generally enshrine
within themselves qualities people generally admire." Odysseus impressive qualities were seen as a goal for the Ancient Greeks, they wanted to be
more like him. Odysseus was a hero the ancient Greeks for multiple reasons. He was a

Odysseus as an Epic Hero
A true epic hero has many very defining characteristics. Usually you will find this hero to be the В‘alpha male. ' With an almost super hero
personality, epic heroes are extremely above an average human being. This character must be of noble birth, and as a result, this gives them great
respect and many resources. There is a deep reverence for the gods and this helps the hero through tough times. An epic hero is bravery than the other
characters. They are willing to take bigger risks and reap greater rewards. Despite these strong traits, there is usually an element of deep suffering that
the character must deal with through out his story. No matter what, however, the epic hero will always win out in the end in a good vs. evil type of
...show more content...
They sent Hermes, the messenger god to convince Calypso to let Odysseus get back to his wife and son. His problems were not over yet once he left
the island, however, because he had made Zeus an enemy. Zeus sent a terrible storm to rip apart Odysseus 's raft with the intentions that he be lost at
sea forever. Gods saved him from this fate, though, when Ino and Athena give him a veil to keep him from drowning and changing the wind to make
sure the waves carried Odysseus home. It was very important that Odysseus was so reverent towards the gods; otherwise he never would have made it
home from the Trojan War. Odysseus was very brave, almost to the point of throwing away his men 's lives to take a risk. While Odysseus was on
the island of the Cyclopes, he explored more than most men would have when he walked into the cave of Polyphemus. He did find lots of cheese
and milk, but the result of this was death for some of his men when Polyphemus returned and found them there. Throughout the story, Odysseus 's
goal was to return home to Ithaca and spend the rest of his life with his son, Telemachos, and his wife Penelope. Even though is he greatly enjoying
himself on all of his adventures, there is a part of him that still longs for his native soil. He loved being on the island with Calypso, but everyday he
dreamt of his wife and son sitting at home, waiting for his return. He endured all of his

Odysseus Is An Epic Hero Essay
Being able to conquer Troy, have the god Poseidon against you, and dealing with many life threatening things on your long journey home are all
things Odysseus overcame. Odysseus is an epic hero for making the long journey home and defeating monsters along the way. Epic hero's typically
have larger than life qualities, are extremely skilled fighters, and are natural leaders. They can be smarter than everyone else and stand alone. In this
essay, the three traits that will be focused on for Odysseus are having larger than life qualities, being smarter than everyone else, and being a skilled
fighter.
Odysseus is an epic hero, he is a natural leader and at some points in the book smarter than everyone else. After stabbing the cyclopes in the eye and
the cyclopes moving the boulder Odysseus had to think of a way to get his men out safely and this quote shows his intelligence and leadership skills
"I tied them silently together, twining cords of willow from the cyclops's bed; then slung a man under each middle one to ride there safely,...show more
content...
In the scene where Odysseus showed the suitors who he truly was by stringing his bow and shooting an arrow through the holes in the lined up
axes on page 557 Odysseus says, "Now watch me hit a target no man has hit before." This is showing that Odysseus has larger than life qualities.
He is hitting a target with an arrow that is almost impossible, and any normal human was not even able to string the bow Odysseus was using.
Odysseus is an epic hero because he is a skilled fighter. Odysseus showed how skilled of a fighter he is on page 562, "Every shot brought down on
of his enemies." This quote shows Odysseus being a very skilled fighter by not missing a single shot and with every shot he takes he takes down one
or even two of his enemies. Odysseus is also showing that by being a skilled fighter he can think on his feet and shoot without a second

Odysseus Epic Hero
The protagonist of the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer is Odysseus, who is a man of many qualities. Odysseus's skills and intellect are honed
through the hardships he experienced on his very long journey away from home. Through his adventures, Odysseus gained for himself the reputation
of a hero who survived shipwrecks, battled monsters, faced the wrath of the mighty gods, and met many people of various foreign lands. On top of
other classic epic hero traits, Odysseus proves to be the very definition of a Homeric hero through his portrayal as a character who is faithful, loyal, and
mentally capable.
In The Odyssey, a good man or woman had to be, first and foremost, god–fearing. They had to be obedient to the gods, and careful not to commit
Before finally landing in Ithaca, he had to sail past Scylla, a six–headed monster who swallows one sailor for each head from passing ships, and
Charybdis, an enormous whirlpool that could swallow an entire vessel. Circe instructed Odysseus to not put up a fight with Scylla as he sails past her,
and he obeyed her instruction. Here, Odysseus showed firm self–discipline, where he refrained himself from the desire to battle with the monster when
she plucked out and killed six of his strongest men (pg. 163). It is true that Odysseus is a war hero with immense physical strength, but what truly
set him apart from other war heroes in The Odyssey are his wits and intelligence. The tale of the Trojan Horse, which was a device Odysseus
designed to help the Greeks invade the city of Troy and win the Trojan War, greatly highlights his intelligence and skills in tactical warfare. The true
extent of his wits can be seen when Odysseus tricked the cannibal Cyclops into letting his crew go by using a clever word play on his own name (pg.

Odysseus: An Epic Hero
The Odyssey shows the Epic Hero characteristics of Odysseus and also his human characteristics. It introduces the relationships in his life, telling his
story. The Epic Hero characteristics that Odysseus portrayed were courage, kindness, compassion, and the ability to be a leader. There are also ordinary
man characteristics such as anger, selfishness, and the need for revenge. Many important, major events happened to Odysseus and they shape his
journey into the tale that would be told for centuries.
The Odyssey shows many of Odysseus' Epic Hero traits such as the ability to lead and this is shown when Odysseus and his men face the sirens and
their dangerous music. Even before they faced the sirens themselves...show more content...
One major event is when Odysseus travels to the Land of the Dead and talks to Tiresias because it is Tiresias that tells him what is going to
happen on his journey, the suitors at home, and also tells him what he needs to do to make peace with the gods. The prophecy from Tiresias was
possibly another motivation for Odysseus and it helped set him on the right path. Odysseus would have been a little lost without the help from
Tiresias. "From the air she walked, taking the form of a tall woman, handsome and clever at her craft, and stood beyond the gate in plain site of
Odysseus"(Homer 1097). Athena decided to help Odysseus and the moment she appeared, Odysseus' life changed because she would help him in the
finale of his adventure. When she helped him in the final moments of his adventure, she helped him clear the way for his life to settle down and return
to normal and bring the journey to a

odysseus: an epic hero Essay
Is Odysseus An Epic Hero?
Is Odysseus, the main character of Homer's The Odyssey, really an epic hero? An epic hero embodies several heroic traits such as; having superior or
super–human strength; being intellectual and courageous; and being a strong and responsible leader. An epic hero struggles and is overwhelmed with
difficulties. An epic hero is on a quest of self discovery, war or some sort of goal. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is on a quest to return home to Ithaca after
ten years of war in Troy. Odysseus, during his quest, is forced to venture through a merciless Cyclops, angered Gods, deeply obstinate Goddesses, the
underworld, and determined suitors that are after his wife Penelope. Odysseus surmounts...show more content...
Polyphemus is startled to see Odysseus and his men. Polyphemus snatches two men and makes his meal. Odysseus wants to take his sword to
Polyphemus but knows if he kills him now he won't be able to escape because of the giant boulder. The next day while Polyphemus is pasturing his
sheep, Odysseus finds and hardens a wooden staff. When Polyphemus returns, Odysseus offered Polyphemus some wine. "'Here, Cyclops, drink
some wine after of human flesh, and see what sort of liquor our ship held. I brought it as an offering thinking that you might pity me and send me
home. But you are mad past bearing. Reckless! How should a stranger come to you again from any people, when you have done this wicked deed?'
So I spoke; he took the cup and drank it off, and mighty pleased he was with the taste of the sweet liquor, and thus he asked me for it yet again:
'Give me some more, kind sir, and straightway tell your name...'
'Cyclops you ask my noble name, and I will tell it; but do you give the stranger's gift, just as you promised. My name is Noman. Noman I am called
by mother, father, and by all my comrades'" (86). Odysseus tells Polyphemus his name is Noman to ruse him. Odysseus soon gets Polyphemus drunk.
Odysseus takes the staff and blinds Polyphemus. Polyphemus removes the boulder and asks for help from the other Cyclops. "Then in his turn from
out the cave big Polyphemus answered: 'Friends Noman is murdering me by craft. Force there is none.'
But answering him in winged words they

Odysseus An Epic Hero Essay
A hero to most is someone who has courage, is strong, wise, and has sacrificed or risked their life for others. In modern society these traits are
admired just as the ancient Greeks admired them too. In the story, "from the Odyssey"' by Homer, it is a story that is in third person point of view,
takes place in Greek and many other places, is a fiction story, and is very suspenseful. The epic hero Odysseus fulfills the traits of an epic hero in
many ways because he is strong, wise, courageous, and cares for others and is willing to risk his life for others, both societies consider these traits
useful and helpful. Odysseus's wisdom was inherited from Athena, and is a trait that is admired in both societies. He is claimed to be guided by
Athena, making him one of the greatest Greek heroes, "Odysseus is the cleverest of the Greek hero's because he is guided by the goddess of
wisdom, Athena."(pg.921). Being guided by Athena allowed him to make many good choices, one being when he was asked where his ship was and
was ready with a wise lie, "Tell me, where was it, now, you left...show more content...
This shows he is strong because even though the three men were trying to go back, because of the Lotus, Odysseus was still able to carry all three
of them back to the ship. The reason the ancient Greeks admire this trait is because if Odysseus wasn't that strong he wouldn't have been able to
make Polyphemus blind by driving a spike through his eye and get away and save his crew, " ... lifted it, and rammed it deep in his crater eye and
leaned on it turning it as a shipwright turns a drill in planking...(375–379). Odysseus and other men were able to deviously carry a big spike five times
their size or more, and drive it through the Cyclops eye and Odysseus was even able to turn it like a drill in a zealous manner; showing his strength.
Odysseus's strength was very helpful to him and is a trait that was admired by ancient Greeks, and is admired in our

Odysseus: An Epic Hero
Odyssey Literary Analysis Essay
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Odysseus is an epic hero who has been on a home journey for twenty years. During his trip home he has visited many lands and been through many
trials and challenges. Odysseus boast characteristics of both an epic hero and a thrill seeker.
Odysseus's has properties of great mental strength that become evident during his journey. Through his encounter with the cyclops it becomes apparent
that his possess great mental strength , when the cyclops drinks the wine Odysseus gave him and soon falls asleep, Odysseus tells the the giant that
his name is "nobody", the cyclops believes him. When he calls for help, the other cyclops believe that no one is hurting him and ignore him. This is
Odysseus key...show more content...
The most extreme example of his hubris is when he is when he insist on fighting the Charybdis, a whirlpool that eats ships, and the Scylla a monster
with six arms and a head on the end of each arm. Both of these creatures are unkillable and he wants to fight them both at the same time. As a result
he loses six men and almost dies. Another example of his hubris is when he and his crew are fleeing the island of the cyclops and Odysseus taunts
Polyphemus. The Odysseus is eventually cursed by Poseidon because of his inability to stay

Odysseus: an 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. To...show
more content...
To continue, a second trait that makes Odysseus an epic hero is his loyalty. Despite all the trouble that happens to Odysseus and his men, he manages
to stay loyal to them until their end. For example, when he one of his men reminds him of Ithaca, he could have simply chosen to stay on her island,
but instead decides that he and his men must leave their paradise and continue their journey back to Ithaca. When Odysseus sends his men to see what
riches may be on Circe's island, he takes half of his men and watches the ship. It may not seem like much, but this is actually an act of loyalty towards
his men because he could have just left the ship behind and possibly have lost their only transportation off of the island. "Against Eurylochus' advice,
however Odysseus rushes to save his men from the enchantress..." (10.47–10.48). When Eurylochus tells Odysseus of what has happened to his men, he
does not follow Eurylochus's pleas to flee. Instead, he decides to rescue his men from the witch. This shows Odysseus's loyalty because he could have
simply escaped from the island with the rest of his men. Furthermore, another characteristic that makes Odysseus an epic hero is his enormous amount
of strength. When he returns to home to Ithaca, he finds a large number of suitors who are trying to marry his wife. On that day, she decides to have a
contest in which the winner would be

Odysseus Epic Hero
In this essay I will be discussing the epic hero, Odysseus of "The Odyssey", by Homer. When humans ended their nomadic lifestyle and started creating
civilizations they stopped dedicating their time to hunting, gathering, and basic means of survival. They needed to be kept entertained. They told
stories, wrote literature, and expressed their emotions through the arts. One method of entertainment people turned to was the art of epic poems. Epic
poems are poems that contain thousands of lines and have an epic hero. This essay will be centered around the question of why Odysseus is an epic
hero. The most forthright example of Odysseus' heroism is his constant will to return home. Odysseus risks his life to come home a countless number

Why Is Odysseus An Epic Hero
Odysseus is an epic hero for many reasons but the main reasons why he qualifies for being an epic hero is because he fought for his life to save his
shipmates. "He saw the townlands and learned the minds of many distant men, and 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"( FitzGerald pg 1). Another reason why he qualifies to be an epic hero is that epic
hero have to make difficult decisions and odyssey did have to make difficult decisions to get back home. The difficult decision he had to make was if
should go through Scylla's or Charybdis; Scylla's was the monster that only ate six of his men and Charybdis was the monster that ate everyone on the
ship that was a tuff decision to make, but he managed to get through it. However, he doesn't have all the characteristics of an epic hero so that does not
qualify him as an epic hero....show more content...
That definitely does not qualify him as an epic hero because if he were to be a real hero he would only care for the others life and not his own.
Another trait that doesn't qualify him as an epic hero is that when he was making the decision of going through Scylla's path or Charybdis path he
made the mistake of going through Scylla's path a true epic hero would take Charybdis path because that's the path that the monster kills all because
a captain always ways one for all and all for one mean if one goes we all go. He also kills all the suitors without letting them speak for themselves a
real epic hero would let them explain why they were there and not just kill them without letting them speak. Unusually odysseys had a quite
unexpected mix of both traits that do qualify him as an epic hero and that don't qualify him as an epic

Odysseus as an Epic Hero Essay
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.
The first characteristic that makes Odysseus an epic hero is that he answers a call to action. Odysseus answers two calls to action in The Odyssey. His
first call is to go to Troy with Agamemnon and rescue Helen even though his son Telemachus has just been born and his wife Penelope doesn't want him
Odysseus realizes that Polyphemus is the only one that can move the boulder and devises a plan to blind Polyphemus while he is asleep. When
Polphemus awakes, he moves the boulder to tell his brothers what has happened to him. Then Odysseus and his men sneak out of the cave by hiding
under Polyphemus' sheep. When Odysseus' pride gets the best of him and he reveals his identity to Polyphemus, then Polyphemus lifts up a prayer to
his father Poseidon and curses Odysseus.
Next Odysseus and his men go to the home of Aeolus, ruler of the winds. Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag containing all of the bad winds and stirs up a
wind to send Odysseus and his men back to Ithaca. However, Odysseus' men thought that Aeolus had given Odysseus a bag of treasure and thought he
wasn't going to share the treasure with them. When Odysseus falls asleep his men open the bag and the winds blow them away from Ithaca back to
Aeolus. This time Aeolus will not help them because he believes the gods hate Odysseus. Now Odysseus and his men have to row to the land of the
Laestrygonians, a race of powerful giants, who turn Odysseus' scouts into their dinner. Odysseus and his remaining men retreat to the ships, but the
giants pelt the ships with boulders and sink them as they sit in the harbor. Only Odysseus' ship escapes.

Odysseus Epic Hero
Thesis statement: Throughout Odysseus long journey home to Ithaca, he faces numerous challenges, which he overcomes, giving him qualities of an
epic hero. Odysseus shows he is an epic hero by responding to his crews's betrayal of him by the opening of the sack of air from Aeolus. With home
in sight and Odysseus sleeping, his men open the bag of wind thinking that it contains gold and silver. "The bag of wind thus escapes and[JA1] blows
the ship all the way back to Aeolus's island" (Homer 10.5–6). Odysseus men have set them back months in their journey while Odysseus was
asleep.[JA2] Odysseus' men betray him and go behind his back. He perseveres and sticks with them and starts the voyage again to return home....show
more content...
This shows Odysseus possessing strong leadership. Odysseus has drifts upon the coast of the lotus–eaters island who live upon a flower. When
Odysseus finds out what the lotus really does to the men he "drove them, all three wailing, to the ship and tied them down under the rowing benches"
(9.48–49). Odysseus shows great leadership skills in keeping his men away from the lotus and leaving as soon as all men were on deck to separate
them from danger. Therefore, Odysseus senses the destroying powers of the lotus and makes a heroic moment out of a short routine stop. After sending
three men to go scout out who is on the island, Odysseus realizes something is wrong. "Offering the sweet lotus to our friends, but those who ate the
honeyed plant, the Lotus, never cared to report, nor return" (9.43–45). Odysseus senses something is up and goes to find his men. He finds them eating
the lotus, a plant that makes them never want to leave. For his or her protection, he immediately gets everyone back on the ship and sales off. When
things are looking very bad for Odysseus, he makes the best of the situation. Odysseus repeatedly saves all of his men and proves to be not only
heroic, but also a tremendous

Odysseus As A Hero Essay
An epic is defined as a long narrative poem describing the noble and courageous deeds of a hero. Similarly, a hero is denoted as an individual who
can be seen as a role model, maintaining qualities and characteristics worth looking up to and hoping to achieve. Odysseus, being the main character of
Homer's epic The Odyssey, is given the title of a hero by these definitions. He is the center of attention throughout the poem and the people of Ithaka
speak of him as if he has god–like qualities. However, when his decisions and intents are examined deeper, it is clearly discernible that Odysseus is
acting out of his own hubris and self–centered nature, taking unnecessary risks as he travels home due to his elite status among mortal men....show more
content...
She speaks with the god, telling him of "'...[their] absolute purpose, the homecoming of enduring Odysseus, that he shall come back'" (I: 86–87). Her
allegiance is not explicitly stated until later, when she reveals her true form to Odysseus and says, "'...and yet you never recognized Pallas Athene,
daughter of Zeus, the one who is always standing beside you and guarding you in every endeavor'" (XIII: 299–301). Odysseus is aware of this
favoritism Athene has of him, as almost all people, mortals and immortals alike, revere him. Throughout his journey, he travels wherever he wants
and takes whatever course of action he wishes to because he knows he has a goddess on his side. He abuses her power, believing he is entitled to
divine help at all times, testing the limits of others and invading their land. For example, on the island of Thrinakia, he had been previously warned
that if he or his men kill the cows belonging to Helios, Odysseus will lose all of his crew members. Instead of heeding this warning, he and his men
become hungry and cannot control themselves. Since Odysseus knew that he would lose the men, a man with the nature of a hero would have tried
harder to deter them. He knew that his men would become hungry, staying on an island where there was little other food, yet he did nothing. His
thoughts were not with his crew – a simple indication of his

The Greek poem, The Odyssey, is a very long detailed story of the epic hero Odysseus, and his adventures. The story takes place on the open ocean,
and tells the obstacles/places Odysseus and his crew come into contact with. Odysseus is the main character, and is said to be a marine captain and
soldier. Throughout the story, the reader gets to knowOdysseus through his actions, and his crewmates perspective of him. We also learn who
Odysseus is as a person, and learn much about Greek Mythology as well. I think first in order to figure out what makes Odysseus an "epic hero", is
to first consider what an epic hero is. An epic hero, is a hero in a story with extraordinary powers, talents, or wits. I think Odysseus can be called an
epic hero, because his main concern throughout the story, is his crew and their well–being. The way Odysseus out smarts the Cyclops in part 1, is an
example of his cleverness and courage. The way Odysseus interacts with his crew members, shows that he is not just a cruel conqueror sailing the
ocean for treasure. For example, in part 2 of The Odyssey, the crew members actually cry when they see Odysseus alive....show more content...
I think one of his most evident qualities, is his ability to think his way out of any nasty situations. For example, Odysseus was able to trick the
Cyclops into drinking his wine, and was also able to sneak out of the cave while hiding underneath the Cyclops's rams. However, I also think that
(even though he cares for his crew) he is a bit reckless with them. For example, Odysseus is the one giving orders, however he passes by an island
full of cannibals. The cannibals toss boulders at Odysseus's fleet, and many are hit. Even though I'm sure he felt some sense of sorrow for his fallen
companions, it is never said in the story that he feels any remorse. It only explains what happens after they pass the

Odysseus As An Epic Hero Essay

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Odysseus As An Epic Hero Essay