Homer's Odyssey: Why Odysseus Is A Hero

Words: 659
Pages: 3
Open Document
Odysseus is a hero, because he proves that he is brave, determined, and loyal. In book IX, Odysseus and his men are trapped in a cave with the cyclops, Polyphemus. Odysseus had to come up with a plan for the giant decided to snack on him and his men. While distracting the giant with wine, Odysseus was able to formulate a plan. When Polyphemus asked Odysseus what his name was, Odysseus answered that his name was nobody. While the giant was asleep, Odysseus and his men acted quickly by adding a sharp item to the end of a pole and densified it enough so that it would be sharp to poke an eye out. Screaming in pain, the angry giant called out to his friends, saying that he was being attacked. When the other giants asked by whom, Polyphemus answer …show more content…
In book XI, Odysseus and his men navigate to Aeaea, in search of Circe. Circe was a witch Goddess, who drugs Odysseus’s men and turns them into pigs. Odysseus sets out to rescue them, and comes across Hermes, the messenger of Olympus, and tells Odysseus to eat an herb that is known as moly. This herb will allow Odysseus to defend himself from Circe’s abilities. Hermes then explains to Odysseus how to overcome her. Odysseus follows Hermes’ instructions, subjugating Circe into returning his men back. After the excitement was over, Odysseus and Circe fall in love, and spent the year living in her comfort home. His men convinced Odysseus to finish the expedition that he had begun, and with the guidance of Circe, she said, “the only way back to Ithaca, were to visit Hades, the realm of the dead, and communicate with a blind prophet by the name of Tiresias. He will tell you how to get home.” With no further delay, Odysseus set out to meet this bind prophet and gather whatever information was needed to get home. During his tour, he came across the ghost, Achilles, who began to question Odysseus about the world of the living. (Homer 318)

Another book demonstrated Odysseus heroic actions when he refused to accept immortality. In book V, Odysseus was offered immortality, but on one condition: he had to leave his wife and people behind and never return. The proposition
Show More

Related Documents: Homer's Odyssey: Why Odysseus Is A Hero

Why Odysseus Is A Hero In Homer's Odyssey

heroes. It is during the hard times when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed”. Odysseus is a character in Homer’s The Odyssey that during hard times does not demonstrate heroism. Odysseus is a zero because he is a horrid leader, he’s a fickle lover, and he is a prevaricator. Odysseus is the most horrid of leaders. Before he even gets home his whole crew dies because he fails to show how important it is to listen to him. Take a look at what Circe tells Odysseus, “Leave the beasts unharmed, your mind set…

Words 1122 - Pages 5

Odysseus: A True Leader In Homer's The Odyssey

Exceptional leaders can use cleverness and strategy to win and achieve greatness for them and their men. In Homer’s the Odyssey, the people of Greece and of Ithaca thought that one man, Odysseus, was a hero. He was a good leader to many people, but to his crew especially. He would try his best to motivate them, protect them, and warn them despite not always being heeded. However, Odysseus played his part and did the most he could for the benefit of the crew, making him a fine…

Words 1077 - Pages 5

Odysseus Is Not A Hero Essay

characteristics of a hero. A hero is not just someone who has overcome a huge struggle in their life, but someone who goes to extraordinary measures to do so. I believe that a hero should be someone that people can not only relate to, but also look up to as well. They should be a person that is kind, honest, loyal, and selfless. However, there are some people that are regarded as heroes, but should not be called heroes at all. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus, should not be…

Words 807 - Pages 4

Odyssey Hero's Journey

as Odysseus labored and achieved" (4, 119-120). Odysseus is the main character in a series of tragic events; the hero. Odysseus is the captain of his crew and leader of his army. He snakes through every presented hardship. Odysseus wants to go back home to his loyal wife and son. The monomyth, or the hero’s journey, is a cyclical quest or adventure undertaken by a hero. Monomyths contain specific parts in order to recognize one from reading text. The call to adventure is what drives the hero on…

Words 1316 - Pages 6

The Odyssey Essay

“The Odyssey” Sawyer McGuire 9/12/14 1st Heroes are not gods; they aren’t The God. They are pseudo-humans who have to struggle with normal problems, with some extraordinary things thrown in there. In Homer’s “The Odyssey”, Odysseus, the hero, proves he is an epic hero through his struggles with human, natural, and superhuman adversaries. Odysseus proves that he is an epic hero through his battles with human adversaries. An instance of this…

Words 433 - Pages 2

Odysseus A Hero

A hero is someone people look up to and want to be. Some people may consider Odysseus in The Odyssey a hero or not. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men are on the way home from the Trojan War. They face many barriers on their journey home. In Homer’s Epic Poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus is not a hero because he never tells his crew anything, he is self-centered, and he either lost his men at stops or had to go and save them. One reason Odysseus is not a hero because he doesn’t tell his crew anything…

Words 754 - Pages 4

Odysseus: A Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer is about perseverance and tenacity for love. This epic poem reveals that a hero is one who remains faithful and calm while enduring and overcoming obstacles, which eventually creates a stronger and better person. While some believe Odysseus falls short of being a hero due to his weaknesses, his bravery and commanding aura overpower any insufficiency he may portray as a character. Odysseus is a character who demonstrates bravery through Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey. Accordingly…

Words 667 - Pages 3

Morality In The Odyssey

Homer’s Odyssey is a Greek epic poem that focuses on a Greek hero Odysseus, who is the king of Ithaca. On Odysseus’s journey back to his homeland you find that the Odyssey implements a plethora of gruesome and violent events filled with monsters and Gods. Despite all of the malevolent events, the Odyssey shows that a true hero must have good morals. The four key factors of morality that are portrayed throughout the story are Loyalty, Self-Restraint, Perseverance, and Compassion. Loyalty the first…

Words 1211 - Pages 5

Calpurnia As A Mentor In To Kill A Mockingbird

What is stopping parents from deserting their children at a young age? Countless animal species have this custom, and they seem to be surviving just fine. As humans, parents usually do not abandon their children at their most vulnerable stage in life because they have a responsibility to guide their children through life out of love, and they feel the need to do so as their biological mentor. Not to mention, there is a likely chance that you would’ve died if your parents left you as a baby, and our…

Words 2675 - Pages 11

Odysseus's Journey Essay

The notion of the journey is a fundamental thematic element in both The Odyssey and Inferno. Both of these narratives are bound together by journeys, although both have quite different effects. Homer and Dante used the theme of journey as a metaphor for maturing. In Homer’s The Odyssey, the plot reveals Odysseus’ struggles while he attempts to make a return to his homeland following the victory he and his men experienced in the Trojan War, and it is also concerned with Telemachus’ journey as he goes…

Words 508 - Pages 3