odyssey essay

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Edgardo Gutierrez
Ms. M. helm
English 9 ADV May 21, 2014
The Ultimate Heroes
It’s very hard to lose the people around your life. Even temporarily it’s not easy to manage without the people you love. Odysseus waited 20 years of his life without any contact of his family in this epic titled “The Odysseus” by Homer. Odysseus is in a 10 year war and faces many obstacles on his journey back home. Meanwhile his family is struggling with his absence. Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus all possess the heroic traits of cleverness, strength, and bravery.
Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus are all heroic because of their cleverness. “…We could see her working on her great web all day long, but at night she would unpick the stiches again by torchlight. She fooled us in this way for three ways…” (Homer 30). This shows Penelope’s cleverness behind evaluating her verbal agreement with the suitors and finding a flaw she can exploit. This was important because if not for her wit Odysseus wouldn’t have a home to return to. Telemachus helps his father regain his throne by helping to make a plan to trap the suitors. This portrays Telemachus intellect by recognizing he’s outnumbered and using is wit to overcome the overwhelming odds. This is important because with his help Odysseus was able to get rid of the suitors from their home. Odysseus uses the “wooden horse trick” to win the Trojan War. This portrays Odysseus cleverness when devising such a great plan for it to end after fighting 10 long years. This is vital because it defines Odysseus not only of strength but also of brain. In these various examples our heroes have proven themselves by their outstanding achievement and use of cleverness to overcome all odds.
Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus are all heroic because they are strong. Penelope stays faithful to Odysseus for 20 years. This shows her everlasting faith in her husband, with no shred of proof he’s still even alive, but yet she still believed. That type of mental insight is what pilled her through those 20 years and is also what makes her the hero she is. Odysseus survives 10 years of carnage in the Trojan War. This clearly illustrates his strength as a warrior to survive for such an extensive period of time on enemy soil. This is a key characteristic that defines Odysseys not only as a warrior but also as a hero. “So these now fell upon the suitors in that hall” (Homer 400). This refers to Telemachus and his father defeating the suitors, proving even as a novice warrior he is still very fierce. This proves he meets his father as a man and a rightful heir to the throne. Strength can be portrayed in
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