Character Analysis : ' The Odyssey '

Odysseus is disguised as an old man and must prove that he can win back his wife, Penelope. The task is to be able to pull back the bow of Odysseus. All of the other suitors have failed. It is now Odysseus' turn. No one believes he can do it because he is old. He has tricked all of them into believing he is old and not up to the task. Odysseus has all knowledge of how this bow works. He is not old, but fiercely intelligent and physically strong as well. “But the man skilled in all ways of contending, satisfied by the great bow's look and heft, like a musician, like a harper, when with a quiet hand upon his instrument he draws between his thumb and forefinger a sweet new string upon a peg: so effortlessly Odysseus in one motion strung the bow.” (page 953)An epic simile shows how Odysseus was not just a normal person, but that he was gifted with other skills to get the job done. He knew exactly what he was doing, he had the knowledge of the bow because it was his and he was the only one able to pull the bow back, therefore claiming his wife. He will soon reap the rewards he so dreamed of for all those years gone from his wife. Now his task would be to convince Penelope that it was truly Odysseus himself.

     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

he epic hero that ventured forth from the regular world into a region of supernatural fascination where he comes across fantastic forces and fights mysterious enemies. This describes Odysseus, the epic hero that faced malicious creatures and life-threatening events, yet exhibited heroic and convenient traits to reach triumph successfully. In the epic of The Odyssey, Homer depicts that Odysseus is an epic hero by confronting his enemies and accomplishing his goal in returning home to his family using the traits of intelligence, and perseverance. In addition, his leadership trait is significantly dignifying him in the case of proving that Odysseus is an epic hero.

A Homeric epic hero is taken into account to be senior to a standard individual. The traits of a typical epic hero are strength, loyalty, courage, and intelligence. In fact, the Macmillan lexicon for students defines a hero as "one who is loved and researched to for valorousness, achievements, and noble qualities" (483). odysseus fulfills all the necessities for an epic hero and more. He demonstrates his ability to be an articulate speaker, and his poise aids him on his journey. His endless curiosity has gotten him into dilemmas, whereas his excellent displays of strength and cunnings have helped both him and his crew escape danger. His conceitedness sets him back, however, his loyalty is what drives him forward on his long and treacherous expedition. within the initial few lines of The Odyssey, Odysseus describes himself as "formidable for guile in peace and war". He knows that he's a formidable opponent, and there are instances where his guile has caused both harmony and violence. regardless of what challenge Odysseus faces, he invariably clearly demonstrates the characteristics of an epic hero.

A Homeric epic hero is considered to be above a normal human being. The traits of a typical epic hero are strength, loyalty, courage, and intelligence. In fact, the Macmillan Dictionary for Students defines a hero as "one who is admired and looked up to for valor, achievements, and noble qualities" (483). Odysseus fulfills all of the requirements for an epic hero and more. He demonstrates his ability to be an articulate speaker, and his poise aids him on his journey. His endless curiosity has gotten him into dilemmas, while his superb displays of strength and cunningness have helped both him and his crew escape danger. His arrogance sets him back, but his loyalty is what drives him forward on his long and treacherous expedition. In the

When he does get home he does not recognize where he is. He goes to the palace and regains trust of his fellow servants.He sees the suitors who are awaiting Penelope in marriage.Her last challenge shall be so string a bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axes. Odysseus disguised completes the task and has one final question from his longed wife. She tells the servants to get the bed\, however Odysseus knows you cant get the need for he has made it irremovable and Penelope

In Homer's Odyssey Odysseus is a character who, sometimes behaves like a proper hero and also as a very self-centered character at other points. He earns the respect of his men during the Trojan War by making good sound decisions and caring about the welfare of his men. But, in his adventure home Odysseus is definitely not taking the responsibility of a hero among his men. On almost any page you turn to in the epic, you can find some act of greed or foolishness coming from Odysseus. He plays with the lives of his men with no regard for the well-being or their families. Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness.

Homer 's The Odyssey follows the incredible journey of the main character Odysseus, and his long trip home to the Island of Ithaca. The Odyssey is an epic poem written in verse, and is fittingly named after the epic hero Odysseus. An epic hero is defined as a character who possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence, is helped or harmed by the gods, and usually possesses a natural position of authority. Without a doubt, Odysseus is an epic hero; he is clever and cunning, he has a good relationship with the gods, and excels as a leader.

Odysseus is an epic hero based on its definition. One, Odysseus is a hero set in an epic poem. Second, he fights with great valor. For example, he fought against the Cyclops to protect his men. He also accomplishes many great feats such as outwitting the Cyclops and Circe. In return, his deeds have won him the admiration of many people and gods.

Odysseus frequently displays hubris as a result of his tremendous courage and justifiable pride throughout books 9-12 of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, although this flaw reveals that even heroes can have imperfections. For instance, concealing his identity is key to Odysseus defeating the Cyclops, however his arrogance leads him to reveal himself as a “raider of cities” (9.561), demonstrating his desire to be recognized for his destructive power. Furthermore, even though he only flatters himself, Odysseus successfully motivates his men in the face of yet another threat, by boasting that his “tactics saved [them] all” (12.230), as if his actions alone rescued the rest of his crewmates. Odysseus’ crew admires him for his fearlessness, and they

Odysseus has to face many challenges during his journey and through most of them he learns to show courage and to stand up for his own decisions. After long years of waiting for Odysseus’ return Penelope puts on a contest for the suitors so they can find out who becomes her new husband. Little does Penelope know that Telemachus and Odysseus have a plan to save their kingdom from the suitors. Odysseus dressed as a beggar watches the suitors completely fail at the bow contest so he gives it a try and succeeds because the only person who could do it is himself. When his true identity is revealed he gets

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

The Odyssey is an epic tale of strength, courage, nobility, knowledge, and confidence reflected in a numerous amount of characters. The poem is centered on the most obvious candidate for a hero, Odysseus. However, many argue that he is, in fact, not a hero. He does not do things for other people out of the goodness of his heart, he does not consider other people’s values and needs, and he is self-centered and arrogant. There is also a difference between Odysseus having the characteristics of a hero and not using them, and his wife Penelope having them and silently being a hero. Although Homer portrays Odysseus as the hero of the epic, he does not act on the qualities given to him causing him to seem less of a hero than is expected of him. However, Penelope is seen as a hero because of her strength, optimism, knowledge, and ability to overcome obstacles.

Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, and Achilles are all known as epic or homeristic heroes. They have all had their legendary battles and journeys that have classified them as an epic hero. Epic heroes all have good and bad qualities, for example Hercules is known as the strongest man in the world, but he is not that smart. Odysseus is a great example of an epic hero. He is smart, strong, and protected by gods and goddesses, but he does have faults in his actions considering he is only just a mortal. In Homer’s book, The Odyssey, Homer shows how Odysseus is truly an epic hero, by showing his journey back home to Ithaca.

Odysseus is one of the greatest epic heros in the history of literature. The Odyssey, by Homer, is an epic poem, which depicts the journey home of Odysseus. Angering many gods, this voyage takes him through multiple obstacles, and ends up taking almost twenty years longer than it should've. Throughout his journey, “The Son of Laertes” must get his crew out of trouble multiple times. He uses his intellect and other strengths to do so, and never gives up, no matter the circumstance. Even after losing everything he needs in a storm worthy of the gods, Odysseus still never gives up, and gets himself out of trouble yet again. Throughout his entire journey, coming home from the Trojan War, Odysseus repeatedly uses many heroic traits to get himself and his crew out of many unfortunate situations. These heroic traits, how Odysseus uses them, and the steps of his journey all come together to illustrate that he is an epic hero. Odysseus characterizes himself as an epic hero based on how he almost perfectly follows the characteristics of an epic hero, gets his crew out of trouble multiple times, and follows the Hero's Journey.