Epic Heroes : The Characteristics Of Odysseus

A hero is a person that is admired for his courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Such noble qualities include virtue, respect, and beneficial. An epic hero is a supernatural character who partakes the principles of a race. He (or she) completes long, dangerous journeys and accomplish extreme goals in a form of a quest. Similar to a hero, they must be courageous and robust. In the epic The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus is 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

A true epic hero has many very defining characteristics. Usually you will find this hero to be the ‘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

In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus demonstrates the courage to face danger and adversity. When Odysseus and his men meet the Kyklops Polyphemos, they “felt a pressure in their hearts...but all the same, [Odysseus] spoke up in reply”(Homer 152). Even though everyone was astonishingly scared of the Kyklops and what may happen next, only Odysseus had the bravery to speak up to the Kyklops, even though he was scared himself. Much later, Kirke tells him of the two monsters Kharybdis and Skylla he is soon to face at sea and he listens to this, but exclaims, “Only instruct me...how if possible, can I pass Kharybdis, or fight off Skylla when she faces my crew?”(Homer 212). This exhibits Odysseus’ character as always desiring to find a way to conquer the problem even though the problem might seem out of his reach. After Odysseus and his men pass the monster Skylla, he tells to his men to keep on going and Eurylochus complains, “Are you flesh and blood Odysseus to endure more than a man

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

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.

Many people refer themselves as heroes but Gavilan has made The Hero’s Journey which shows the requirements of being a hero. Odysseus is considered a epic hero according to Joseph Campbell article The Hero’s Journey and the qualifications of an epic hero. Odysseus was lost at sea coming across lands that is unknown and may be dangerous. After 20 years he finally makes it back home safely, in the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer. In The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell it shows what skills or events the stories must meet to be required an hero’s journey. Odysseus qualifies as a hero because he meets the following components based on that he has to complete a quest, he has a mentor, and he has allies.

Lance Armstrong once said, “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or even a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever”. This quote resembles that one of the most important qualities of a hero is persevering through rugged obstacles. As the quote refers to time, Odysseus’s journey took 20 years to accomplish and throughout it he faced many trials, showing how great heroes are made up of those trials in life. Throughout the Odyssey written by Homer, Odysseus journeys home to Ithaca and throughout the journey, he gains qualities of an epic hero by facing and overcoming numerous challenges.

They typical epic hero possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence, is helped or harmed by gods or fate, embodies qualities valued by the culture, or overcomes perilous situations. Odysseus is the main character, and hero of the epic The Odyssey written by Homer in ancient greek times. He is challenged by giant cyclops, hundreds of men trying to marry his wife, envious sirens, and the constant struggle of trying to return home to his family in Ithaka. The epic hero Odysseus is characterized by his cunningness and determination through struggle, though flawed by his ego.

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.

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

Thesis statement: Throughout Odysseus long journey home to Ithaca, he faces numerous challenges, which he overcomes, giving him qualities of an epic hero.

An epic hero is one who exhibits courage, strength, bravery, intelligence, and a desire to achieve. Odysseus, from "The Odyssey," is a person who perfectly fits the definition of an epic hero. Odysseus has been one of the most frequently portrayed figures in literature. He performs many courageous acts throughout his journeys: He uses his intelligence to overcome obstacles and learns from his mistakes along the way. In this essay I am going to point out how Odysseus personifies an epic hero.

On the ship that carried the lost warriors, Odysseus’ heroic leadership and desire to bring his men home, fueled the men’s hunger to follow him. Odysseus’ persistence and clear mind are

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.