Is Odysseus A Noble Hero

In the book The Odyssey, a general from Ithaca, named Odysseus, has gone through a long journey to get home from the war in Troy. He and his crew have faced many rigorous unexpected challenges on their way home. On this journey, Odysseus has tried to be the hero and have everyone come out alive, but he was not successful. The actions of Odysseus, during his journey, does not qualify him as a hero. He is dishonest to his crew and friends and he takes them for granted.

Odysseus’ bravery makes him an epic hero and also a role model, but what makes him a better one is his intelligence.

There was no doubt that Odysseus was an arrogant man. You can find this in

Joseph Campbell once said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” True heroes are those who do something for others rather for themselves, Odysseus doesn’t exactly show this trait in The Odyssey. In The Odyssey, Odysseus along with his men try to go back home to Ithaca but due to Odysseus nature, only he actually returns alive. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus proves he is not a hero because he is arrogant, secretive, and unfaithful; resulting for readers to believe that every action has an consequence.

Odysseus’s actions may seem selfless and/or heroic however they are actually being mistaken for acts of selfishness. “They tied me up, then, plumb amidships, back to the mast, lashed to the mast and took themselves again to rowing” (Homer 1134). Homer is describing the crew lashing Odysseus to the mast so that he may hear the sirens sing. Odysseus thinks he is being heroic and manly, but he is actually placing his life and that of the crews in danger all because he wants to hear the song of the sirens. Odysseus knows how loyal his crew is to him so, if one of them was to untie him they could have all ended up dead. Odysseus might think he was performing a heroic action but in actuality he was performing an act of selfishness. When Circe captured Odysseus’s men he was advised not to save them by his best man, Eurylochus, however “Against this advice, Odysseus rushes to save his men from the enchantress” (Homer 1125). Odysseus appears to be heroic but looking closer this rash decision was selfish. He rushed to save his men for honor. He cares more about honor than the safety of his crew. The rest of his crew that wasn’t under Circes spell would have been lost if Odysseus died because they rely so heavily on him. When a leader mistakes his selfish decisions as heroic it can place him and the people around him in danger. Odysseus’s inability to think through his rash decisions and recognize the right choice over the honorable and selfish one makes him unfit to be a

A hero is one who sets a goal in which takes bravery and dedication in order to achieve. The book The Odyssey written by Homer reveals a story of a true hero. The main character is a man named Odysseus who displays hero characteristics throughout the book. Odysseus is a hero because he returns home with a changed perspective which reflects his heroic abilities, such as his bravery and dedication to return home.

In the Greek literature of mythology, we have examined Odysseus. Students and scholars alike debate whether Odysseus was a true hero, as read in The Odyssey. There is much supporting evidence to prove all sides of the debate and opinions held of Odysseus. It is of my opinion that Odysseus is a hero in his homeland, his family, the Greek people, and for us to learn from to this day. Odysseus had encompassed three many qualities that I believe made him a hero. He embodied, mental strength, physical strength, and spiritual strength. I would like to advocate for why Odysseus was a hero.

Odysseus displays a praiseworthy hero in more than one way. Again, he uses strategy over strength every time he lands upon a new island. Once Odysseus lands on new, unknown lands, he does not run to the king and queen telling them his name and entire life story. He knows that bragging and being rude will not get him very far. When he enters King Alcinous’s castle, the first thing he says to the queen is, “I come to beg you for mercy” (7. 184). He knows that by saying this they will have sympathy

The Odyssey by Homer, is a epic based off the actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes of a greek by the name of Odysseus. Throughout the story, Odysseus’ travels take him to new places on new adventures with no insight on what could happen next. Odysseus refers to himself, and is referred to a number of times, as a hero. Throughout the time of book 9 to book 12, there are many scenes throughout the story that portray the qualities Odysseus possesses that lead him to be given the heroic title. On the contrary, there are numerous occasions where Odysseus does things that might not be expected of someone seen as heroic. One of the first things that stood out to me starting in book 9, was Odysseus’ pride for his native land and where he comes from. Here, Odysseus states, “Nothing is sweeter than your own country” (Book 9, Line 37). This quotes shows how Odysseus is prideful of his home, Ithaca, and believes it to be the “sweetest sight” (Book 9, Line 31). Another scene that represents Odysseus’ heroic qualities is when Odysseus and his crew were being held by the cyclops, Polyphemus, and he comes up with an escape plan. During this, Odysseus states, “And I bade my comrades cast lots among them, which of them should have the hardihood with me to lift the stake and grind it into his eye when sweetsleep should come upon him.” (Book 9, Lines 328-329). To me, this portrays Odysseus as a quick thinker and a problem solver. In this situation, the problem was that him and

Second, Odysseus remains level-headed throughout his journey by continuing to be a strategist and maintaining wisdom. Odysseus shows his ability to strategize mainly on Ithaka. When he is with Athena on the shore, ““Whoever gets around you must be sharp and guileful as a snake: even a god might bow to you in ways of dissimulation. You! You chameleon! Bottomless bag of tricks! Here in your own country would you not give your stratagems a rest,”” (XIII, 371-376). Here Athena herself says that Odysseus could fool even a god with his tricks and strategies. To have a god of wisdom and say this to him shows how good of a strategist he is. Another example of his mastery of stratagems comes soon after when he plots with Athena, “under the old grey olive tree those two sat down to work the suitors death and woe,” (XIII,465-466). Athena and Odysseus devise a strategy together and unless Odysseus was an excellent strategist, Athena would not let him plan with her. His strategies allow him to save himself and as many other people as possible which makes him a hero. Odysseus also sows his level-headedness through his wisdom. One example is in the lair of the Kyklops, “if I killed him we perished there as well, for we could never move his ponderous

A Hero is someone who is looked up to by people, does things people remember them by and does things for other people. By today’s standards, odysseus is a hero. The reason why odysseus is a hero is because he is looked up to by many people, and he has done many things people remember him by. Throughout Odysseus’s journey him and his men encountered many things for people to remember them by and look up to them.

Back at Polyphemus' cave, he tricked the giant by telling him his name is nobody. So when Odysseus blinds him and he calls for help, the Cyclops shouts, "Nohbdy, Nohbdy's tricked me, Nohbdy's ruined me!" (9.444) He knew that his trick would keep him safe from harm, at least temporarily. This shows that Odysseus is an incredibly strategic man, and that he can talk his way out of most situations.

In the epic, Odysseus and his men traveled to an island inhabited by cyclops’. While they were exploring the island they became trapped in a cave with one of the cyclops. Without Odysseus’ clever thinking/planning, him and his men would have died. Part of Odysseus’ ingenious plan was telling the giant his name was Nohbdy, so when they injured his eye the giant would yell “Nohbdy, Nohbdy’s tricked me, Nohbdy’s ruined me!” which wouldn’t alarm his brothers on the island because he is saying nobody had hurt him. (ll.357-358) Odysseus also proved he was a hero by devising a plan that would work to sail past the sirens while also listening to what the blind prophet Tiresias told him. He wasn’t told how to protect his men from being seduced by the sirens, he had to come up with a strategy that would work all on his own. He knew he had to listen to the Sirens but if his crew heard the sirens they would be led to their destruction so, “(Odysseus) carried wax along the line, and laid it thick on their ears.” so they weren't compelled by the sirens’ loving voices. (ll. 712-713) Without Odysseus’ clever planning they would have been led to their deaths. Odysseus wasn’t only a clever man he also had a lot of

Another trait that Odysseus demonstrates repeatedly throughout the story is his loyalty. In various situations he never gives up on his crew, even when he has reason to. During an episode in the epic, Odysseus travels to the underworld to receive a prophecy. He meets his great friend Elpenor, who has died earlier in Circe’s hall. Because he is unburied and unmourned he asks Odysseus to build a cairn in his honor. Odysseus replies, “Unhappy spirit, / I promise you the barrow and the burial.” (Homer, lines 609-610). Although Odysseus is preoccupied with finding Tiresias, he shows loyalty to his crew mate by spending time with his spirit, and carrying out the spirit’s request. It could have been easy for Odysseus to ignore the spirit of Elpenor, but Odysseus shows a real emotional reply to this meeting. Not only does he show loyalty to his crew but his homeland as well. Although he could have given up during the ten year span Odysseus wandered from home, he persisted even though giving up would have been easier. At one point Odysseus is detained by the enchantress, Circe, but remains determined to reach home:

Homer's epic tale The Odyssey is a story of the triumphs and downfalls that are in store for one warrior's long pillage home.  Odysseus, the hero from the Trojan wars, has led his people of Ithaca and other Achaean soldiers to victory and now wishes to return home to his wife and family of Ithaca.  Through his twenty year journey Odysseus is often tested not only of his physical strength, but his wits as well.  The many accomplishments he achieved earned him great status and recognition throughout ancient Greece.  The mistakes he made caused the deaths of many men.  Consequently, we as readers are able to see the many personas that Odysseus carries with him.