Odysseus Essay : Superhero Or Hero

Being able to conquer Troy, have the god Poseidon against you, and dealing with many life threatening things on your long journey home are all things Odysseus overcame. Odysseus is an epic hero for making the long journey home and defeating monsters along the way. Epic hero's typically have larger than life qualities, are extremely skilled fighters, and are natural leaders. They can be smarter than everyone else and stand alone. In this essay, the three traits that will be focused on for Odysseus are having larger than life qualities, being smarter than everyone else, and being a skilled fighter.

For instance, he acts irrationally by deciding to reveal his identity to Polyphemus resulting in Odysseus’ crew, “having our precious lives, but not our friends” (Homer 505). For example Odysseus yells out, “Cyclops/if ever mortal man inquire/how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him/Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye”’ (Homer 503). The cyclops becomes enraged by Odysseus’ taunts, so Poseidon curses the boastful man, leaving him with a lonesome, treacherous journey. A leader must put his men first, but Odysseus is arrogant for he instead only cares about basking in the glory of defeating the cyclops. For instance, Odysseus will regret not listening to his crew’s cries to stop irritating Polyphemus, for he eventually is the one to indirectly cause death among them. Another example arguing foolishness is his failure to take the necessary precautions when warning his men about Helios’ cattle. After days on Helios’ island his men were driven by hunger and “ignore Odysseus’ warning not to feast on Helios’ cattle...To appease Helios, Zeus sends down a thunderbolt to sink Odysseus’ ship” (Homer 529). The leader of Ithaca is not a hero because he is threatening the lives of his crew who would die for him, because he is careless and unaware about the importance of informing his men about the dangers that they will face. Even though his past actions have had severe

What heroic qualities does Odysseus show? Explain the situations in which Odysseus shows these qualities.

Lizeth Marin Honors Introduction to Literature Period 3 18 April 2008 Odysseus: Hero or Villain? Heading home, to Ithaca, Odysseus is faced upon many obstacles that he and his men try to overcome, but in the end substantiate that Odysseus is a villain. “The old soldier in despair: He has spent ten years (seven of them as Calypso’s not entirely unwillingly captive) trying to get home” (652, summary). Evidence proves that Odysseus is a villain, because he tries to convince that he was kept unwillingly by Calypso. However, it is true that Odysseus was kept as Calypso’s captive for a time. Yet he can still be judged as a villain, because he does not just stay as a prisoner, no, he assists Calypso by being with her for the pleasures that

Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.

A hero accepts who he is as an individual, but strives to change himself for the better. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, the main character Odysseus is a valiant king who embarks on a life-changing voyage. While traveling from Troy back to his home in Ithaka, King Odysseus overcomes daunting obstacles, and in doing so discovers his place in the world. Odysseus is truly a heroic figure because he demonstrates courage, improves his character, and wins the support of the gods.

     Bravery is the mental or moral strength to venture and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. Fear is what one feels when fighting, knowing that he or she could die. For example, when

In the Odyssey, Odysseus is quite the legend known to people, whether you are high up in the sky with Zeus, or deep in the ocean with Poseidon, everyone knows Odysseus. In the epic poem, the Odyssey told by the one and only Homer, the brave, the godlike human, Odysseus is finding his way home after the big battle victory against the Trojans. This story is about his travels home and how he got caught up in other business. Let’s just say he stabbed Poseidon’s son, had his crew turned into pigs, faced a six-headed monster and whirlpool, and that is to say the least. He may as well be on America’s most wanted list with all the trouble he was causing. Even though Odysseus is a troublemaker, he has multiple great characteristics of a leader. Odysseus, when it comes to his crew and family, is confident, compassionate, wise, and always knows a way to get out of any problem.

Odysseus is not a hero because he constantly puts his men in danger and makes decisions without thinking. Odysseus is sailing away from Cyclops Island and he is teasing Polyphemus about escaping. The crew tries to get Odysseus to be quiet, but his ego gets in the way, and he tells Polyphemus his name; leading to Polyphemus cursing him and his men to make the journey home slow and painful. Odysseus tells the Phaeacians in his story, “So they spoke, but they could not persuade my great-hearted spirit; and I answered him again with angry heart: “‘Cyclops, if any one of mortal men shall ask thee about the shameful blinding of thine eye, say that Odysseus, the sacker of cities, blinded it, even the son of Laertes, whose home is in Ithaca’””(Homer.9.500-506). Odysseus comments that his crew tried to calm him down and get him to stop talking, but he

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.

Being a legitimate hero is not all about having the extraordinary supernatural powers commonly seen on television. Heroes are people who aid others, often putting themselves at risk to do so. They made the decision to fight, not necessarily physically, for their values. Odysseus, the main character in The Odyssey, should be considered a hero. He put his own life in jeopardy to protect his men from the supernatural threats that they faced throughout their journey. Odysseus should be regarded as a hero because he is brave, clever, and cautious.

Although people make mistakes does that mean that they cannot be a hero? Well in the story of The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus has a lot of honorable characteristics, but he also has a few immoral characteristics.

Again, Odysseus' darker and 'immoral' acts could be viewed could viewed as metaphors for and/or accurate reflections of the imperfection of the human race. Characteristics that show that heroes too are flawed. A hero who has some shortcomings is a more believable character, they may be godly in the sense that they do what no one else can, but that they are still only human. Drawing on this, Odysseus can be considered a hero for modern times. He possesses admiral skills, such as commitment and knowledge, which are still considered heroic today. He uses these traits to protect himself and his crew as they make the long journey home. Although Odysseus is renowned for his expertise in fighting, he is

sword from my hip I went along his flank to stab him where the midriff

Another way Odysseus is also a hero is he always finds a way to survive whether he is in conflict or out on the sea. One of the many situations Odysseus survives is his encounter with Skylla. Six of his crew members do perish but through his hard work and dedication he survives. He makes another smart decision in choosing to go through Skylla instead of Kharybdis because only six of his crew members die instead of the whole crew. Another decision Odysseus makes to survive is not eating the cattle of Helios while on Thrinikia, his crew members choice in eating the hallowed cows results in their death, but Odysseus knew the consequences and did not touch a cow. Another way Odysseus' quick-decision skills helps him is when he chooses to leave the island of the Lotous-eaters, because he realized his whole crew would have fell under the curse if he had stayed there. Odysseus is also a master tactician whose complex plans save his crew and help him regain his crown. One of these plans was his ingenious idea to trick Polyphemos, which shows he is a hero by saving countless lives. Another plan he implemented was to kill the suitors which is also a success because Odysseus and Telemakos themselves kill over a hundred men without an injury to themselves .Odysseus is a quick-thinker whose resourceful ideas save many lives.