Odysseus: Heroes Essay

Odysseus heroic qualities are strength, courage, dignity, a thirst for glory, and self-confidence. He also shrewd and ingenious, all of which make him the ideal hero in both the physical form and the spiritual aspect. Odysseus being faithful and loyal to his wife shows his dignity. Even though he has been away from his home and family for twenty years his only thoughts are with them. He overcomes all the extreme dangers he encounters showing his strength and courage. His shrewdness and intelligence shows when he, the King of Ithaca, is disguised as a beggar before Telemakhos.

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

     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

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.

First, Odysseus is not a hero because he is a foolish leader who makes many mistakes on his journey back home to Ithaka. His first mistake is his decision to let his men raid and

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

The Odyssey shows many of Odysseus’ Epic Hero traits such as the ability to lead and this is shown when Odysseus and his men face the sirens and their dangerous music. Even before they faced the sirens themselves

In Homer’s, The Odyssey, I believe that Odysseus is a true modern hero. During his long and perilous journey home Odysseus shows many heroic qualities that help save his men from many dangerous situations. He first shows his Valiant behavior during the war in Troy, he cares about his crew and survives the war. He also deeply cares about the welfare of his men on their return trip to Ithaka. Odysseus is a hero because he is a courageous leader, a quick thinker and a modest man.

Odysseus’ craftiness sets him apart from the other characters as a hero because he succeeds when others fail.

Another quality of Odysseus that made him a hero was his quick thinking in various situations and his ability to lie. Throughout his journey he encountered multiple beasts and creatures who all attempt to stop him from returning home. When he reaches the cyclops Polyphemus, Odysseus uses his way with words to prevent the neighboring cyclops from thinking that he is a threat to Polyphemus. Odysseus tells Polyphemus his name is “Nobody”, so when the neighboring cyclops asks who Is harming him, Polyphemus responds with “Nobody.” Although his constant disguising was shamed in comparison to Achilles, this clever thinking made the ancient Greeks recognize him as a hero because they knew he was intelligent. Another example of his quick thinking was when he encountered the lair of the sirens. He knew how he would be

I believe a hero is somebody willing to sacrifice themselves for others. Somebody like a soldier, who would jump on a grenade for his or her fellow battle buddies to make sure they have the chance to live, even if that meant their death. Another aspect a hero might have is that they sacrificed their abilities, that everybody has like walking, to save someone else who might have died had they not saved them. A person who put themselves in harm's way to save somebody else, who gives up their own freedoms to fight for everybody else to have

Hero is a person, who is admired or idealized for courage, bravery, outstanding achievements and noble qualities. Hero is a common word which appears frequently nowadays in people’s life now. From comic books to television programs, and from magazines to movies, the social media is doing nice job to emphasize those heroic stories. The fact is people love heroes because they need heroes in varies situation: those kids are being bullied at school need a hero who steps up and defends them; those who are being robbed and assaulted need a hero to stops the crime; people who is drunk and is about to drive home needs hero to enforces the safety. In addition, people want to be heroes. They want to be that unique individual who helps others, saves others and stands up for what they believed and what is right. But what is hero? This simple question can have so many different answers. Depending on personal standards, the definition for hero can be different; however, for those who called heroes must have these common characteristics: positive influence to the society, honor and integrity, also the courage to serve and sacrifice.

“True heroism is… not the urge to surpass others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” - Arthur Ashe. Heroism is not anyone that wears a cape, but is a person that is willing to sacrifice themselves just so everyone can be happy and can be safe. They are always going to look up with a smile and will be brave. Heroes won’t let anything get in their way. Although, they might be a little afraid, they will always look on the bright side with a big smile. If, heroes will not always have a happy ending, they are still glad that they helped someone in need. Even though heroism does not always have a happy ending, brave ordinary people put others before themselves to save them from bigger problems.