Odysseus the Epic by Homer

Though Odysseus is as great a man as ever lived, he is still only mortal and at the gods’ mercy. Odysseus does not control his own destiny, but instead the gods determine what shall befall him and whether he shall ever reach his home. Odysseus is only a man and "hard is a god for mortal man to master" (36) even if he is great amongst his brethren. Odysseus can not control the gods anymore then he can control his fate and so he is left at their mercy. Even Zeus, who gives Odysseus many signs, will sometimes deal Odysseus woe which he is powerless to stop. To avenge the Sun god upon Odysseus’ evil crew, "…Zeus with a gleaming bolt smote [Odysseus’] swift ship and wrecked it in the middle of the wine-dark sea" (47). Such acts illustrate the control that the gods exercise over Odysseus and his inability to deliver himself from woe.

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

In Homer’s poem, The Odyssey is a heroic hero named Odysseus who is trying to get home after the events of the Trojan War which lasted an entire decade. He battles mythical creatures and faces the rage of the gods. Odysseus meets the criteria of an epic hero because he surpasses Zeus’s punishment with having superior strength, defeats cyclops with intelligence, and braveness when facing Charybdis as well as Scylla.

Often through great literature, there is an epic hero. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the journey of one man’s journey home from the Trojan War. The protagonist of the epic poem Odysseus is often regarded as a great hero. However, Odysseus is not quite the glorious soldier that people often see him as. Odysseus disproves his title of a hero through his pride, his disloyalty, and his bloodthirstiness.

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.

Odysseus has proven he is a great warrior in battle. One example of this occurs during

What makes a character an epic hero? An epic hero is someone who is ideal of a nation, takes part in long dangerous adventures, accomplish great deeds that requires remarkable courage and superhuman strength. They also cause an epic flaw, and are larger than life figure. A men is battling a demon, but he doesn't want to bring harm to innocent people around him. So he leads the monster to a place where no people are to be seen. Who is the hero in this scenario? In the myth,"The Odyssey" by Homer, Odysseus has been away from home for 20 years. In the 20 years he shows that he is very courageous. He helps his men and makes sure that nobody gets hurt while in battle. Therefore, showing extreme courage and bravery, it further proves that Odysseus

A epic hero is above a mundane human being. What makes up a epic hero are vigor, allegiance, valiancy, and astuteness. Odysseus shows all of the requisites for an epic hero and beyond. He demonstrates his facility to be a eloquent verbalizer which avails him on his adventure. His curiosity has gotten him into trouble, while his astonishing exhibitions of vigor have availed him and his crew escape sundry dilemmas. His arrogance puts up a challenge for himself, but his staunchness is what pushes him along his peregrination. In the commencement of the Odyssey Odysseus describes himself as "formidable for guile in tranquility and war". He kens that he is a cunning foe, and there are instances in which he has caused both placidity and apostasy.

Have you ever heard of a man- a very mortal man- who can defeat a cyclops, outwitt any opponent, kill men six times in number, and survive twenty years at sea? This man, is Odysseus, the son of Laertes. Odysseus can be read about in the epic poem called The Odyssey written by Homer. An epic poem is a long narrative poem about a serious event. Odysseus is the epic hero of this poem. An epic hero is a character who is smart, powerful, and fears almost nothing. Odysseus fits the definition of an epic hero.

After Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca, he finds many suitors, including one named Antinous, the most arrogant suitor of them all. The suitors have come in an attempt to take his wife, Penelope’s hand in marriage. He and his now adult son, Telemachus, stir up a plan to slaughter the suitors, and as everything comes together, the violence and bloodshed soon commences. Odysseus took up his bow and, “...aimed and shot Antinus square in the throat and the point went stabbing clean through the soft neck and out…” (22.15-16). Just the fact that Odysseus wishes to slaughter the suitors instead of negotiating with them, shows how aggressive and vicious he really is. Additionally, his savage and ferocious behavior goes against the ideology of modern heroism. Similarly, Odysseus takes part in brutal savagery against another one of Penelope’s suitors. Again with his bow, “...Odysseus loosed an arrow ripping his breast beside the nipple so hard it lodged in the man’s liver” (22.85-87). Odysseus gets kill after kill and takes the lives of many men, showing that he is a beast of a man, which was surely heroic at the time but would be frowned upon in today’s

Circe had just warned Odysseus about Scylla and Charybdis. The witch knew much, but she did not know about the wicked devil below seawaters. A seer who was banished from the underworld rests in the water, waiting for the day another sailor dares to pass her. Theama was well known to be able to tell your future when you remove the stitches along her mouth. Although, she was well known to play tricks, and only one sailor has ever lived to tell the story. Once Hades banished her, he took away her vision in her main eyes, leaving her seeing through her palms. He also took away her ability to speak. Odysseus knew of the myth, but did not have the slightest idea she was awaiting him. The waters were starting to turn into large waves

Greek mythology and the epic poems written during the Hellenistic period are filled with heroes and their adventures, highlighting the qualities that Greeks perceived as valuable in men. Odysseus, a prime example as the protagonist of The Odyssey, fully embodies the Greek idea of heroism, using his physical skill, as well as his clever mind to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. From escaping the Cyclops’ lair to facing the suitors in Ithaca, Odysseus chooses to use strategy over brute force often in The Odyssey and sets a precedent for future heroes of Western epics.

The Homeric epic, the Odyssey, is set in the peaceful years following the Trojan War, and concerns the returning heroes on their journeys home, in particular Odysseus of Ithaca. Odysseus is an epic hero; he displays courage, superior strength, and leadership, all qualities that people admire. While displaying these archetypal heroic traits he also displays his weaknesses as a man, particularly his excessive pride, which actually make him easy to relate to. So by demonstrating his strengths, and overcoming his weaknesses he becomes an epic hero, not only in Homer 's time but in the 21st century as well. Yet these archetypal heroic qualities are not his only heroic qualities, in order to win his battles

When Odysseus is in trouble he always shows that he is depending on the gods by praying to them. The fact that the gods usually listen to him shows that he is well liked by the gods. In order to be a Greek hero you had to be liked by the gods since religion was such a big part in their lives. Odysseus, with the help of the gods, can survive adventures that kill most other men. Odysseus travels to the island of the Cyclopians. The Cyclopians are giants that have one eye, they don't fear the gods because they believe that they are better than the gods and they eat people. They represent the opposite of what Greek men should be. Odysseus and his men meet Polyphemus the Cyclops. Polyphemus being a Cyclops eats some of Odysseus' men. Odysseus with the help of the gods figures out a plan to escape and he does. Scylla is a ferocious monster with six heads that kills most men that pass by her island. She kills six of Odysseus' men. Odysseus prevents her from killing himself and more men. There is another ferocious monster named Charybdis. Charybdis sucks in water from the sea and creates a whirlpool that kills any ship that passes by. Odysseus passes by her. His crew is killed and his ship is destroyed in the whirlpool but Odysseus alone survives. There is an island that Odysseus passes by with monsters called Sirens on it. The Sirens sing beautiful songs that lure ships toward them. The ships then crash into the island and the people are killed.

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.