Essay on The Journey Home: What Makes a Hero

Epic heroes are featured in literature throughout history. Most notably, the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer is about Odysseus, an epic hero. He is the king of Ithaca who goes to fight in the Trojan War. After 20 years, Odysseus finally returns home, although through many obstacles. Once in Ithaca, Odysseus kills the suitors who plague his wife, along with all other disloyal subjects. He fits the definition of an epic hero, which is an admirable character who displays courage while working towards a noble cause. More specifically, Odysseus is an epic hero because he makes complex and important decisions, has supernatural help, and is associated with beautiful women.

Nobody is perfect, everyone makes mistakes, but if people do not learn from those mistakes, the consequences are grave. Homer’s The Odyssey tells the story of the Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the Trojan War. Odysseus is hindered from getting home to Ithaca due to his interactions with Poseidon,

The magnitude of his punishment could have been much more severe; however, the Lord was with Joseph and sheltered him from other endangerments, such as the Pharaoh’s temper. Whilst this was occurring, Joseph remains steadfast in his faith and loyalty to the Lord and discerns the importance of demonstrating his courage to individuals in a foreign land. Similarly, Odysseus embodies the heroic quality of courage as he embarks on his journey back to Ithaca, years after the Trojan War, destined to be long and perilous. With his newfound sense of confidence and nerve to rebuff Calypso’s offer of immortality, Odysseus longs “for home, long for the sight of home. If any god has marked me out again for shipwreck, my tough heart can undergo it. What hardship have I not long since endured at sea, in battle! Let the trial come” (Odyssey, 87). Predestined to return home following the Trojan War, Odysseus understands his fate and the ominous obstacles he will withstand. Nevertheless, he assumes the challenge and departs from the island of Calypso. Travelling in foreign waters, Odysseus heavily relies upon Athena to safeguard him from other greater beings, such as Poseidon. (need more evidence/support)

Watching a film, one can easily recognize plot, theme, characterization, etc., but not many realize what basic principle lies behind nearly every story conceived: the hero’s journey. This concept allows for a comprehensive, logical flow throughout a movie. Once the hero’s journey is thoroughly understood, anyone can pick out the elements in nearly every piece. The hero’s journey follows a simple outline. First the hero in question must have a disadvantaged childhood. Next the hero will find a mentor who wisely lays out his/her prophecy. Third the hero will go on a journey, either literal or figurative, to find him/herself. On this journey the hero will be discouraged and nearly quit his/her quest. Finally, the

     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

First of all, Odysseus was very selfish during their journey back to Ithaca. For example,“We lit a fire, burnt an offering, and we took some cheese to eat; then sat in silence around the embers, waiting”(Homer 219-222). If Odysseus took the cheese and left, his men would not have had to dealt with Polyphemus. He put himself before his men because he wanted a gift from the cave owner. Odysseus was also selfish when he sailed near the lands of Sirens.“Steer wide; keep well to seaward; plug your oarsmen’s ears with beeswax kneaded soft”(Homer 669-671). Although Circe told Odysseus to steer clear of the area, Odysseus wanted to be known as the man who survived a Siren’s song. He put his own men in danger just because he wanted to become famous. Odysseus was also very arrogant to think that he could get past the Sirens.

The epic hero is a figure of great stature and may be a character from history or legend. Epic heroes’ most remarkable traits are usually the ones most valued by the society from which the epic came. The main character in this epic is Odysseus. Odysseus is on a quest to find his home after a war. Odysseus is an epic hero.

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.

There are many traits that are believed to make an individual a true hero. Some of those traits being physical strength, mental toughness kindness, compassion, bravery, and intelligence. In both today's world and during the times of ancient Greece, there is one trait that prevails among the rest, that trait is mental toughness. Both Odysseus and Chen Si hold this trait within them.

“Even so, you and your crew may still reach home, suffering all the way, if you only have the power to curb their wild desire and curb your own”. This was said by Tiresias. The odyssey is an epic poem in 24 books. It’s a poem about Odysseus, king of Ithaca who gets lost for more than 10 years where he is trying to return to Ithaca after the Trojan war. There were a lot of people who played a important role in Odysseus returning back to Ithaca. Some of them helped Odysseus and some tried to stop him from going back to Ithaca. Three of them are Telemachus, Tiresias and Poseidon

Odysseus exhibits numerous positive personality characteristics throughout the epic poem, The Odyssey, but his foremost attribute was his determination. Odysseus demonstrates his determination during each hardship that he is confronted with, including monsters, the death of comrades, destruction of his ships, and the wrath of the gods. Odysseus’ determination is driven by his desperate desire to reach Ithaca and be reunited with his family before dying; he demonstrates this while struggling to travel past Charýbdis and Scylla, after all of his crew members have been killed. ‘All through the night the wind did not relent… she [Charýbdis] drew my mast and keel to her deeps. But reaching up and toward the great fig tree, I [Odysseus] gripped

How would a person feel being away from their homeland for ten years with no communication with the ones they love? In the epic poem of Homer’s The Odyssey, the protagonist, Odysseus, makes his way home after the Trojan War. Odysseus angers Poseidon for blinding his son and he goes through many years of turmoil while struggling to return home. Odysseus battles the obstacles he faces and eventually returns to Ithaca to claim back the throne. In The Odyssey, Odysseus’ arrogance is demonstrated throughout the book when he interacts with the Phaeacians, the cyclops, and his son Telemachus, thus proving to be a static character through his thoughts and actions.

In The Odyssey by Homer, there are many different parts to being an Epic Hero. There are also many risks and dangers. If you are an Epic Hero, you are part of an epic story along with an Epic Plot, an Epic Setting, and Epic Themes. Considering these aspects of the story, being an Epic Hero is the most impressive because it demonstrates loyalty, wisdom, and bravery.

Odysseus holds many characteristics of an epic hero. These appear throughout The Odyssey, and become a basis for why he is an epic hero. For example, Odysseus has hubris, the trait of excessive pride in oneself. During Odysseus’s talk with Alcinous, it is revealed that he believes that he is very famous, and that his “‘fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim’” (Homer 2). With what he feels is a strong argument, Odysseus tries to convince Alcinous to give him supplies, ships and men, to help him get back to his homeland, Ithaca. Odysseus feels entitled to these, because of how he believes others esteem (4) him. Odysseus extols (2) himself, and has a clear case of hubris, which goes along with all of his other “epic hero” traits. Along with having hubris, Odysseus also has a deep love for his homeland, a characteristic of other epic heroes. When describing who he is to Alcinous, Odysseus mentions that his “‘home is on the peaked sea-mark of Ithaca...being most lofty in that coastal sea’” (Homer 4-8). How “The Raider of Cities” describes Ithaca to Alcinous, shows how proud he is of his homeland, and

Screams filled the air. Only then did Jessie Grant realize they were his. He had been having this dream for some time, his dad’s and mom’s death. Before they boarded a cruiser when he was seventeen, his parents were his best friends, now he had nothing.