Theseus: A Greek Hero

If compared to Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey theory, Theseus is considered a mythological hero; however, not in a historical manner in which he is often accredited.

Spider-Man is your average modern day hero, he is a citizen who was bitten by an unusual and peculiar spider which gave him powers and abilities such as being able to shoot webs out of his hands and climb walls without the need of any equipment. And Odysseus is a Greek hero who was strong, heavily favored by the gods, and could take down any and all challenges he´d ever have to face. And if you ever compared the two you would see that both characters are extremely different. Why you would see this is because we know that Spider-Man is a modern day hero, but can we consider Odysseus as one. My answer to this would be NO. Society today would not consider Odysseus as a modern day hero because of many reasons. One would be that he doesn´t show

Odysseus from the Odyssey is a controversial figure because it can sometimes be unclear if he is supposed to be a hero or not. However, It is actually very clear. Odysseus is most definitely a hero because of all of the things that he did to help his men survive as long as possible. By no means was Odysseus a perfect leader but he learned from his mistakes and he was an effective leader.

In Greek literature of mythology, we have examined Odysseus. Students and scholars alike have held debates about Odysseus. The discussion is whether Odysseus was a true hero, as read in The Odyssey. There is abundant supportive evidence to verify all sides of the debate and opinions held about Odysseus. Odysseus had encompassed many qualities that I believe make him a hero. The qualities he embodied were mental strength, physical strength, and spiritual strength. I would like to advocate for why Odysseus was a hero.

In Homer's The Odyssey, Odysseus shows time and again his heroic characteristics such as, courage, leadership, and cleverness that prove him and others to be a hero, even today. Odysseus’s goal is to return home to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War, but is forced to overcome obstacles set throughout his journey designed to make him fail. Odysseus uses his heroic traits to conquer these obstacles. The same traits that make Odysseus a hero are also present in many of the people who are labeled as heroes today. For example, Martin Luther King Jr., an undeniable hero, is courageous, a leader, and clever. Odysseus’s courage helps him to stay determined while he propels himself through bumps in his journeys on his way home.

A Homeric epic hero is taken into account to be senior to a standard individual. The traits of a typical epic hero are strength, loyalty, courage, and intelligence. In fact, the Macmillan lexicon for students defines a hero as "one who is loved and researched to for valorousness, achievements, and noble qualities" (483). odysseus fulfills all the necessities 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, whereas his excellent displays of strength and cunnings have helped both him and his crew escape danger. His conceitedness sets him back, however, his loyalty is what drives him forward on his long and treacherous expedition. within the initial few lines of The Odyssey, Odysseus describes himself as "formidable for guile in peace and war". He knows that he's a formidable opponent, and there are instances where his guile has caused both harmony and violence. regardless of what challenge Odysseus faces, he invariably clearly demonstrates the characteristics of an epic hero.

Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, and Achilles are all known as epic or homeristic heroes. They have all had their legendary battles and journeys that have classified them as an epic hero. Epic heroes all have good and bad qualities, for example Hercules is known as the strongest man in the world, but he is not that smart. Odysseus is a great example of an epic hero. He is smart, strong, and protected by gods and goddesses, but he does have faults in his actions considering he is only just a mortal. In Homer’s book, The Odyssey, Homer shows how Odysseus is truly an epic hero, by showing his journey back home to Ithaca.

Overall, the ancient greeks valued Theseus because of his compassion and wisdom. Theseus showed compassion when Hercules’s burst of insanity, caused by his stepmother, Hera, led him to kill his wife and children and then want to kill himself. Although the public shunned Hercules, Theseus thought that a man could not be charged for murder if he had not known what he was doing, and those who had influenced the man should be charged for the crime as well. So Theseus brought him under his wing and welcomed him inside his house. Theseus, who was just as compassionate as he was wise, demonstrated his wisdom after his father’s death, who was king of Athens. The only place of power he wanted was the position of commander and chief. He also formed a council and a place where people could vote. Thus, establishing the first democracy. As seen in my first example, Theseus showed compassion to Hercules, when no other man

Trust, a basis for human existence, is one of the first factors in betrayal. In order to be betrayed you first have to trust another individual enough to both not expect and be hurt by their actions (Harris). Throughout Greek Mythology, there are countless stories in which various people and gods struggle with betrayal. Many of these instances involve infidelity or abandonment by a lover, such as Aphrodite’s affair with Ares, the story of Theseus and Ariadne, or the story of Jason and Medea, but there are also those in which betrayal is based upon trust between family members, such as in the stories of Theseus, as well as those based on the trust of friends or acquaintances, such as Zeus and Prometheus. The stories of Theseus, for example,

Odysseus is one of the greatest epic heros in the history of literature. The Odyssey, by Homer, is an epic poem, which depicts the journey home of Odysseus. Angering many gods, this voyage takes him through multiple obstacles, and ends up taking almost twenty years longer than it should've. Throughout his journey, “The Son of Laertes” must get his crew out of trouble multiple times. He uses his intellect and other strengths to do so, and never gives up, no matter the circumstance. Even after losing everything he needs in a storm worthy of the gods, Odysseus still never gives up, and gets himself out of trouble yet again. Throughout his entire journey, coming home from the Trojan War, Odysseus repeatedly uses many heroic traits to get himself and his crew out of many unfortunate situations. These heroic traits, how Odysseus uses them, and the steps of his journey all come together to illustrate that he is an epic hero. Odysseus characterizes himself as an epic hero based on how he almost perfectly follows the characteristics of an epic hero, gets his crew out of trouble multiple times, and follows the Hero's Journey.

Someone who is considered an epic hero would be someone that was highly looked upon by society, because they would have the traits that are praised by the public. An epic hero is someone who has multiple larger-than-life qualities. Odysseus happened to possess some of these traits. He was stubborn, he was determined, and he also had his weaknesses. This, by definition, would consider him an ‘epic hero’.

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.

anuary third, 897 BCE, Theseus, the adolescent son of King Aegeus of Athens sought aid from the gods and the royals, they helped guide his way through the Cretan Labyrinth, allowing him to slay the monster to whom Athens had been forcibly sacrificing its youth for years.

Like other cultures, the Greeks have their own perspective on what traits a great being must possess. However, their traits are rather extraordinary compared to others. In Edith Hamilton’s Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes, two important characters are Odysseus and Theseus. These two are considered heroes by the Greeks due to the three remarkable qualities they exhibit, knowledge, strength, and bravery. The Greeks have these as a base of qualities that a great, heroic person must have. They believe that characters should be able in all aspects of life. The Ancient Greeks especially admire heroes that possess the qualities of knowledge, strength, and bravery as having all three resembles a well rounded person.

A red-figure Terracotta column- krater by Alkimachos painter from Attic, Greek, ca. 460 BCE [56.171.46]. This bowl was used for mixing wine and water. The famous black-figure style of painting was replaced by the red-figure around 530 BCE. The figures were outlined with black glaze followed by the black background, which reserved the red clay for the figures. The main scene on the vase depicts the death of Minotaur at the hands of Theseus with the help of Princess Ariadne and Nike. Theseus kills the Minotaur who lives in a Labyrinth in order to put an end to the Minotaur’s cannibalistic hunger. Theseus, a strong Athenian hero, is seen holding the sword to slay the Minotaur [half man and half bull]. Ariadne, a youthful and beautiful princess, falls deeply in love with Theseus.She is an important and well-known character for her contribution in the death of the Minotaur. She is the one who uncovers the secret of escaping from the mysterious maze.She is seen pointing towards a gate like structure, as she waits for Theseus to return from the labyrinth. Nike with wings [who is the personification of victory] is also seen on the vase, which indicates the victory of Theseus over the Minotaur.