“Nothing stops the man who desires to achieve. Every obstacle is simply a course to develop his achievement muscle. It’s strengthening of his powers of accomplishment” - Thomas Carlyle. In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus, the king of Ithaca goes upon a journey, and encounters danger and challenges that prevents him from going back to Ithaca, which is his goal. And during the journey, he begins to become an epic hero. Odysseus fits the description of an epic hero because he had cleverness, exceptional knowledge, and supernatural conflict. The first reason why Odysseus fits the description of an epic hero is because he had cleverness. The first time Odysseus shows that he had cleverness was in the cyclops, Polyphemus adventure. In the Odyssey, …show more content…
The first time Odysseus shows that he had supernatural conflict is in the cattle of the sun god, Helios adventure, and it was caused by Odysseus’s crew, who killed Helios’s cows. In the Odyssey, it states that after Odysseus’s crew ate Helio’s cows. Helios was extremely angry, so he asked Zeus for revenge. Zeus had to accept it, otherwise Helios would have created trouble for Zeus in the Underworld. As the results, Zeus’s destroys Odysseus’s ship with his thunderbolt, only leaving Odysseus alive, which clearly demonstrates that Odysseus had supernatural conflict. The second time Odysseus shows that he had supernatural conflict is in the Aeolus adventure, and it was caused by Odysseus’s crew members, who opened the bag of storm winds. In the Odyssey, it states that Aeolus, the god of winds, gives Odysseus the bag of storm winds. The plan was to allow the wind wind to only blow Odysseus and his crew back home. However, the plan failed because some of the crew members opened the bag, since they were curious because the inside of the bag was kept as a secret to them, which clearly demonstrates that Odysseus had supernatural conflict. As the results, part of Poseidon’s power, the storm winds blew the Odysseus and the crew further away from their destination. The third time Odysseus shows that he had supernatural conflict is in the cyclops adventure, and it was caused by Odysseus and his crew, who tricked the cyclops many times. In the Odyssey, it states that Odysseus taunts at Polyphemus, and reveals his real name after Odysseus injured Polyphemus, and tricked him, which enraged him. After Polyphemus about Odysseus, he requested from his father, Poseidon, to curse Odysseus, and ask for revenge on Odysseus and his crew. As the results Poseidon alternated the ocean’s courses during the journey to prevent Odysseus from going back to Ithaca, which clearly
Odysseus is an epic hero because he is a skilled fighter. Odysseus showed how skilled of a fighter he is on page 562, “Every shot brought down on of his enemies.” This quote shows Odysseus being a very skilled fighter by not missing a single shot and with every shot he takes he takes down one or even two of his enemies. Odysseus is also showing that by being a skilled fighter he can think on his feet and shoot without a second
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
Odysseus proves to be an epic hero in The Odyssey by showing bravery,intelligence and respect for the gods.Odysseus shows his intelligence by having his men tie him up to the mast as they sail past the sirens,so odysseus dont lose his will to get home.Odysseus use his bravery by going past scylla,so that he does not risk losing everything.Odysseus shows respect for the gods by not taking part in the killing of helio’s cattle.The definition of a hero today is very different since Odysseus but the purpose is the same,helping people.A hero does not need superpower or high tech gadgets to help
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
To begin, an epic hero, like Odysseus, is a hero that is brave and does great things. Homer writes, “Put heart in me to eat and drink—you may, by freeing my companions. I must see them...their bristles fell away, the coarse pelt grown upon them by her drug melted away, and they were men again, younger, more handsome, taller
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.
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.
Odysseus is classified as an epic hero in the “ Odyssey.” In the story Odysseus wanders around the ocean and islands in search for his solution to get back home safely. Although he wanders for twenty years without his family, just crew members, he possess characteristics of being a brave warrior, a loyal husband, and a creative mind tricking person.
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.
The protagonist of the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer is Odysseus, who is a man of many qualities. Odysseus's skills and intellect are honed through the hardships he experienced on his very long journey away from home. Through his adventures, Odysseus gained for himself the reputation of a hero who survived shipwrecks, battled monsters, faced the wrath of the mighty gods, and met many people of various foreign lands. On top of other classic epic hero traits, Odysseus proves to be the very definition of a Homeric hero through his portrayal as a character who is faithful, loyal, and mentally capable.
What makes a hero is determination, perseverance, and bravery to accomplish a goal. Odysseus embodied all of these traits in the epic The Odyssey written by Homer. Odysseus was the king of Ithaca and he left for the 10 year long Trojan war, leaving his whole kingdom behind to defeat the Trojans. After about 20 years he makes it home and takes back his kingdom.Throughout his journey he faced many perilous encounters. Odysseus is considered a hero worldwide.
Heroes are often thought of as great figures that conquer evil, kill the monster, and save the day. Odysseus is often referred to as a hero. He is a strong individual striving to complete his goal, return to his wife and son and remove suitors that have taken his home. Although he is seen as a hero by definition and he appears to be one as well there are decisions he made that may not be truly heroic. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus decisions to value his crew's life, and completing and being victorious through hard challenges makes him an epic hero. Odysseus saving his crew and competing his goal makes him a hero.
Odysseus: The Hero of all Time Being a hero isn’t just about the fame and glory. It is about the characteristics of the person and how they decide to use them. This epic poem, The Odyssey, written by Homer, has many examples that show off the heroic traits of a character named Odysseus. Two heroic traits that Odysseus acquires are his intelligence and his self confidence. During his journey, the brave Odysseus went through many obstacles that forced his journey to a standstill, but his intelligence and self-confidence helped him survive and return home to Ithaca.
An epic hero is one who exhibits courage, strength, bravery, intelligence, and a desire to achieve. Odysseus, from "The Odyssey," is a person who perfectly fits the definition of an epic hero. Odysseus has been one of the most frequently portrayed figures in literature. He performs many courageous acts throughout his journeys: He uses his intelligence to overcome obstacles and learns from his mistakes along the way. In this essay I am going to point out how Odysseus personifies 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.