An epic hero is someone who achieves great things and is admired for bravery and humility. In the epic poem The Odyssey written by Homer, the main character, Odysseus, is an epic hero. The characteristics the Odysseus posses to make him an epic her includes bravery, cleverness and determination.
Bravery is having courage through tough times. This is a trait that Odysseus possesses. He shows bravery in many chapters of The Odyssey. One example of his bravery is when Odysseus saved his crew from the sirens. If they hear the sirens song, they would be enchanted and then crash the ship. “Soften some beeswax and stop your shipmates ears so none can ear, none of the crew, but if you are bent on hearing, have them tie you hand and foot in the swift
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Odysseus showed cleverness throughout the books. He got Polyphemus drunk and told him that his name was “nobody”. “Nobody- that's my name. Nobody-” (Homer 223). He says this because when someone asks Polyphemus who is hurting him he will say “nobody”. When he reaches back home, he uses his intelligence to kill the suitors. He says that he will put the dead suitors in the hall where nobody will be. He throws a party so that everyone will think that the commotion at the palace was just a party, but really he is killing the suitors. “Odysseus, master of tactics, answered briskly, ‘I and the prince will keep these brazen suitors crammed in the hall, for all their battle-fury’”(Homer 444). In this passage, he is referred to as the master of tactics. When he goes to see his father, he plays a trick on him to see if he remembers him. “I once played host to a man in my own country” (Homer 476). In this passage, the man he is referring to is himself. He pretends to be somebody who had Odysseus stay at his house a while ago. He talks to is father like he knows Odysseus. He does this to see if his father still remembers him after twenty years. Overall, Odysseus uses his intelligence for the
A hero is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. In the movie, Odysseus shows that he is a hero by showing off his bravery and courage to defeat several monsters. He showed courage when he faced the Cyclops, when he met Lotus Eaters, and when he went back to Ithaca to see his wife. Odysseus and his men went to the cave to show the Cyclops that they are better than him. The Cyclops got angry when he got back to his cave since Odysseus and his men were eating the Cyclops’ food.
Another great example of Odysseus’ cleverness is when Polyphemus asks for his name. Odysseus responds, “Nobody- that’s my name. Nobody- so my mother and father call me, all my friends.” Odysseus’ quick thinking pays off later when he and four of his men stab Polyphemus in his eye.
In the epic story the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is returning from the Trojan war, and on his way home he finds many obstacles ahead of him. Odysseus is the ruler of Ithaca and he is trying to return home to his land. Many creatures try and stop him from achieving his goal of returning home, but he and his crew have to push through and get home. Odysseus portrays bravery and courage leading his crew through these tough challenges. Odysseus heroically leads his crew and himself through dangerous obstacles, but also foolishly endangers them during the journey home.
Odysseus does this because he is prideful and haughty and wants Polyphemus to know who Odysseus was and that Odysseus defeated him. However, by doing so, he alerts Polyphemus of their location, and the cyclops hurls a massive boulder at the men, causing, “a giant wave that washed the ship stern foremost back to shore” (III: 484-485). This shows that Odysseus’ pride and honor which causes him to boast to others about his victories and their losses, is very dangerous to him and his crew. Instead of taking the easy way out, Odysseus decides to show off to the cyclops, who nearly washed them back to shore and kills them because of Odysseus’ foolish arrogance. Figurative Language: 1.
Odyssey Essay Did you know Odysseus let many of his men die in the Odyssey? Well, Odysseus is also known for his brave and heroic acts, but to further understand him, you have to know about his Greek Values. In the Odyssey, Odysseus’ strength and weaknesses of leadership, intelligence, and his selfishness. This reflects the Greek Values of leading others to success, and accomplishment, outsmarting others, and caring for others.
An Epic Hero is a character who’s legendary or heroic actions are central to his culture, race or nation. Beowulf and Odysseus both share some of the seven hero traits; for example being superhuman, fighting monsters and going on a quest. They do not exhibit the exact same traits or in the same way, for example the intervention of the divine world, but they both demonstrate the qualities of an Epic Hero. Both Beowulf and Odysseus prove they are superhuman. Beowulf is able to take down Grendel and Grendel’s mother.
Odysseus has grown from the man he was before, as now he finds comfort and safety in obeying the gods when in the past he did not consider their wishes. Odysseus has only returned due to Athena and he has recognized that and his compliance is founded in his appreciation and respect for her. Odysseus is now a hero due to the obedience he now has to the gods, founded in a sense of humility. Through Odysseus’ experiences on his journey, he learns the value of obedience and dangers of arrogance and ultimately, become a hero through the lessons learned.
Their jealousy got in the way of what was truly right. When finally landing in Ithaca, he learns that loyalty is something that shouldn't be broken, especially when some of the suitors are from Ithaca, Odysseus' own homeland. This means that the suitors are disloyal to their King because they are courting his wife, stealing all his food, and slaughtering his animals for their feasts. Most importantly, they are plotting to kill Telemachus and Odysseus if he is ever to return to the island. He learns that the only way he can show that he is a firm leader is to reveal to all of Ithaca who he truly is.
Homer writes, “if mortal man inquire tell him Odysseus raider of cities took your eye.” Odysseus first told the cyclops his name was “nohbody” which masked his
A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.
Jason Sierra Professor Williams 5 October 2014 Word Count: 752 Odysseus: An Epic Hero The definition of a hero is a person with supernatural abilities at performing specific tasks that normal people cannot typically achieve. In the epic poem called “The Odyssey” written by a poet named Homer, there is a character named Odysseus who contains these characteristics.
If you were to think about a man with great abilities like being strong, courageous and intelligent, you could think of people you personally or like me, you could think of someone such as Odysseus. Odysseus fits the definition of an epic hero because he is quick thinking, strong and courageous. Odysseus is one quick thinking individual. He has gotten him and his crew out some some sticky situations with his clever plans. One of these plans were how to get away from Polyphemus, a cyclops who was the son of Poseidon.
Odyssey Essay “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.
An epic hero is a brave and noble character in an epic poem or a movie. Some epic heroes include: Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson movie series), Odysseus (Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey), Shrek, Harry Potter (Harry Potter movie series), Aragorn (Lord Of The Rings), and many more. Some similar traits between these two characters is that they are both brave and believe in the people helping them through their conquests.
Odysseus an epic hero What makes a person an epic hero? An epic hero is someone who possesses courage, strength, and have a desire to achieve immortality through heroic actions. The only ones that are considered heroes are those who are recognized for saving the day or for doing something heroic to the world. Many is considered heroes for only some are remembered like those who made a great change. For example Odysseus is an epic hero.