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Odysseus Is Not A Hero In The Odyssey By Homer

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Heroes are often thought of as very powerful and superhuman, but would someone be a hero if they led many men to their deaths? In the many parts of the story “The Odyssey” By Homer, Odysseus shows unheroic characteristics in several of his actions. Odysseus is the leader of Ithaca and he must go on a 20-year journey to arrive back home after fighting in the Trojan war. Odysseus and his men get stuck at several places for several years which elongates the journey. Odysseus is not a hero because he does several things to get his men hurt to help himself get home.
In the story “The Cyclops” By Homer, Odysseus is not a hero. Odysseus escapes from the Cyclops lair after losing several men and he starts to jeer at the cyclops, “If I could take your life I would, and take your time away, and hurl you down to hell” (line 306-308). Odysseus invites himself into the cyclops home and steals his food while the Cyclops is not home. When the Cyclops returns Odysseus tricks him and stabs his eye out. Odysseus shows no hospitality towards the cyclops. He gets several of his men killed and shows no remorse. He even gets himself and his men cursed so it will be a long journey to return back home to Ithaca. …show more content…

As Odysseus nears the cliffside of the great monster Syclla he states,”But as I sent them on toward Scylla I told then nothing, as they could do nothing. They would have dropped their oars again, in panic, to roll for cover under the decking”(lines 161-164). Odysseus supplants his bravery and hope with doleful feelings as he watches his men be eaten alive. The men are ghastly of the situation of they are in. They possessed no prior knowledge that Scylla was going to attack and tear apart six of them. Odysseus uses the six men to travel past Syclla and only regrets his decision when he watches them be

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