ipl-logo

Archetypes In The Odyssey

628 Words3 Pages

Is it possible to compare Odysseus to modern heroes today? A hero is someone who sets aside their life to help people in need of help, even if it is dangerous, and is a symbol of hope. Odyssey and Superman are both examples of hero archetypes because they sacrifice their lives to save people and defeat the enemies in their journey. Both Superman and Odysseus are heroes because they are brave and strong. In the Odyssey, Odysseus fits the archetype of the hero because he is brave. for example when Odysseus and his crew were washed up on Cyclops Island (in book IX). Odysseus was brave enough to enter Polyphemus's cave even though he knew that the Cyclops were giant beings with one eye. ”When we got to the land, we saw a great cave overhung with bushes. This was the home of a huge Cyclops named Polyphemus, who led the life of an outlaw. He was a horrid creature, not a human being. He was a giant and lived alone.“I told my men to draw the ship ashore, and stay where they were. I took the twelve best men and a supply of food and wine with me”(Book IX). The quote proves that Odysseus is a brave hero because no hero can face a cyclope who eats humans. On the other hand, Superman is also fit as a brave …show more content…

In books 22 and 23 of the Odyssey. Odysseus was a strong hero because he was able to defeat all the suitors. After all, the suitors wanted to marry Odysseus' wife Penelope.“But Odysseus glared at them and said: “Dogs, did you think that I should not come back from Troy? You have forced yourself upon this house, and have wooed my wife while I was still living. You have feared neither god nor man, and now you shall die.” They turned pale with fear as he spoke.”(book XXII). Superman is also fit as a strong hero because he can do anything he wants to. Superman used his start pulling apart powerful alien artifacts, surviving nuclear explosions, and single-handedly taking on the Justice

Show More
Related
580 Words | 3 Pages

One of the reasons those people might say that is because Odysseus has a hero’s key traits: he was loyal, compassionate, and cunning. Odysseus was loyal to his family by trying his best to get home and succeeding. Compassion was shown by Odysseus when he was patient while plotting against the Trojans. Last but not least Odysseus was cunning when he defeated the Cyclops in the cave whilst escaping.

Read More
441 Words | 2 Pages

Odysseus shows a lot of hero traits, along his journey with all the situations he has to overcome in order to get back home to rule his kingdom. A situation was when Odysseus was sailing home from the Trojan War and the wind hit him so hard that he went another way, “let me tell you about the voyage fraught with hardship Zeus inflicted on

Read More
819 Words | 4 Pages

“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” (Bob Dylan). A modern hero is recognized by the goodness in their heart. Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer’s “The Odyssey”, is not a good example of a modern hero. Heroes cannot be cross cultural, and Odysseus’ heroics do not transcend time and apply to the modern world.

Read More
465 Words | 2 Pages

It also proves that he thinks that he is a better person than everyone else. Some people may argue that Odysseus is a hero. There is evidence of this when he is trapped on the island of the Cyclops. It is shown that he is a hero when he says “I drew it from the coals and my four fellows gave me a hand, lugging it near the Cyclops as more than natural force nerved them; straight forward they sprinted, lifted it, and rammed it deep in his crater eye.” (9,

Read More
997 Words | 4 Pages

Odysseus defies the suitors and wins his wife and kingdom back. Despite Odysseus' overconfident nature, Odysseus proves he is a hero by showing bravery and intelligence. When it comes to being a hero, being brave is one of the most

Read More
1909 Words | 8 Pages

Odysseus showed many traits of an anti-hero. He isn't are average strong, and brave hero he had many flaws. We see him many time break down, and be very weak. When we think of heros , they don't really have those moments. They are strong both mentally and physically.

Read More
1043 Words | 5 Pages

He fights to the best of his abilities against many monsters such as Polyphemus, Circe, and the sea monster Scylla. There has been many claims that Odysseus isn’t hero because he lets his crew die. Just because his crew didn’t survive, it certainly does not mean he isn’t a hero. He tries his very best and even test his limits in order to get him and his crew back home. An example of this is in Homer’s

Read More
458 Words | 2 Pages

In literature, heroes walk in between the lines of admirable virtues and disturbing flaws. Odysseus, the main character in Homer’s The Odyssey, is a perfect and complex example. Odysseus is known for being clever and determined. These qualities help him through the dangerous challenges throughout his journey home.

Read More
681 Words | 3 Pages

A hero to most people is someone who has risked or sacrificed his life for others. Odysseus often displays himself as being physically and mentally capable of withholding cleverness, courage and strength. This is why Odysseus is a hero. Odysseus oversees those who seek him dead and remains truthful for his goal of getting back home. Odysseus shows cleverness in tricking the Cyclops, having courage in braving the sea and having the strength to face a thousand chances to surrender and never giving up.

Read More
551 Words | 3 Pages

Odysseus is a true hero because of how brave he is. Next, Odysseus is a hero because he is determined. He was determined to return home and did not let anything stop him. Odysseus was cursed by God to not go home, but Odysseus did not give up. He went on a long, treacherous journey where he risked many lives, including his own, just so he could return home.

Read More
313 Words | 2 Pages

While they may have a point, they do not take into account the fact that he did not use his brain when approaching this challenge. He had been prideful on this part of his journey. To conclude, Odysseus was a hero. He was a hero when he used his brains to ponder about and reach the answer to a predicament. Heros are the people who complete tasks that they are afraid to complete, but they do

Read More
1040 Words | 5 Pages

During those year out of sea Odysseus overcomes life threatening situations and proves himself to be a hero. According to the definition of a hero provided in the beginning, a hero has “noble qualities”. One of the many things that makes Odysseus a hero is his loyalty and intelligence. Not only does he maintain loyalty to his wife and home, but also to his crew members.

Read More
570 Words | 3 Pages

In The Odyssey, Odysseus’ characteristics do not fit in the definition of a modern hero, he illustrates a naive and a arrogant epic hero. Odysseus can be seen as a naive epic hero. This is because he doesn't step up to be a stern leader with his shipmates and he allows his shipmates to walk over him. An example of this is when Odysseus reaches Thrinacia, the island home to Helio’s cattles. Odysseus tells his

Read More
769 Words | 4 Pages

The ancient archetype of heroism is commonly quantified by the amount of incredible and perilous feats overcome by one individual, so it should come as no surprise that Odysseus is able to overcome many of these daunting obstacles.

Read More
863 Words | 4 Pages

In The Odyssey, Odysseus was a major hero of the novel. He had both heroic traits and human weaknesses. Odysseus defeated the Cyclops, defeated the suitors that were courting his wife, and overcome other challenges throughout the novel. A special trait that made Odysseus a hero was that he was a courageous

Read More

More about Archetypes In The Odyssey

Open Document