An epic hero is a person who is admired for their courage, achievements, and qualities. Odysseus struggles to return to his home for ten years after the Trojan War. It took him a long time because Poseidon, the god of the sea, constantly hindered Odysseus from going back to his home. Although some argue that Odysseus is dishonest and prideful, the main character, Odysseus, in The Odyssey by Homer is an epic hero. Throughout his journey, Odysseus reveals his heroism by facing challenges and being respected. Overall, Odysseus is a good leader because he is courageous, intelligent, and compassionate.
Firstly, Odysseus shows his courage throughout the book. Odysseus shows courage by attempting tough challenges and completing them. For example, when the Cyclops trapped Odysseus and his crew members in the cave, Odysseus showed his bravery. It was impossible to move the Cyclops to escape, so Odysseus poked the drunken Cyclops’ (Polyphemus) eyes. This shows his courage by being able to escape from the cave without getting killed and saving his men. It was unworkable to escape from the Cyclops if Odysseus didn’t show his courage. Odysseus also shows his courage when he visits the sirens. Although Circe said it was
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Every time, Odysseus considers how to deal with the problems that are best for his people. Odysseus leads his men by thinking of every situation that is best for them. For example, when they arrive at the Lotus Eaters, Odysseus orders some of his members to explore, so that it is much safer than investigating with all. Although magic was put on those three men, Odyssey shows that he truly cared about them and kept their well-being in mind. "But I brought them back, back to the hollow ships, and streaming tears—I forced them, hauled them under the rowing benches" (Homer 139). The readers can also tell that his crew members respected Odysseus because his men put faith and loyalty