Is Odysseus, in The Odyssey by Homer, an epic hero or just a common hero? An epic hero has traits such as supernatural help, quests, challenges, help from companions, learning, growth, and fatal flaws. A common hero has traits such as courage, honesty, selflessness, determination, etc. Odysseus is more of an epic hero than a common hero because he has supernatural help, quests, and fatal flaws. One reason Odysseus is considered an epic hero is the supernatural help he receives. Throughout the whole story, Odysseus got help from Athena to get back home. In book five, all the gods, not including Poseidon, discuss Odysseus and his outcome. Athena requests her father, Zeus, to give abettance to Odysseus when he’s trapped on Calypso’s Island. So then Zeus sends Hermes to Calypso to release Odysseus. Calypso agrees to it as long as Odysseus wants to, which then allows Odysseus to escape. While trying to get back home, Odysseus gets in a lot of predicament and Athena aids him throughout the whole journey and gets him back home to his family. …show more content…
He goes from Troy and tries to get back home to Itheca and then ends up going to several islands including Calypso’s, Circe’s, and Cyclops Island. In book one, Odysseus is trying to get home after the Trojan War. He however has many obstacles in the way, he encounters monsters, storms, and women. All the while his wife is waiting for him, but he eventually gets back to Ithaca and back home to his wife and son. Even after having so many obstacles, makes it back home and finishes his 20 year long