A hero, someone modernly seen jumping off buildings, and fighting the bad guy in an epic duel to the death. But what really makes a hero? Is it wanting to save someone just to look good? Maybe something deeper like the willingness to give up part of oneself so that another may have a better life. A hero should be a person who has the right motives for their heroic actions. The Odyssey, a Greek epic written by Homer has many characters that could be considered heroes, but none as greatly debated on whether he should be called a hero as Odysseus. Odysseus is a hero due to the fact that he wants to protect the ones he loves, shows courage through his actions and words, and as a leader is able to inspire others to have courage. Odysseus’s family …show more content…
One example that sticks out is in book 9, Odysseus and his crew find a cave filled with food and sheep. Odysseus chooses to linger a while longer and soon the Cyclops living in the cave returns. The Cyclops imprisons the crew and Odysseus to keep for a meal. Odysseus comes up with a plan in book 9, Odysseus tells his men, “Then, in my courageous heart I formed a plan to move up close beside him, draw the sharp sword I carried on my thigh, and run my hand along his chest, to find exactly where his midriff held his liver, then stick him there” (Homer). Odysseus changed his plan to stabbing the Cyclops in the eye instead of the chest. He succeeds in stabbing the Cyclops in the eye, even though it could have gotten him killed. Through Odysseus’s actions in this book, it is clear to see that he is willing to risk injury and even death to help his crew escape from the Cyclops. To be a hero one must show great courage, and Odysseus does show courage in this book of the Odyssey by risking his life to save his men. Odysseus values his family greatly and shows bravery nevertheless these are not the only two reasons why Odysseus should be considered a