ipl-logo

Homer's The Odysseus: An Epic Hero

895 Words4 Pages

A man with illustrious courage and ability, admired for his brave actions and noble qualities. A man who’s larger than life, witty, determined, and valued. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is this person. He spends ten years facing horrendous monsters and impossible situations to return home again. In literary terms, Odysseus might be an epic hero, but he doesn’t nearly possess the compassion, integrity, or modesty necessary to be a true hero.
A man who is genuinely worthy to be called a hero, is not a man incapable of mercy. Even after Odysseus looked into the eyes of a priest begging for his life, he couldn't find the compassion to spare him. With the words “There’s no escape from grueling death- you die!”(21.341), Odysseus cruelly decapitated …show more content…

Odysseus, married to Penelope, says himself “...then, at last, I mounted Circe’s gorgeous bed…”(10.386). Over the course of a year, he betrayed his wife, delayed his journey, and lost all the integrity he has ever had. If it wasn’t for his comrades dragging him off the island, this affair could have been even longer. Cheating on his wife shows who Odysseus really is, and not telling her once he got home makes it even worse. He will spend the rest of his life living a lie to his supposed one and only love. In other instances, Odysseus has been just as dishonorable. In ancient greek culture, it is custom to present visitors with a gift, especially guests as influential as King Odysseus. He took advantage of this luxury, and therefore, never declines an opportunity for the riches he is given. Consequently, similarly to Odysseus’s run in with Polyphemus, his greediness and loss of integrity, causes him to put himself and others in danger. As Odysseus first arrives at the Cyclops's cave, he insists on sticking around, saying “not till I saw him, saw what gifts he’d give.”(9.258). Even after he learns of how dangerous Polyphemus has the potential to be, Odysseus still won’t relinquish. Odysseus is placing himself in harm's way, as well as his crew, when he makes this decision, . A man with integrity does not need a guest-gift to assure his importance, nor does he cause others suffering for the gain of

Show More
Related

Hero's Journey In The Odyssey

996 Words | 4 Pages

After his men and him escapes unnecessarily losing two men in the process, Odysseus taunts Polyphemus which leads to him saying “ Hear me Poseidon, sustainer of the earth, god of sable locks. If I am yours indeed and you claim me as your son, grant that Odysseus, sacker of cities and son of Laertes, may never reach his home in Ithaca”(Homer 124) . This quote shows that one of Odysseus’s many flaws is that he allows his pride to take control of his actions and doesn’t clearly consider the consequences. Another instance of Odysseus’s foolish pride is when he crossing the threshold Circe advises Odysseus to

Read More

Odysseus As A Leader In The Odyssey By Homer

380 Words | 2 Pages

In the Epic, “The Odyssey,” written by Homer, is the story of a man named, Odysseus, and his experiences and his exploration told through many episodes within the story. Odysseus, as the leader of his men, he lacks qualities of humility, empathy, and focus, which overall prevents him from being qualified as a good leader. In not having humility, it causes Odysseus to often lose focus. During the episode, “The Cyclops,” Odysseus and his men escape the island in which Polyphemus, the cyclops, was keeping them held captive, rather than thinking of his men and immediately leaving, Odysseus takes the time to gloat and risks their safety. (Cyclops.

Read More

Examples Of Greed In The Odyssey

587 Words | 3 Pages

When Odysseus and his men stumble upon his cave, he traps them and tries to eat them. His greed for food and resources leads him to act in a brutal and inhumane way, ignoring the rules of hospitality and common decency. Polyphemus' actions highlight how greed can make people lose sight of their humanity and cause them to act in ways that are cruel and destructive. In contrast, we also see characters who resist the temptation of greed and show self-restraint.

Read More

The Destruction Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

1066 Words | 5 Pages

Odysseus and his men were fleeting from Polyphemus’ island, he said, “ Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye…” (book 9, lines 416-418, textbook). Odysseus is being to boastful and therefore it caused him and his man to become cursed and their journey to last for several years to come. Odysseus’ actions caused his men to pay for just being too full of pride and egotistical. After encountering Aeolus, king of the winds, odysseus received a bag full of wind so they could finally return home to Ithaca, “ nine whole days we sailed, nine nights, nonstop.

Read More

Examples Of Bravery In The Odyssey

479 Words | 2 Pages

An epic hero is someone who achieves great things and is admired for bravery and humility. In the epic poem The Odyssey written by Homer, the main character, Odysseus, is an epic hero. The characteristics the Odysseus posses to make him an epic her includes bravery, cleverness and determination. Bravery is having courage through tough times.

Read More

Odysseus: The True Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

997 Words | 4 Pages

A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.

Read More

Examples Of Misjudgement In The Outsiders

593 Words | 3 Pages

Odysseus breaks into his house just to steal his food, so naturally Polyphemus would be furious. He strikes back by eating some of Odysseus’s crew, which was a bit harsh, but objectively in self defense. These actions lead Odysseus to judging him as a terrible monster and outcast since he lived away from the other cyclops. As Odyseus says, “A wineskin full I brought along, and victuals in a bag, for in my bones I knew some towering brute would be upon us soon all outward power, a wild man, ignorant of civility” (Hom. Od.

Read More

Temptation In The Odyssey Analysis

704 Words | 3 Pages

TS1 (Thesis): In The Odyssey, Homer depicts Odysseus’ real foe as the theme of temptation with displays of hubris and lustrous goddesses, which portrays the importance of being vigilant to not submit to temptation. ST1: Homer depicts that Odysseus is determined to get home, but Odysseus succumbs to temptation when he leads his crew into the cyclops lair, eats the cyclops’ food, and demands for a gift, resulting in a protracted journey home. 1: Homer displays Odysseus as recklessly brave when he requests, “we’re at your knees, in hopes of… a guest-gift”(9.300) from the cyclops. 2: It is apparent that Odysseus has given into the temptation to be arrogant when he declares for the cyclops to give them, “a guest-gift,” after Odysseus and his men have broken into the cyclops lair, showing even further Odysseus’ isn’t vigilant to

Read More

The Pride Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

626 Words | 3 Pages

Instead of simply fleeing the island and thanking the gods for their escape, Odysseus insists on provoking the giant, even though he knows that this will put his crew in danger. As a result, Polyphemus calls upon his father, Poseidon, to curse Odysseus and his men, leading to many more trials and tribulations for the hero and his crew. Another example of Odysseus's prideful behavior can be seen in his encounter with Circe. After successfully freeing his men from her enchantments, Odysseus becomes enamored with her and stays on her island for a year. While this may seem like a harmless indulgence, it is important to remember that Odysseus has a wife and son waiting for him at home.

Read More

The Negative Effects Of Curiosity In Homer's The Odyssey

1064 Words | 5 Pages

Earlier in the epic, Odysseus frequently abuses his role as captain of his crew because of his curious nature. He makes several stops on their journey home in search of more opportunities to prove his skillfulness, even though he is already a king and has won a major war. One of these stops is at the Island of Polyphemus, home to the cyclops famed for eating all humans that enter his cave. Even though Odysseus is well aware of the danger ahead, his curiosity tempts him to

Read More

The Odysseus: A Modern Day Hero

570 Words | 3 Pages

The concept of hero has been interpreted in many ways throughout the ages. Hero have gone from knights slaying dragons and rescuing the princess, to heroes who save the world with their supernatural-like powers, to a modern day hero who is someone who has noble qualities and is regarded as a role model. In the epic, The Odyssey, by Robert Fagles, the heroic Odysseus is a well known in Greek mythology. However, although Odysseus is the most respected, honorable hero of Greek mythology he is not a modern hero. A modern day hero is someone who puts their life on the line to save the lives of other innocent people.

Read More

Heroism In The Odyssey

1332 Words | 6 Pages

First, because Odysseus’ “master strokes” allow his crew to escape from Polyphemus and he “command[s] a dozen vessels,” Odysseus claims responsibility for his crew’s successful escape, and thus, Odysseus claims to be the hero in this section (216). Next, Odysseus’ hubris and disloyalty in this scene highlight the flaws in Homer’s depiction of Odysseus as a hero. First, despite his crew “begging” Odysseus to stop taunting Polyphemus' he does not revealing his disloyalty to his crew and pride. However, in spite of his actions, Homer describes Odysseus as “headstrong”—a positive and complimentary word for selfish actions.

Read More

Odysseus Character Development Essay

591 Words | 3 Pages

Just as Achilles is confronted in the Iliad with the problem of balancing his honor with his pride, Odysseus repeatedly faces situations in which self-restraint and humility must check bravado and glory-seeking. In his early adventures, he fails these tests, as when he taunts Polyphemus, inflaming Poseidon. As the epic progresses, Odysseus becomes increasingly capable of judging when it is wise to reveal himself and when it is appropriate to rejoice in his

Read More

Humility In Odysseus In Homer's The Odyssey

846 Words | 4 Pages

When Odysseus is leaving the cyclops cave, his egotistical behavior is shown when he tells Polyphemus who hurt him. Odysseus screams to Polyphemus, “if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so—say Odysseus, raider of cities, he

Read More

A Character Analysis Of Odysseus Arrogance In The Odyssey

414 Words | 2 Pages

Odysseus shows considerable hubris when he brags to King Alconis about slaughtering the small village of Ismarus. Odysseus claims that he and his men “stormed that place,” enslaved the women, and slaughtered those who fought. (Homer 43). Due to Odysseus’ arrogant decision to assault Ismarus, a few of his men died. This demonstrates how arrogance and the hunger for victory will lead to certain death.

Read More

More about Homer's The Odysseus: An Epic Hero

Related Topics

Open Document