Before discussing Ody as an epic hero, we must first examine what an epic hero actually is. First, an epic hero must be born into or be a part of nobility. Ody does display this, as he was born onto the throne of Ithaca as King Ody. His wife Penelope is the queen of Ithaca, while his son Tele is a prince, next in line to the throne.
Next, an epic hero should be capable of deeds that display great strength or courage. There are many instances where Ody displays these traits as an epic hero. The first example we see from him is his ability to travel into the underworld. Surrounded by intense heat that no human was thought to be able to survive, Ody is able to endure the mental torment of talking to his deceased mother and other heroes such as
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Notice how Ody is very calm and humble after defeating the suitors. He does not ask for any praise for his people, and knows that his deed of heroism was for his marriage with his wife Penelope. So, Ody is humble after returning to his kingdom. Lastly, an epic hero faces and receives supernatural help. Throughout the entire epic poem, Ody battles Poseidon, a supernatural god. Ody tries time and time again to return home, but Poseidon denies him, wrecking his ship and leaving him without a crew. ODy also faces another supernatural force in the cyclops Polyphemus. As we know, Cyclops don’t exist, but Ody faces one in this story, which is clearly a supernatural being. Additionally, Ody receives help from supernatural forces. Hermes, the messenger god, gives Ody the root that makes him immune to Circe’s spell and releases him from Ogygia, where Calypso basically kept Ody captive for seven years. Athena, the god of war and wisdom, helps Ody return home and plan an attack on the suitors. During the battle against the suitors, Ody receives help from both Athena and Zeus. So it is clearly evident that Ody faced and received plenty of supernatural