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Odysseus: An Archetype Hero In Homer's Odyssey

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The OG Archetype Hero
Ever since the story of The Odyssey was written, people have deemed that Odysseus was not an archetype hero. At first, you may not think he was. Odysseus was considered arrogant, irresponsible and unfaithful. Have not a lot of people been like that though? Odysseus has been heroic in many circumstances. He outwitted the cyclops, Polyphemus, he defeated the powers of Circe and saved his men, and he saved his men from The Sirens. Odysseus should be considered an archetype hero.
Odysseus was a archetype hero in many ways, but one of his most famous moments was against Polyphemus. Odysseus and twelve of his men encountered the giant cyclops, Polyphemus, on the island of Sicily. Odysseus and his men got trapped in the cave and Polyphemus started killing Odysseus’ men by eating them alive. Odysseus offers Polyphemus some of the best wine and gets Polyphemus drunk. When Polyphemus passes out, Odysseus sharpens a huge stake and thrusts it into Polyphemus’ only eye. The cyclops then goes to the huge rock slab by the door and removes it to call for his brothers. Odysseus tells …show more content…

The Sirens are half woman, half bird that lure sailors in by singing beautiful hymns. Odysseus orders his men to tie him up to the mast of the ship and don't untie him until they are past the Sirens. His were ordered to stuff their ears with beeswax so that the couldn’t hear anything. Odysseus and his men get past The Sirens without any casualties thanks to the smarts of Odysseus and Circe. Odysseus was once again an archetype hero in this situation.
Odysseus is an archetype hero. All of these are examples of when Odysseus was a hero and saved his men. All throughout the story of The Odyssey, people have dissed Odysseus for some of his decisions that he made. In the end, he still gets back to his wife and son in Ithaca."A cruel turn, this. Never had I thought to see this land, but Zeus has let me see it..."

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Odysseus did not tell the full truth to his men, he slept with the goddesses and he was impatient. If Odysseus would’ve told the truth and done what the gods told him to do, he would’ve gotten to Ithaca faster. Based on the story and the facts, Odysseus was prideful, unloyal and irresponsible, therefore, I deem that Odysseus is not an archetype hero. Odysseus was prideful. He thought that he could beat anyone who came up on his path.

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Odysseus is a typical example of a hero. He is able to pull off miraculous things to save himself and his crew seemingly without fail. The story of his journey is well known, and a great tale of his adventures. In the two parts we have read so far, we see what he is willing to do for his crew, and his intelligence and quick thinking in difficult situations. The first challenge that waits them is the island of Cyclopes.

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It unquestionably shows in the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer that Odysseus is indeed a hero. Although Odysseus shows signs of weakness along his journey returning to Ithaca, he is very heroic in many situations to save his men and attempt to return them all home. ADD SENTENCES HERE. Odysseus is undoubtedly a hero because he saves many of his men from the cyclops, he rescues his men from Circe, and he ventures into the House of Death alone. Odysseus in The Odyssey by Homer is a hero because he saved many of his men from the cyclops, Polyphemus.

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