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Odysseus: An Archetype Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

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The Odyssey Many people deem Odysseus to be an archetype hero. But was he really? Sure, he won many wars, but did he show the characteristics that matter? No! 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. He believed that there wasn’t anyone who was better than him. Odysseus did not acknowledge the gods on his journey back to Ithaca. He thought he could get there all by himself. Odysseus was also unloyal. He slept with other women besides his wife. Odysseus slept with Circe to get his men transformed back into men. But then Odysseus stays with Circe for seven years, when Odysseus thought that he was with Circe for seven days. Penelope on the other hand kept faith in Odysseus. She never lost hope that one day he’d come home. Many suitors want to Ithaca to try to take Penelope's hand in marriage, but she refused, believing that …show more content…

He didn’t tell his men what the Bag of Winds was. Odysseus’ men-thinking it was treasure-opened up the bag only to find wind, leading them farther away from Ithaca. He didn’t tell his men what Circe said about Helios cattle. So the men killed the cows for food. Odysseus was also irresponsible because he never told the truth and he disobeyed the gods. Odysseus was all around, irresponsible. In conclusion, Odysseus is not the archetype hero people claim him to be. Odysseus shows characteristics of irresponsibility, unloyalty and pride. Odysseus falls short of what people claim an archetype hero to be. Because of his actions, and this traits, Odysseus is not the archetype hero that people think his

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Early in the epic Odysseus is “captured” by Calypso, who is described as very beautiful, but he is faithful to his wife he wishes to return home, instead of being with the beautiful nymph, Calypso (book 5 of the Odyssey). Odysseus and his men also ransack the home of the Cicones for fun or for supposed glory (lines 150 to 170). Odysseus also tells Polyphemus his name after he had him thoroughly tricked into thinking Odysseus’ name was Nobody. Odysseus seemed to do this for glory, but in fact once Polyphemus knew his true name he started cursing Odysseus to the god Poseidon (Lines 395 to 423). Odysseus makes several more mistakes throughout the epic (which is a very human characteristic), such as wanting to listen to the Siren’s song even though he knew he might die from

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