The Odyssey is an epic poem written by Homer. The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus, a Greek hero, who was traveling home after the Trojan War. Throughout his journey he faces many challenges, including battling monsters and dealing with the gods' fury. Despite these obstacles, Odysseus never gives up his quest to make it home and see his family. In Homer’s The Odyssey, we see these epic hero characteristics being portrayed through Odysseus. Through his strength, intelligence, and wit, Odysseus embodies the characteristics and qualities of an epic hero, he faces many obstacles along the way, but he nevers gives up his quest to make it home.
Odysseus portrays himself as an epic hero through his noble birth and his travels over vast settings. Odysseus was born from the great king of Ithaca, Laertes
…show more content…
He is able to outsmart many of his adversaries. In The Odyssey it states, “if I killed him we perished there as well, for we could never move his ponderous doorway slab aside”(Odyssey 9. 207-209). This quote demonstrates how Odysseus is more intelligent than his other men because his men just wanted to kill the cyclops, but instead he was able to come up with another solution that would keep his men alive. Another example of Odysseus’ great wisdom is when the cyclops asks his name. In the poem it states, “Cyclops, you ask my honorable name? Remember the gift you promised me, and I shall tell you. My name is Nohbody…”(Odyssey 9. 272-274). This quote is a great example of Odysseus using his intelligence to outsmart beings that are stronger than him, Odysseus does not tell him his name because the cyclops will not be able to trace the crime back to him. Later on in the poem when Odysseus stabs the cyclops with a wooden stake, the cyclops lets out a scream for the other cyclopes and when they arrive the cyclops states, “Nohbody, Nohbody’s tricked me…”(Odyssey 9. 316). So all the cyclops leave because they think he is