Odysseus As A Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

In Homer’s book, The Odyssey, the question has been raised as to whether or not Odysseus is considered a hero. In today’s society, a hero is someone who is brave and courageous. Heroes also typically give their life a purpose whether it is sacrificing their life to help others or doing something kind for someone. However, it does take more than these traits to consider oneself a hero. A hero is someone who is willing to ask for help and someone who is intelligent, brave and loyal. For example, one can consider himself a hero if that person decides to have the courage to go on a journey home. In this book, Homer chose the traits that he admired for the character Odysseus. He made Odysseus courageous, arrogant, overconfident, smart and brave.

For example, on his ten-year journey home, Odysseus and his men reach the land Aeaea, the home of the witch-goddess Circe. Odysseus’ men go and explore Circe’s halls but unfortunately she curses them by turning them into pigs. Meanwhile, Odysseus goes to rescue his men from Circe. In order to do so, Hermes gives Odysseus this plant to eat called moly that the gods have named. This plant allows Odysseus to be protected from Circe’s curse so he wouldn’t be turned into a pig. Odysseus eats the plant and argues with Circe forcing her to change his men back to their human form. Circe realizes what she has done and decides that she will change them back if Odysseus sleeps with her. Odysseus replies by saying, “How dare you tell me to treat you with any warmth? You who turned my men to swine in your own house and now you hold me here as well – teeming with treachery you lure me to your room to mount your bed” (Book 10). Odysseus agrees to sleep with Circe because it was the only way that Odysseus could save his men. In return, Odysseus makes Circe promise to never use magic against him again. This example makes Odysseus heroic because after his men were turned into pigs, Odysseus convinced Circe to turn his men back into their human form. This shows that Odysseus is intelligent and cares for his

Odysseus realizes that the suitors wooed his wife when he was still living and ravished his serving women. This was disrespectful to Odysseus so he wanted to develop a punishment for the suitor’s behavior. Odysseus decides to dress as a beggar and goes to his palace to determine if his servants and the suitors are good people. Odysseus starts by asking the suitors for some food but they become very reluctant. Then, the suitors try to bend the famous bow of Odysseus. Penelope mentions to the suitors that the one who is able to bend it will be her next husband. However; all the suitors struggle to bend the famous bow. The beggar, Odysseus then asks the suitors if he is able to try bend the bow and the suitors treat him all badly by calling him a “filthy drifter.” However; with Odyseeus’ great strength, he bends the bow and therefore, he reveals his identity. The suitors were astonished by the attributes of the beggar, Odysseus and so he decides to kill all the suitors. This makes Odysseus heroic because even though the suitors did not recognize him, he wanted to see if the suitors were loyal to a beggar. The suitors ended up treating him badly by taking over his home, ravishing his serving women and wooing his wife so he decided that none of the suitors were worthy to continue