Odysseus As A Hero In The Odyssey By Homer

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There are many definitions of a hero. The Odyssey by Homer shows that Odysseus is a hero even if he has flaws. Although many people say Odysseus is not a true hero because of his flaws, he is brave and he cares for his comrades. According to stage 6 of the Monomyth by Joseph Campbell, he writes that a hero is “tested and sorts out allegiances” during their journey. A hero goes through hardship and struggles in his journey. This allows the hero to learn or improve his skills. In the novel The Odyssey, Odysseus “taunts the cyclops” (Homer 8). This shows that Odysseus is angering the cyclops even though he knows they can kill him and his crew. This indicates that Odysseus is overcoming his fear of the cyclops. Therefore Odysseus stands up to monsters and creature knowing that there is a chance he will die. …show more content…

In the novel “The Odyssey” by Homer, Odysseus felt bad for not being able to save some of his men. “This wrenched my heart the most” (Homer 5). Seeing his men being eaten and not being able to do anything about it made him feel useless. This enhance the idea that Odysseus feels guilty for not being able to save his men. Additionally, Odysseus did not continue his journey without his crew. “Lead me back by the same way you came” (Homer 2). Odysseus went back even though Eurylochus said he will not be able to bring back a man alive. This indicates that Odysseus wants to save his men even if there is no hope he will succeed. In brief, Odysseus cares for his men and chose not to move on until he attempts to rescue them like a true hero

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