Odysseus As A Modern Hero In The Odyssey By Homer

The Odyssey, an epic poem recited by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald, is the story of a man named Odysseus who fought in the Trojan War and on the way home encountered many struggles. As he goes through this, he has to grow as a person and make tough decisions. Though he did not do it without help, he lost a lot. He went through many hardships and his true character was shown throughout the poem. Odysseus is considered a Greek hero because he possesses all six Greek values throughout all of this: cleverness, loyalty, love for home and family, xenia, acknowledging the role and importance of fate, and respect for the gods. But is he a modern hero? Modern heroes are humble, intelligent, selfless, and sacrificing. Odysseus is definitely a Greek hero, and he is also a modern hero.

Having respect for the gods is knowing that most everything you have and do is because of the gods. It is to give the gods respect and credit when credit is due. When Odysseus is talking to his son and explaining how he is alive and home but dressed like someone else, he knows that, “‘[it] is no hard thing for the gods of heaven to glorify a man or bring him low.’” (Homer 1057-1059) By expressing this to his son, Odysseus is acknowledging that he would not be where he was without help from the gods. Then, when Telemachus mistakes him for a god, Oddysseus makes sure to correct his son because he knows that he does not have the strengths nor the abilities of the gods. Not only does he stay humble, but by saying this, he is putting the gods in a higher light. A god can make or break a man, and Odyesseus knows this well because both have happened to him. From Poseidon hating him to Athena helping him many times, Odysseus knows the true power and strength of all of the gods. The next time Odysseus displays his respect for the gods is when he is fighting to get his wife back from all of the unloyal men who want to be with