In the book The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, is a man who is loved and respected by many. In the beginning of the book, we learn that Odysseus has left on a journey and, since it has been many years since his departure, many people assume that he has passed. On his journey, he portrays his many traits, not all of them being good ones either. Some of his good traits include his cunning, bravery, and hard work ethic. On the other hand, his negative traits are his excessive pride, immense curiosity, and rather large temper. Odysseus was a man of great stature and strength; however, Odysseus was not only physically strong, but mentally strong as well (Olson). We can see Odysseus’ mental strength, or cunning, and bravery when he is in the den of Polyphemus and devises the plan to save him and his crew by calling himself nobody and stabbing out the cyclops’ eye. He also recognizes that he …show more content…
Odysseus is also very hardworking. Throughout The Odyssey there are many examples of odysseus being a hard worker, even many of his friends say it’s so. For example, Eurylochus says "You are a hard, man, Odysseus. Your force is greater, your limbs never wear out. You must be made all of iron" (279-80). While Odysseus is a strong man and a hard worker, it is always better to be on his good side, as he can be very temperamental( third source). We see that he has a temper multiple times throughout his journey, but the most prominent time, perhaps, is when he has the suitors killed when he returns to Ithaca. In conclusion, Odysseus is a hero because of his many great qualities. While he has bad qualities additionally, the things he does in order to save his crew show valor, nobleness, and strength. His bravery, cunning, and hard work ethic truly make him a hero, even though he has some frowned upon qualities, such as excessive pride, immense curiosity, and a rather large