What qualities make someone a hero? Do they need to be brave? Or is cleverness more important? The Odyssey, written by Homer in 800 BCE, is an epic poem. In the Odyssey, Odysseus wants to return home to Ithaca however he faces several challenges and is blown off course. Throughout the story, Odysseus has to find a way to bring his crewmates and him back home safely. Eventually, he returns back home and sees his family. Although some may claim that Odysseus is not a hero, he should be considered one due to his bravery and cleverness.
Throughout the story, Odysseus proves he is a hero through his unwavering bravery. This is shown in book 10, Circe the Grace of the Witch, Euroylochus explains to Odysseus that he can’t go back to Circe’s island because it's too dangerous. However, Odysseus doesn’t listen and “rushes to save his men from the enchantress” (Homer, 387, lines 46-47). This quote demonstrates Oddyesuss’ bravery. After being told that Circe’s Island is dangerous and that he should not return, Odysseus is still brave enough to return to rescue his men. Due to his bravery, Odysseus should be considered a hero.
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This is shown when he is faced with a problem. He must find a way to escape a Cyclops without him finding out his real name. Therefore, Oddyesus tells the Cyclops his name is, “Nohbody'' (Homer, 380, lines 274-275). This demonstrates how Odysseus uses his cleverness to get out of difficult situations. By telling the Cyclops his name is nobody, he used his cleverness to avoid the Cyclops from knowing his real name. Odysseus is a hero due to his