One of the reasons those people might say that is because Odysseus has a hero’s key traits: he was loyal, compassionate, and cunning. Odysseus was loyal to his family by trying his best to get home and succeeding. Compassion was shown by Odysseus when he was patient while plotting against the Trojans. Last but not least Odysseus was cunning when he defeated the Cyclops in the cave whilst escaping.
Odysseus was all around, irresponsible. In conclusion, Odysseus is not the archetype hero people claim him to be. Odysseus shows characteristics of irresponsibility, unloyalty and pride. Odysseus falls short of what people claim an archetype hero to be.
The famous American president Calvin Coolidge once stated, “Heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion.” In other words, a person may have heroic qualities but is not necessarily a hero, since the true indication of heroism in an individual is shown by his or her behaviors in different situations. In Odyssey by Homer, the protagonist Odysseus uses his godlike charm and cunning to return to his homeland, despite the fact that the mighty god Poseidon wishes that he never returns. Though Odysseus is developed as a character with heroic qualities, his use of said qualities within certain situations cause him to be portrayed as an antihero, as shown through his lack of control, self-centered actions, and excessive bloodshed.
Overall, Odysseus is often portrayed as a “model hero”, but in reality he has many faults such as being untrustworthy, arrogant and
Most people will say that Odysseus is a hero, but in many ways he is not a hero in any way. In the Odyssey, Odysseus goes on a long journey. Through that journey he encounters many challenges. In almost every bump in his road, somebody ended up dead or hurt because of Odysseus.
His pride is shown when he says “Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes’ son, whose home’s on Ithaca.” (9, 416-419).
Odysseus is not an admirable character because of his arrogance and overwhelming ego. In the story of the Cyclops, Odysseus was able to lead his men from the Cyclops’ cave to their own ship. As Odysseus and his men leave the shore of the Cyclops’ island Odysseus turns around and calls to the Cyclops. Odysseus starts taunting the Cyclops with harsh words and accusations which then causes the Cyclops to hurl a bolder straight at their ship. Odysseus’ arrogance led him to continue prodding the large man with more taunts, thus inspiring the Cyclops to pray to Poseidon to bring a curse upon Odysseus and his men.
A hero is someone who reaches out to others and helps them in times of need. They put others, well being before their own and and show integrity and sincerity. Odysseus conquered Trojan using a wooden horse which was meant to be seen as a gift. when he returned home Poseidon was angry because he killed his son. It took them 10 years to get back home.
In The Odyssey Homer makes Odysseus’ journey to his beloved Ithaca excruciating. Odysseus encounters many friends and foes throughout his journey and has to be a leader throughout his experiences. As an example, he encounters Polyphemus and Poseidon, both of whom make his journey mentally and physically painful. Odysseus faces countless scenarios in which he has to save multiple people in those situations. He also encounters the suitors, who are a group of men that try to marry Penelope, when he returns to reclaim his home.
The Odyssey, an age old tale about a heroic soldier returning home from war, has inspired many scholars. One might be asking themselves, is Odysseus a hero? Whether it be his care for his crew or his desire to return to his family, one can infer Odysseus is, in fact, a hero. It is important to mention the period of Odysseus is much different than today. Ethics have advanced a vast distance.
Odysseus in undoubtedly an epic hero, and has many qualities of one, but being both divine and mortal is most prevalent in the tenth book of Homer's The Odyssey. Although he is a mortal man himself, he has many interactions with the gods that shape his journey. To begin, the wind god, Aiolos, gifts Odysseus with a bag of winds to take him home. Unfortunately, his crew lets the winds escape, so he returns to Aiolos' island. Instead of helping him again, Aiolos refuses and drives Odysseus from his land. "
The Odyssey by Homer revolves around the character, Odysseus, and his ten-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. As the epic’s idol, he displays the combination of a clever, handsome, and courageous man popular among the mortals as well as the gods. Essentially, he embodies the ideals of the ancient Greek culture, being adorned with many favored characteristics of the era. However, an intriguing aspect of Odysseus lies in his personality. As the protagonist, he does not manifest the entirety of a stereotypical hero because Odysseus has a fatal flaw—his arrogance.
An example where he is arrogant is when he goes to the Island of the Cyclops. Odysseus and his shipmates arrive to the homes of the Cyclops, they find a cave with food and decide to enter. When they eventually, get caught by the Cyclop that lived there. The Cyclop ate some of his men and capture the rest for another day's meal. Odysseus comes up with a plan to escape.
Just as Achilles is confronted in the Iliad with the problem of balancing his honor with his pride, Odysseus repeatedly faces situations in which self-restraint and humility must check bravado and glory-seeking. In his early adventures, he fails these tests, as when he taunts Polyphemus, inflaming Poseidon. As the epic progresses, Odysseus becomes increasingly capable of judging when it is wise to reveal himself and when it is appropriate to rejoice in his
No matter what is thrown at him he never stops trying to get home, getting past a Cyclopes, the Lady Circe, and sirens. He even gets through the Underworld and lives. Despite this, Odysseus does have faults about him, though not as many as there are qualities. He is a worldwide symbol, an archetype, of both nobility and bravery. Odysseus, the epic hero of the Odyssey, a great leader with many attributes as well as flaws, is no ordinary man.
