Odysseus: Multiple Characteristics Of An Epic Hero

An epic hero could be defined by multiple characteristics. One man considered to be an epic hero in The Odyssey is Odysseus—He was a leader in the Trojan War, fought against Troy, and came out victorious. In comparison with the seven characteristics of an epic hero, Odyssey could be considered due to the fact he fulfills all the requirements. Specifically, one of these characteristics he displays is being an unmatched warrior who battles monsters and other humans. This is portrayed when Odysseus sails to Polyphemus’s island. Homer explains how “A prodigious man slept in this cave alone, and took his flocks to graze afield—remote from all companions, knowing none but savage ways, a brute so huge, he seemed no man at all of those who eat good

***Except, it seems that Odysseus does not truly fit into this mold. This is seen in his crew’s attempt to take the cyclop’s cheese, let the sheep go, and then escape unscathed. However, this plan was not executed properly, as it failed to keep all of his crew safe. Odysseus “refused” his crews’s recommendations to act hastily to “put out again on good saltwater” (Homer 1214). He instead “[wished] to see the caveman, [and] what he had to offer (Homer 1214). Odysseus ignored the various suggestions from his crew to leave with the giant cyclops, ultimately, costing some of his crew their lives. Even though leaving without seeing what the cyclops had to offer seemed to be the obvious option, Odysseus acted selfish—choosing to command his crew to stay. He even admits, “no pretty sight, it turned out, for my friends” (Homer 1214). In the end, he was responsible for his poor decision-making, where he decided their fate, fate which ended up being death for some. ***Therefore, Odysseus can not be considered a modern hero. In conclusion, Odyssey could be heavily considered as an epic hero, however, he does not accurately fit the description of a modern