Odysseus: The Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

The Odyssey is an epic poem written by Homer about the main character Odysseus, as he goes on adventures and accomplishes heroic feats. In the epic poem The Odyssey that Homer, the hero, Odysseus, he tries to create is not really a hero at all because he couldn’t follow Circe’s simple advice against battle, he kills all the suitors instead of accepting the deal, and he prolongs and intensifies his journey by angering Polyphemus.

Primarily, Odysseus didn’t follow Circe’s simple advice to not bear arms against Scylla and Charybdis. Odysseus put his entire crew in danger instead of taking the safer and more obvious route. Evidence to support this is, “...Circe’s bidding against arms had slipped my mind...we rowed straight - Scylla to port / and

Odysseus could follow the advice and peacefully sail around Charybdis. Instead, Odysseus ignores this and fights Scylla, which pushes him and his crew towards their inevitable death by Charybdis. Secondly, Odysseus doesn't accept the deal given to him by the suitors. The suitors offer to compensate for everything they took and more, as a way to apologize for taking over his home and taking advantage of his wife’s hospitality. In addition to all of this, he had already killed the person who convinced the other suitors to stay. Evidence to prove this is, “Not for the whole treasure of you fathers, / all you enjoy, lands, flocks, or any gold / put up by others woould I hold my hand. / There will be killing till the score is paid…” (Homer 560). He had already taken his revenge, but is too taken over by rage to think clearly. If he had accepts the deal, the suitors would leave, his stocks

Such as Odysseus showing bravery in Polyphemus’ cave and his loyalty to his men on Circe’s island. Odysseus outsmarts Polyphemus instead of succumbing and being eaten. Even when all his fellow shipmen gave up and were panicking, he stays calm and finds a way to get out. Evidence to prove this is, “...My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, / everyone calls me Nohbdy…” (Homer 498). He first tricks Polyphemus into thinking his name is Nohbdy, so when Polyphemus calls for help, it sounds like he is stating that nothing is wrong. He also shows loyalty to his men on Circe’s island by going back to save them when it seems impossible. One piece of evidence for this is, “Eurylochus tells Odysseus what has happened and begs his captain to sail away from Circe’s island. Against Eurylochus’s advice, however, Odysseus rushes to save his men from the enchantress…” (Homer 512). When all odds are against him, and even his second in command is telling him not to, he rushes to save his men’s lives. This is an act of immense bravery and no small feat. Odysseus is a hero because he outsmarts Polyphemus and shows bravery by going back to save his