The Heroic Traits Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

401 Words2 Pages

Odysseus is a leader that portrays both non-heroic and heroic traits throughout the story. These traits reflect his way of thinking and what actions he takes. These traits fluctuate from bravery to overconfidence. Nonetheless, the traits all contribute to the hero and as a result, they contribute to the story. As a hero, there are many admirable stereotypical character traits Odysseus possesses. Among those character traits, being brave is remarkably important. Odysseus exhibits this trait multiple times throughout the story. Though, one of the more notable times he displayed this trait was when he decided to face the cyclops and stab his
“big hand spike…deep in his crater eye and not just flee when they had the chance. Another heroic trait he …show more content…

In addition to being loyal, he is also caring towards his crew. He exhibited this trait throughout the story as he” fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home.” (line 8-9 Pg. 981)
As there are two sides of a coin there are two sides to numerous things and Odysseus’s traits are one of those things. There are many atrocious non-heroic traits Odysseus exhibited throughout the story. One of the non-heroic traits Odysseus exhibited include being overconfident. One of the times this trait stood out when he went to the Cyclops and overestimated himself by thinking he would be able to gain goods from the Cyclops. However, he overestimated his capability and ended up with placing himself and his men in danger. Many protagonists are assumed to always be kind. However, Odysseus wasn’t always a pleasant person to be around and can be considered to lack humility . According to the text, Odysseus and his men “enslaved the women” and proceeded to “division equal to all.” (line 45) In conclusion, Odysseus has various heroic traits and numerous non-heroic traits. While we frequently think of our protagonists to have only heroic traits, there's always two sides of a