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The Odyssey, Trojan War hero Odysseus exhibits perseverance in the ten years of war and leads his men on the long journey home. Odysseus has to endure the frustrations of the war and the negligence that the gods show to him in his most desperate times. The pain he goes through exhibits his love for the special ones in his life, and it gives him the strength to make it home. Odysseus is challenged during the ten year war, but he will not give up, which proves how he is a true hero. The hero shows how he is a true hero through his actions and not his words.
Odysseus’s Tumultuous Journey Heroes in today’s literature often take on difficult challenges that put themselves in constant danger to better themselves. Joseph Campbell came out with a book in 1949 called “A Hero with a Thousand Faces” which he introduced the “Hero’s Journey” formula that Odysseus closely follows. The Odyssey is a Greek mythology following Odysseus, a Trojan War hero who faces many dangers trying to get back to his homeland of Ithaca. At his homeland of Ithaca suitors are eating out his home and trying to marry his wife while Telemachus sets out to find his father, but eventually comes back unsuccessful. Finally, Odysseus comes home and takes back his home and family.
The Odyssey Essay Imagine being away from your family for 20 years fighting in a war then fighting with monsters. That is what Odysseus had to do. Odysseus is a hero from the epic poem “The Odyssey” by Homer. Along the way Odysseus had several challenges he had to face.
A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.
Is Odysseus an Epic Hero? In Homer’s Epic Story The Odyssey, Odysseus shows many qualities that make him a Epic Hero. First Odysseus promises a friend that before he returns home he will go to where he died and bury him, this will put him to rest so he can go to a better place. Next when Odysseus and his men end up with Circe she turns them into pigs, he is told in order to change his men back he must lay in bed with Circe. Lastly Odysseus tricks the Cyclops by telling him his name is nobody, he did this to save his men’s lives.
Menelaus states, “No one took on so much, went through so much as Odysseus.” The epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, is the story of an ancient war hero’s 10 year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus faces the wrath of the gods, and fights battles against many mythical creatures such as Polyphemus, and the his grueling mental battle with the sirens. Across Odysseus’s journey, he shows many characteristics of a hero such as his resiliency, and his tactileness. For example, Odysseus shows his ability as a tactician through his encounters with Gods and monsters, such as his seven year time span on calypso’s island.
Angel Roberts Mrs. Paige Paquette ENG 2205: World Lit. Before 1660 February 16, 2016 Hero of All Heroes There are many different characteristics and courageous acts that a person may be considered a true definition of what a hero is. In the story of Job, the author placed Job in many different uncompromising situations that even a sane person would not know the proper actions to take to get out of the situation. With Job being courageous and heroic, he managed to master each test while maintain his faith and loyalty in what he believed in.
The Odyssey is often cited as an epitome of the hero’s journey and the monomyth. The hero of the story, Odysseus is on a 10 year battle homeward from the Trojan War to see his wife and son again. With the help divine intervention, Odysseus is able to return home and save his wife from the evil suitors who have continuously tried to win her. One could easily argued that Odysseus is an exemplar of the hero, but there is another story: Odysseus is the opposite of a hero and is not worthy to be called such. He is the villain where the gods are the hero.
Odysseus is truly an epic hero, he has many different perils and dangers that he must face. He is a Greek soldier who fought in the Trojan War and is trying to return home. Some of the gods and goddesses are on his side, however, some are not on his side. He was stranded for ten years before he could finally go back to his family, and home on Ithaca. Odysseus is an epic hero because of his physical strength, his mental sharpness, and his cunning ability to always get out alive.
It is unknown if Homer was real or just a myth, but the work written under his name has left an everlasting mark on literature today. The “man” behind the work, was born between the 12th and 8th centuries BC possibly on the the coast of Asia Minor. Homer is most famous for his poems, “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” which later influenced the western idea of a hero. Little to no information is known about the author except that when and where he was born and how he looked like. Because of the description of Demodokos in “The Odyssey”, it is thought that he was a “blind poet” with curly hair and a thick beard.
What Defines a Hero? Throughout history many different definitions of heroes have been present. Whether you look at how our culture defines a hero, how the epic poem, “The Odyssey,” defines a hero, how the Bible defines a hero, or how you define a hero. The word hero may mean something to one person but for another person it may mean something else.
I enjoyed reading your discussion on the convictions of epic heroes and how they varied. I agree that the heroes’ sense of purpose provided the fuel and force to achieve their goals. Your analogy of Odysseus and his drive to achieve the goal of returning home as his driving force was on target. I also found it interesting how Odysseus is also faced with contradictions such as his fall to infidelities and his eventual acknowledgement of this weakness when he asks his men to tie him up as he passes the Sirens (Homer, trans. 1996). Another aspect to consider is the way the epic heroes are viewed by others.
Heroism, tends to be difficult to define and remarkably ambiguous in literary works. In the Odyssey, however, Homer clearly defines a hero as a humble, determined, and loyal individual; thus, according to Homer, it is not enough to claim to be a hero, but it is also important to exhibit those qualities that Homer values as heroism. Odysseus, despite claiming heroism, upholds these traits inconsistently, as seen in his taunting of Polyphemus. In contrast, Telemachus, Odysseus’ overlooked son, dramatically grows up over the course of the epic and ultimately reveals his truly heroic qualities by the end of the poem. Thus, because Odysseus claims to be a hero, but fails to remain humble, determined, and loyal throughout the epic, he is not a hero.
The Odyssey by Homer is a book that involves the Journey of Odysseus and his men and the Obstacles they come across. The Odyssey portrays many themes including vengeance, hospitality, courage, bravery and more. Odysseus experiences some good and bad during his journey. He comes across people who help him, but also comes across creatures who hold him back. Odysseus is an Epic hero because of his quick thinking skills, bravery, and confidence for himself and his men.
In The Odyssey, Odysseus was a major hero of the novel. He had both heroic traits and human weaknesses. Odysseus defeated the Cyclops, defeated the suitors that were courting his wife, and overcome other challenges throughout the novel. A special trait that made Odysseus a hero was that he was a courageous