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. Just because one was disloyal to their wife does not mean they were horrible people, it was a common occurrence.
Because Odysseus cares deeply for his wife, One must believe he is a hero. In The Odyssey, Odysseus was given the option to stay with Calypso and become a god. Instead, Odysseus made the decision not to fall prey to Calypso and return to his wife and family. At
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To understand why he did these actions, we must first look at the period in which this took place. As for the looting of Ismarus, it can be simply dismissed by the fact that, “The main purpose of the cattle raids and hostile incursions into neighbouring territories which are often alluded to seems to be to allow men to prove themselves as warriors in times of peace.” (Whittaker 1) In our version of the Odyssey, there are multiple spots that show the treatment of women. For example, when the suitors had the test of stringing the bow, Telemachus told his mother,”Mother, I am the only one who has the right to let anyone have the bow or to refuse it. Go within the house and busy yourself with your daily duties. This bow is a man’s matter, and mine above all others, for it is I who am master here.” (Homer 177)This quote sums up exactly the rights women had at the time, they were expected to work in the house and were thought incapable of doing a “man's work.” Also, when Telemachus states he is the “master here” it shows that it is he, not Penelope is the leader