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The True Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

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Concluding the events in the book The Odyssey written by the famous author named Homer, a question may arise to some readers. The question that arises for the readers, which can be a bit confusing, is who is the true hero of The Odyssey? At first hand it may seem that the person who was the most hubris, or the strongest person, the man that saved his home, returned home, or prevailed in the end, there is more than light that meets the eye. The hero in the odyssey is actually right under our noses, and he is the one most people would expect not to be. The true hero of The Odyssey is Odysseus, son of Laertes. Searching up the definition of what a hero is, it reads that “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and
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American actor Christopher Reeve once quoted, "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles" (Brainy Quote). Not only did he play a hero as Superman, he truly became one in his personal life. After becoming a quadriplegic Reeve became a spokesperson for people with spinal cord injuries. A hero is a person one admires because of the qualities and selfless actions they exemplify to overcome adversity and inspire others. Heroism is apparent in literature, history, and in our own life.

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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.

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In the epic poem, Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus goes through many trials and obstacles. Many people think Odysseus isn’t a hero and others do. Odysseus goes travels for ten years and sails to the end of the earth just so he can go back to his family. Why would Homer write a huge voyage with all these dangerous trials that Odysseus has to go through, if it's not to show everyone that Odysseus is a great hero of the Greek world? Although his struggles changed the man he is, he was a hero because he faces extremely dangerous trials, lead his men with bravery, and stays faithful to his gods.

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The word hero has had many meanings throughout history. The modern definition of a hero states that they are a person who is idolized for their courage or noble qualities. Whether Homer’s protagonist, Odysseus, from the Odyssey is actually a hero has been up for some debate. Yet, Odysseus is a hero since he shows loyalty to the gods, family, and crew, courage in the face of numerous perils, and leadership in challenging times. During the duration of the Odyssey, there were several instances where Odysseus’s loyalty was tested.

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Traits of Hero Tom Hanks once said, “A hero is somebody walks voluntarily into the unknow” (Hanks). In Homer's “The Odyssey”, Odysseus displays he is a hero. In the story Odysseus goes on a ten year journey with obstacles and eventually makes his way home to be reunited with his family. Many of the obstacles have shaped Odysseus as a character for the better. On this 10 year journey throughout the story, Odysseus shoes responsibility, loyalty, and wisdom, which are all traits that makes him a hero, One of the traits that he demonstrates is responsibility with being a hero.

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Since the beginning of history, there have always been heros. Many different stories have been passed down and shared over the years. Heros come and go but the enduring qualities we look for in a hero does not. Although two different types of heroes may have nothing in common, the qualities that give them the name “hero” stay the same. Ancient greek heros and heros today get the name by being brave and determined, but unlike todays heros, Ancient Greek heroes get their qualities from the cruel behaviors they engaged in, like Odysseus.

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When Virgil sat down to write Rome’s national epic, he was faced with no small task. He had to produce a masterpiece that would rival Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, please the emperor Augustus, and arouse patriotism in the Roman people. He had to shape Aeneas into a true Roman hero, a valiant man who first survives war and a shipwreck and then chooses duty over love, willingly leaving Dido to fulfill his duty of founding a new empire. Significantly, however, Virgil had a major obstacle to overcome: the Fall of Troy. For Virgil, there was no escaping that Aeneas’s people, the Trojans, lost the Trojan War ­

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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.

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The Epic Hero of The Odyssey The Odyssey is a tale of a great hero trying to get home. An epic hero. An epic hero is a courageous and honorable person. Homer’s character Odysseus exemplifies this in many ways.

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