Characteristics Of Odysseus As An Epic Hero

Words: 565
Pages: 3
Open Document
“True leaders don’t create followers, they create leaders.” Odysseus is the main focus within the book “The Odyssey” by Homer, a blind poet. Odysseus is a father and a husband who got sent away, regarding the Trojan War. During his way home himself and his crew faced difficult obstacles that set them back from his return. Do you believe Odysseus is an epic hero? I do not believe that Odysseus was a hero because in each sentence between the characteristics (self-centered, vain, and curiosity) of Odysseus are what make him to be this man. Who is seen with both good, but also bad qualities. A hero to me is someone you look up to and when you’re older want to follow like an inspection. Odysseus would not be someone to guide anyone due to his decisions …show more content…
How I came to this thought is because Odysseus allowed Elpenor to get drunk “master mariner and solider, bad luck shadowed me, and no kindly power, ignoble death I drank so much wine” (Book 11 Pg. 1127 Lines 33-35), letting him out of sight and out of mind. Elpenor found his way up to the rooftop of Circe’s home to sleep, not being supervised. Morning came upon him and he was curious to why he slept on the roof, but what made him go up there? On his way going down the ladder Elpenor missed a step fell, and snapped his neck to the death of him. Promising the barrow and the burial Odysseus holds the burial as told. Being sent to the underworld, we find that Elpenor knows what caused his death. Odysseus has the personality to being vain (having or showing an excessively high opinion of one’s appearance, abilities or worth). Saying this because if Odysseus thinks he doesn’t have an explanation for anyone of what he is doing. An example of this I would go back to when he knew about the sea monsters, Charybdis, Scylla, and the Sirens who lowered men in with their voices, and kept this from his crew members until he couldn’t think of a plan, but were quickly approaching these
Show More

Related Documents: Characteristics Of Odysseus As An Epic Hero

Odysseus: The Characteristics Of An Epic Hero

story of Odysseus during his journey back to Ithaca, Scylla took six of Odysseus men, so he had to fight the Trojan war. Odysseus fits in the definition and the characteristics of an epic hero in many ways such as showing bravery along his epic adventure. He shows superhuman strengths during his journey and gigantic bravery. He is a very great and strong leader and he overcomes many problems. He also risks his life in danger looking for a better future for him and others. Odysseus is an epic hero because…

Words 237 - Pages 1

Odysseus Epic Hero

Odysseus: An Epic Hero There are many different types of heroes in literature. One example of a hero is an epic hero. An epic hero is a loyal and brave warrior who goes on a quest or a journey taking the values of his society with him. Furthermore, an epic hero also has some negative traits, including arrogance. One epic hero in particular plays a role in The Odyssey by Homer. This epic hero is Odysseus. Odysseus is an example of an epic hero. First of all, Odysseus is an epic hero because…

Words 753 - Pages 4

Epic Conventions In The Odyssey Essay

In the epic novel, The Odyssey, by Homer, Homer uses epic conventions and language such as figurative devices and diction to thoroughly describe Odysseus actions, feelings and emotions, and intentions and display the epic conventions among the story. In Book XXII, many examples of this can be seen through Odysseus’ actions and his ways of thinking in lines 1 through 43. After his arrival to Ithaka, Odysseus witnessed sights which he can’t bear to see and is absolutely outraged by what he saw. After…

Words 583 - Pages 3

Wild Card Essay

Webster defines an epic hero as “a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events,” they very well could have shown a picture of Odysseus. He a respected warrior from Ithaca and abandons his wife and newborn son fight for the return of Helen. To leave the ones he loves and to embark on a twenty year trek can only be achieved by a hero of epic proportion. In Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey, Odysseus is fit to be considered an “epic hero” because he…

Words 727 - Pages 3

Odyssey Comparative Essay

Honors English 1 March 10, 2014 The Making of a Hero “A hero, a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability,” (“Merriam-Webster”). There are two types of heroes, epic heroes and modern heroes. Odysseus and Mahatma Gandhi are both heroes who show courage, perseverance, and leadership, but differ in adventure. However, one thing is certain, modern heroes can be identical to epic heroes if they are larger than life, express the morals of their culture…

Words 516 - Pages 3

Oedipus Tragic Hero Research Paper

The meaning of a hero as Peter S. Beagle says, “Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half their greatness goes unnoticed.” All great heroes have gone through something truly tragic in their lives that inspires them to overcome any hardship; although the end is not always a joyous one. A tragic hero is a hero who's actions leads to their own demise, regardless of how hard they try to prevent it. Oedipus is a great example of a tragic hero. A few characteristics of tragic heroes are hamartia…

Words 1333 - Pages 6

The Hero's Journey of the Odyssey Essay

Ms. Gibson English 1/2 H p5 16 December 2013 Odysseus’ Clock Heroes are everywhere... such can be the Americans who fight over seas, the leaders who defend our human rights, the civilians who save the unfortunate, the people who feed us and shelter us from the cold and unknown, and the souls that lie within every one of us. We do not realize this because the definition of a hero is ambiguous. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, a hero is a mythological or legendary figure often of divine…

Words 1570 - Pages 7

Odysseus As An Epic Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

defines an epic hero. The main character of Homer's The Odyssey is a well-known example of this. Odysseus is a well-respected man and through his trials we see heroism shine through. Human characteristics depicted throughout the many trials Odysseus faced makes him an epic hero. Odysseus shows his cunningest the most throughout the book. The man of twists and turns tends to use his tricks and craftiness to get what he wants, however, that does not go as planned in the first trial. Odysseus becomes very…

Words 940 - Pages 4

Achilles and Odyssey Compare and Contrast Essay

Achilles and Odysseus What are the main characteristics of a larger-than-life epic hero? An epic hero is a brave and powerful warrior who is motivated to fight both internal and external conflicts to achieve glory and ranks above a normal man. In Homer’s epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey, Achilles and Odysseus are the well-known heroes. Achilles fights Hektor outside the walls of Troy because Hektor killed his best friend, Patroclus. After fighting in the Trojan War, Odysseus takes on a…

Words 1631 - Pages 7

Good And Evil In The Odyssey

different topics concerning key characteristics and features presented by an epic and a literature piece. One trait that is very notable is the concept “good vs evil”. In many works and epics, the concept of “good vs evil” is depicted as to be a hero who overcomes and defeats the evil, while observing all of the characteristics of a typical hero. Bravery, courage, honesty, longing for justice, mercifulness are some of the many characteristics observed by a typical hero. In The Odyssey, this notion…

Words 1321 - Pages 6