Odysseus As A True Hero In Homer's Odyssey

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In Homer’s epic The Odyssey, a hero is defined by extraordinary abilities that they possess throughout seemingly impossible situations. Odysseus is repeatedly in what appears to be knowing situations, and not only does he overcome them, but helps his family, his men, and himself. It is his loyalty to his friends, bravery, and clever strategies that allow him to be recognized as the true hero, and restore peace in Ithaca making his broken family whole again. Odysseus puts aside his personal needs to help a friend, even if it means prolonging the time before he can reunite with his family in Ithaca. After ten strenuous years of war, Odysseus puts his personal needs aside, and turns back to go help a friend, risking his life again. Odysseus turning back reflects his loyalty. He would have finally gone home to Ithaca, where he had family, fame and land, but instead he put everything aside to console Agamemnon. It is only Odysseus who “sailed them back, the flexible, wily king, veering over to Agamemnon now to sure his fortunes up” (3.181-182), while the rest of the two fleets of ships continued on home.
By choosing this ulterior journey, Odysseus could not set foot in Ithaca for twenty …show more content…
“God-Like Odysseus” (5.13-14) takes all of them on in battle, all the while not revealing himself to Penelope, or the suitors. Odysseus is finally home and must take back his wife...“With that he trained a stabbing arrow on Antinous” (22.8), his land, and his dignity. Odysseus did not expect to come home to a perfect life just the way he left it, he prepares for battle, and defends not only his wife but himself from a life of misery. Odysseus steps up to the plate and kills all the suitors, getting his revenge after all the long years he has been gone. Without his clever strategies, he would not be able to handle that throughout his journey, the odds were against

Odysseus As A True Hero In Homer's Odyssey

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Essay on Response 1

result of development and growth of oneself. The identity of a character in an epic play can change in the course of the story and ultimately alter the story itself, just as the title character changes in Homer’s epic, The Odyssey. The protagonists in the story, the men of the house of Odysseus, have dramatic and subtle changes throughout the epic that alter the way the plot moves. Odysseus’s attitude in the beginning of the epic displays that of a civilization with no sense of respect for the gods…

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Achilles and Odyssey Compare and Contrast Essay

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