Odysseus As A True Hero In Homer's Odyssey

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In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus goes through many challenges on his way home from Troy. He is fated with hardships his way home from war as a consequence of the blinding of Poseidon's son. He is away for 20 years until, with the help of Athena, he arrives home. Some say that he is a true hero by being able to come above and conquer his difficulties and make it back to Ithaka, his home. Odysseus would not be the “hero” he is depicted as without Athena though. Athena helps him all along the way allowing him to get home safe and sound. She helped him leave Kalypso’s Island, get home, and plan his way home. If she did not step in to assist Odysseus in getting back to his family in Ithaka he would not be there. First, Athena helps Odysseus leave Kalypso’s Island, Ogygia. At the beginning of his journey Odysseus sails with his crew past many islands each with a challenge of their own; the difficulties prove too much for his crew and leave him the only one alive. Kalypso saves him and gives him a place to stay. He stays there for seven years without ever trying to get back to his wife in Ithaka. It is not until Athena pleads with Zeus to get him home. “O Majesty, O Father of us all, if it is now please the blissful gods that Odysseus reach his home again, let the Wayfinder, Hermês, cross the sea to the island of Ogýgia; let him tell our fixed intent to the nymph with the pretty braids, and let the steadfast man depart for home”(Ⅰ,106-112). Athena is the deciding factor that allows him to go home. If he is a real hero he would at the least attempt to get home before seven …show more content…
She helped him tremendously by being the planner, motivation, and guardian of the whole trip. Odysseus went through a lot during his 10 years traveling home but it would not have been possible without the help of the grey eyed goddess. In conclusion, to be a hero you should be self motivated and do things on your

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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Odysseus: The Heroic Hero Of Homer's The Odyssey

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Oftentimes, when the word “hero” is mentioned or thought of, the attributes of strength, bravery, and superhuman powers automatically come to mind. However, this concept of a hero is old. In modern days, the definition of a hero has changed from a superhuman figure, to a person who possesses the traits of selflessness and forgiveness. In Homer's well known epic, The Odyssey, he portrays the out of date idea of an epic hero as a figure who was helped or harmed by the gods and contains superhuman strength…

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Odyssey Hero's Journey

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How Is Odysseus An Epic Hero

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Penelope In Homer's The Odyssey

Homer’s poem The Odyssey is an exciting tale of a hero going through the trails of life to get back to his loving wife and son. The hero of the story is Odysseus. Soon after the birth of his son Telemachus to fight in Trojan War, leaving his wife Penelope to take care of the palace, his parents, and his child. He was held captive for 7 years by Calypso, and with the help of Athena,Zeus, and Hermes he escaped and began his journey. Starting with the Cyclops, continuing to Circe, and losing most…

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Activity 2 Essay

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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…

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