Odysseus As An Epic Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

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“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”(Murakami) The ability to go through an awe-inspiring ordeal with bravery and cunningest 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 prideful in his exploits and when facing Polyphemus his pride becomes his demise. Throughout the novel, Odysseus, a well-respected king and war hero always expect royal hospitality. Hubris gets Odysseus and his crew doomed to go through the many year trials. He survives …show more content…
Odysseus is not a superhero. Society's defines a hero as a divine or semi-divine being who prevails through their extraordinary abilities. Odysseus does not have those inhuman qualities, he makes mistakes, feels fear, gets angry, and at times his morality seems repugnant. The reader of the Odyssey can see these flaws depicted in the trials Odysseus goes through. At times the reader will question Odysseus´s heroism, something not seen in modern representations of heroes. These imperfections in Odysseus's character give the reader something to relate to. Nobody thinks themselves as hero because of modern-day representations of them. Because of Odysseus's imperfection, the reader becomes able to connect to the story and think they could be their own
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