Odysseus Heroic Qualities

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Odysseus: A King and Hero

“In blood and dust/ he saw that crowd all fallen, many and many slain.” (The Odyssey. Homer. 22. 432-433). Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, stood over his fallen enemies. Odysseus was an epic hero for many reasons. He was a warrior with superior strength and mental capabilities. Of course, he was not only a man of war and violence. The great king was a noble character too, who put other people first. Odysseus faced many tests, trials, and hardships along his journey that reformed him in different ways and made him better for it. Throughout his journey, he portrayed those meritable characteristics and used them to triumph his enemies.
Odysseus had many attributes, but being especially noble stood out in particular. On his return back to Ithaca, Odysseus continuously did what was necessary to keep his crew and himself safe. An
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For example, in book 11, Odysseus went to the underworld. The underworld was a dark and gloomy place, where there was, “ the cold dead and the joyless region”(105). This revealed that the underworld was a harsh place that Odysseus journeyed through. Odysseus additionally faced many other troubles. Also in book 11 of the Odyssey, when Teiresias predicts Odysseus’ future, he says, “But anguish lies ahead.”(114). This showed that he had many tests that he would have to overcome. One of these tests would be surviving being stranded from his crewmates and completely alone. Odysseus was a hero for many reasons. He faced and conquered many challenges, from surviving the dark, cold land of the dead to making parts of his voyage home alone. Lord Odysseus was also noble, and always put other people first. The King of Ithaca was a great warrior, mentally and physically. He was stronger than the average man and cleverly thought ahead. All of these different characteristics that Odysseus had and all the different trials he confronted shaped him into the epic hero he