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, hubris, peripeteia, catharsis, nemesis, and anagnorisis. An epic hero is a hero that is courageous and brave; they are applauded and commended for their heroic abilities and feats. There is no better example of an epic hero than Odysseus. A few…show more content… He fights through the most difficult obstacles and overcomes terrifying enemies such as the Cyclops, Scylla and Charybdis, and Calypso. Odysseus endured all of these adversities to come home to his Penelope, his wife. Odysseus is of a noble birth since he is born of Laertes, former king of Ithaca, and Odysseus himself is the current king of Ithaca in the epic. He is also capable of heroic deeds such as defeating a massive cyclops, Polyphemus, using his intelligence and wit. When Odysseus and his crew arrive on the island of the cyclops, they find his cave filled with goods and food. Unaware of the cyclops at the time, they prepare to leave the cave with as much food as they can get and the Polyphemus returns. The cyclops seems harmless at first but they discover his true intentions when he consumes two of Odysseus’s crewmen. Although Odysseus and the rest of his men want to kill him, Odysseus uses his intelligence and wit and comes up with a plan to fool the cyclops. The next day, the Cyclops, intoxicated, asks Odysseus, “Tell me how are you called? I’ll make a gift will please you.” (IX,373) Odysseus replies, “Kyklops, you ask my honorable name? Remember the gift you promised me, and I shall tell you. My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy.” (IX,380) The gift that Polyphemus was talking about is essentially having the men as meals. Odysseus then proceeds with his plan and escapes with his crew under the sheep that the cyclops herds. Odysseus blindsPolyphemus with a spear. After he is out and Polyphemus is weeping, Odysseus shouts, “If ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye:
