The Odyssey, written by the epic poet Homer, is a tale of a king named Odysseus. Odysseus is returning home from a long Trojan war, but his journey takes a little longer than expected…like ten years longer. Facing temptation and hardship, this epic poem is a prime example of the struggle between good and evil. Epic heroes are often found in epic poems, and they all have the same qualities that they must live meet to be considered one. While many argue as to whether or not Odysseus is considered an “epic hero”, most come to the conclusion that Odysseus IS a hero, an epic one at that.
Physically, Odysseus is an epic hero. King Odysseus goes to war and battles humans for the sake of his nation. However, that is not the only thing he fought throughout this testing journey. Odysseus battles gods and the temptations of goddesses, along with his body which endured malnourishment and improper treatment due to rough conditions on the boat. He is described by his friend Eurylochos as the following: "You are a hard, man, Odysseus. Your force is greater, your limbs never …show more content…
He is able to remain sane during his intense journey and troubling times. Loyalty is one of his strong suits; he remains faithful to his family back home and never forgets that he is going to make it home one day. Though Odysseus did sleep with a few goddesses, Odysseus said “in my heart I never gave consent.” (Book 9, line unknown) Odysseus always thinks of his family and refuses to let his mind wander from the goal of home.
At the end of the day, Odysseus went through a lot for a long time and because of the intensity of his journey, mistakes he made are understandable. Odysseus was not perfect, but considering his strength throughout the whole situation, he is admirable and heroic. No hero is flawless but Odysseus always gave his all to getting back home and with as much of his crew as
Physically, Odysseus is an epic hero. King Odysseus goes to war and battles humans for the sake of his nation. However, that is not the only thing he fought throughout this testing journey. Odysseus battles gods and the temptations of goddesses, along with his body which endured malnourishment and improper treatment due to rough conditions on the boat. He is described by his friend Eurylochos as the following: "You are a hard, man, Odysseus. Your force is greater, your limbs never …show more content…
He is able to remain sane during his intense journey and troubling times. Loyalty is one of his strong suits; he remains faithful to his family back home and never forgets that he is going to make it home one day. Though Odysseus did sleep with a few goddesses, Odysseus said “in my heart I never gave consent.” (Book 9, line unknown) Odysseus always thinks of his family and refuses to let his mind wander from the goal of home.
At the end of the day, Odysseus went through a lot for a long time and because of the intensity of his journey, mistakes he made are understandable. Odysseus was not perfect, but considering his strength throughout the whole situation, he is admirable and heroic. No hero is flawless but Odysseus always gave his all to getting back home and with as much of his crew as