Heroic Qualities In The Odyssey

In The Odyssey, by Homer the main protagonist, Odysseus, has a difficult journey. Odysseus is faced with many troubles beyond comprehension: a large war, cyclops, giant cannibals, sirens, sea monsters, and much more. Despite the hardships, Odysseus is able to pull through. There are many factors that help him along the way, the gods for example, but the main source of assistance comes from Odysseus’ heroic qualities.

Odysseus’ journey begins when he is drafted to into the military of Greece. Odysseus leadership and intelligence made him a first choice in the draft for the Trojan War. During the war Odysseus came up with a plan to invade the city of Troy. He and his army made a wooden horse that was hollow. He and his men hid inside after pushing it up to the gates of Troy. The Trojans accepted the gift as a sign of surrender and peace. Once inside the gates Odysseus and his men opened the gates up for the rest of the greek army to invade. Odysseus’ great intelligence led him and his people to a victory in the Trojan War. …show more content…
Teiresias tells Odysseus of what is to come if he continues his journey. Teiresias tells Odysseus that he will return home alone and only after a long time. Even though the prophecy is discouraging, Odysseus continues on anyway. He makes many attempts to preserve the lives of his men along the way but in vain. He knows that he will lose his men but he holds to them dearly and tries his best not to lead them to their deaths. His courage, which in To Kill a Mockingbird is described as trying even though you know you are going to fail, proves that he is a