Odysseus Hero Quotes

Odysseus What is a hero? A hero is a person who combats adversity through impressive feats of ingenuity, strength or bravery. In The Odyssey written by Homer, the protagonist Odysseus has traits of a hero such as loyalty, courage, and cunningness. The king of Ithaca shows these traits multiple times throughout his twenty year journey home. One way Odysseus is a hero is because he is loyal to his wife, Penelope. On his journey home, Odysseus is held captive by Circe and Calypso but never accepted their relationship. “I have been detained long by Calypso, loveliest among goddesses, who held me in her smooth caves, to be here heart`s delight, as Circe of Aeaea, the enchantress, desired me, and detained me in her hall. But in my heart I never gave consent”(9.17-23). This quote shows …show more content…
Odysseus is shown to be very cunning and sly. During his encounter with the Cyclops, Polyphemus, Odysseus and his men are trapped in his cave. He comes up with a plan to get the Cyclops drunk so he could blind him. Odysseus also tells the Cyclops that his name was Nohbody. “Cyclops, you ask my honorable name? Remember the gift you promised me, and I shall tell you. My name Is Nohbody: mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me Nohbody”(9.272-75). Odysseus tricks the Cyclops into thinking that his name was Nohbody. When he blinds the Cyclops, the Cyclops screams for help saying “Nohbody, Nohbody`s tricked me, Nohbody`s ruined me!”(9.317) Odysseus disguising his name was a very cunning move which protected him from the other Cyclops. A hero should have the traits of loyalty, courage, and cunningness. The main character , Odysseus, from The Odyssey by Homer has traits of a epic hero. Odysseus shows these traits multiple times. He denies Calypso and Circe`s offer to stay with them, thinks before acting, and creates a intelligent plan to save his men. I believe these are traits of a hero and Odysseus's actions prove that he is a