Odysseus: The Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

Throughout the world and over many centuries heroism, which is a great act of bravery, is a characteristic that many people acquire throughout their lifetime. These people are known as heroes; however, everyone has his or her own definition of what a hero actually is. Today, heroes are known as soldiers, cops, firefighters or even the superheroes that exist just for someone’s entertainment, such as Superman, Wonder Woman, or Spider Man. On the other hand, in the early Greek period these heroes include the kings, queens, or the brave warriors that fight off mystical, gruesome monsters. No matter how similar or different these people are, they are commended for the brave acts and drawbacks that they have to endure and overcome. In the epic The …show more content…
Soldiers fight with bravery and courage much like Odysseus; however, they encounter other people instead of monsters. They fight for their country in order to keep their country safe. They use guns, cannons, bombs, and much more in order to win a war that is going on while these weapons would not so much be able to kill monsters in the Greek period. Odysseus exhibits an innumerable amount of hubris, or great pride, all throughout the epic during his journey. His prideful attitude is represented in the many duels he faces. For example, when Odysseus encounters Polyphemus, the cyclops, he fights him and stabs him in the eye with a spear. He tells Polyphemus that his name is Nobody where Polyphemus would be confused; however, when Odysseus defeats the cyclops and is sailing away, he shouts,” ‘Cyclops- if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so- say Odysseus, raider of cities, he gouged out your eye, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca’” (Homer 369). Odysseus later gets punished by the Greek god, Poseidon, due to his pridefulness. Also, when Odysseus and his men collide with the Sirens, he orders his men to tie him up, so he will be the only one who