• Home Page
  • The Role Of An Epic Hero In Homer's Odyssey

The Role Of An Epic Hero In Homer's Odyssey

Superior Essays
Show More
An epic hero is defined as a leader who travels a vast journey for a noble cause. An epic hero usually has traits valued by his society and seems god-like. Although epic hero is god-like, they are still like other men and have human weaknesses. They also face supernatural foes or receive supernatural help. Homer’s epic poem is about Odysseus’ twenty year journey to return back to Ithaca after the trojan war. While Odysseus is facing multiple obstacles throughout his struggle to return, his faithful wife Penelope and his son Telemachus are at home watching their palace become destroyed by suitors who want to obtain Penelope’s hand. Penelope struggles to hold them back while she waits for her husband who is king of Ithaca to return home, but …show more content…
Odysseus’ greatest weakness was his pride, his pridefulness put him into certain situations that could have been easily avoided. Odysseus takes responsibility for winning the trojan war and does not offer a sacrifice to Poseidon. Odysseus leads his men to victory and thinks it was all his doing which angers Poseidon. Poseidon then punishes Odysseus by extending his journey through harsh storms. Secondly, After Odysseus defeats Polyphemus, he shouts his real name from his ship out of pride. As a result, Polyphemus, son of Poseidon asks his father to curse Odysseus’ journey so that it will take him longer to return home. Poseidon answers his son’s prayer and once again delays Odysseus’ arrival home by causing multiple storms and strong winds pushing Odysseus farther away from Ithaca. Lastly, Odysseus takes pride in being desired by both Circe and Calypso. Circe is an enchantress who turned Odysseus’ men into swine and seduces him but later helps him return home. Calypso is the sea goddess who loves Odysseus and wanted to hold him hostage forever, but was forced to let him continue on his journey. Being desired by two goddesses made Odysseus feel more superior and resulted in his Journey taking longer because he got carried away with the two goddesses. Odysseus’ pridefulness causes his journey to be much longer than it was intended for due to his

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    The Hero Of Odysseus As An Epic Hero
    • 1131 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Hero Of Odysseus As An Epic Hero

    Joseph Campbell once said, ”the cave you most fear to enter holds the treasure you seek”. This ideology of confronting one 's inner fears through obstacles and becoming more powerful each time, propel the hero of the story to become an epic hero at the end of their journeys of self-discovery. Odysseus in The Odyssey recited by Homer was certainly not exempt from the title of ‘Epic Hero’ due to his skills and his sympathizable traits’ and his fantastical adventures. While some may say The Odyssey is a tale of Odysseus piecing his life together, Odysseus is an epic hero nonetheless for his divine physical and mental abilities, with a wide appeal for his traditional Greek traits such as his yearning for his family and faith. Odysseus is one of…

    • 1131 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Telemachus Journey In The Odyssey
    • 579 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Telemachus Journey In The Odyssey

    In the epic poem ,the Odyssey, by Homer relates Odysseus’ heroic journey to his home in Ithaca after the defeat of Troy. His prideful boasting about the victory has the god, Poseidon, pitted against his voyage home, and in Odysseus’ absence, suitors take over his home and threaten his wife, Penélopê, and his son, Telémakhos. In her attempts to bring Odysseus home, Athena urges Telémakhos to begin his own travels in search of his father. During Odysseus’ trial to return to Ithika appearance reveals itself in diffrent ways to aid Odysseus and Telemachus.…

    • 579 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Odysseus As An Epic Hero
    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Odysseus As An Epic Hero

    Since the beginning of recorded history, man has been telling grand adventure stories; exciting tales of heroes defeating enemies, seeking treasure, and experiencing perilous tribulations. “The Odyssey”, by the Greek poet Homer, is one of the most famous epics to date. It follows the adventures of the Greek king, Odysseus, as he travels through the Mediterranean, trying to return home. The protagonist of an epic is called the “epic hero”, and he must exhibit certain characteristics to fulfill this title: he must represent the values of his culture, be either aided or hindered by the gods, and demonstrate one or more character flaws. Because he meets all three criteria, Odysseus can be considered the definitive epic hero.…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Beowulf Epic Hero's Journey Research Paper
    • 414 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Beowulf Epic Hero's Journey Research Paper

    Epic heroes are the ones who stand out, who are immensely extraordinary in all that they accomplish in the actions they take. An epic hero often takes on battles and challenges, and defeats them for the good of people. Most times they only appear in epic poems but, they do always take part in some sort of battle. Beowulf, is in fact, a true epic hero.…

    • 414 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Stage For A Heros Journey In Homer's The Odyssey
    • 724 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Stage For A Heros Journey In Homer's The Odyssey

    However, his regret is that Polyphemus’s dad just conveniently happened to be Poseidon, god of the sea. Polyphemus uses that to his advantage, cursing Odysseus, and Poseidon, as well as other events, knock out all of Odysseus’s crew excluding Odysseus. However, the enchantress Circe gave a prophecy that Odysseus didn’t believe in: that the entirety of Odysseus’s crew was knocked out, and that Odysseus would struggle to get back to his homeland,…

    • 724 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    The Free Will Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey
    • 345 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Free Will Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

    In the epic, The Odyssey" by Homer, Odysseus must travel and conquer many traps that the gods lay before him to reach his goal of getting hoe to Ithaca. he and his crew maneuver their ship directly into the island of the one-eyed cyclops who will eat anyone in his oath. Odysseus must use his intelligence to outwit the brazen monster, and save his shipmates from death. Also, the team must overcome the trials that the great and cunning goddess who is own sister to the magician Aeetes, Circe, puts in front of them. Such as when she turn the sailors into swine, and she wants Odysseus to sleep with her, and live with her for a year.…

    • 345 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Personal Essay: The Hero And Hero Of Odysseus
    • 1296 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Personal Essay: The Hero And Hero Of Odysseus

    Odysseus is seen as a hero and leader by all his comrades who returned from the Trojan War. According to his fellow commanders, like Menelaus, he has strength, courage and restraint. In Ithaca, preceding the war, Odysseus was viewed as a kind merciful king, adored by his people. Though when voyaging home, Odysseus displays his stubbornness in making decisions, overcome by the need to gain glory and prestige above all else.…

    • 1296 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Strongest Relationships In Homer's Odyssey
    • 858 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Strongest Relationships In Homer's Odyssey

    Homer writes about him stating, “This one alone, longing for his wife and his homecoming, was detained by the queenly nymph Kalypso. ”(27.13-14) Here it is told that Odysseus wants his wife and no one else. Compared to Circe and Kalypso, this love is the strongest and ever since Odysseus is with Kalypso or Circe his goal is to get home, he states about the goddess, “but never so could she win the heart within me. ”(118.258)…

    • 858 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Odysseus As A Hero In Homer's Odyssey
    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Odysseus As A Hero In Homer's Odyssey

    Odysseus was able to use his words to help him out of dilemmas and return home. With the help of Athena, Odysseus was set free after seven years of being trapped on Calypso’s island. Calypso was in love with Odysseus and did not want to let him go. In one of their last conversations Calypso asks Odysseus why he wanted to leave her for Penelope. However, Odysseus knew telling her the truth would only make her upset.…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Odysseus: An Archetype Of An Epic Hero
    • 560 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Odysseus: An Archetype Of An Epic Hero

    The definition of an epic hero is a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. This definition describes Odysseus. Odysseus in The Odyssey is an epic hero because he is always getting himself out of trouble and being a brave character in troubled times. Odysseus is also admired for his great achievements by his crew, by his friends, family, and even by his enemies. He is constantly being affects by grand events like the Cyclopes…

    • 560 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Examples Of Being A Hero In The Odyssey
    • 1075 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Examples Of Being A Hero In The Odyssey

    Outline Is Odysseus a hero According to Maya Angelou a “Hero is any person really intent on making a better place for all people.” In other words, a hero is someone that makes sacrifices, and contributes to others. In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus must defeat supernatural obstacles such as gods, and cyclops to return home to his son and wife after 20 years. Although Odysseys is quickly perceived as a hero through its narrative perspective, He is ultimately an antihero which is explained through Odysseus’s selfish personality, and lack of compassion.…

    • 1075 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Odysseus As A Hero In Homer's The Odyssey
    • 1678 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Odysseus As A Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

    Homer’s epic The Odyssey is on the surface an exciting story of Odysseus’ quest to finish his journey home after the Trojan War, battling monsters, battling the gods and overcoming temptations from seductive goddess. Through this voyage home the Gods put Odysseus through many obstacles, which not only show his heroism but his exceptional wit and bravery (9. 413-431). On the surface Odysseus is a great leader who is at the same time feared and praised, and considered superior to his men and the suitors in his home (1. 65-67). In the first half of The Odyssey, Homer presents Odysseus as a brave hero who is of no fault and presents the theme as being immaculate and glorious is what makes a hero a hero.…

    • 1678 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Odysseus Epic Hero Analysis
    • 950 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Odysseus Epic Hero Analysis

    “The Odyssey” is an epic poem that consists of 24 books and is told by the creator, Homer, during the ancient Greek times. All epic poems contain an epic hero, this classifies a specific person as the protagonist of the story that goes above the readers expectations. Odysseus is an epic hero because of his intelligence, bravery, and glory. Odysseus is an epic hero because of the intelligence that he displays throughout the poem. Odysseus shows his intellect by his ability to think under an immense amount of pressure.…

    • 950 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    The Relationship Between Humans And Gods In Homer's The Odyssey
    • 1767 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The Relationship Between Humans And Gods In Homer's The Odyssey

    Poseidon punishes Odysseus by keeping him away from his homeland, Ithaca. “For his sake Poseidon, shaker of the earth, although he does not kill Odysseus, yet drives him back from the land of his fathers,” (I: 74-75). After the Trojan War ended, all Odysseus wanted was to return home to his family with his companions. However, the path he took led him to the land of the Cyclops, and he ended up having to kill Poseidon’s son to continue on his journey home. From Odysseus’ perspective, the cyclops was just another obstacle that he had to overcome to get home; Odysseus believed that he was destined to arrive at Ithaca to be reunited with his family and would overcome whatever he needed to get there.…

    • 1767 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    The Characteristics Of Heroism In Beowulf As An Epic Hero
    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Characteristics Of Heroism In Beowulf As An Epic Hero

    An epic hero is often described as the big hero in a story or reading and is also the main character. They often illustrate great qualities including strength, determination, and bravery. Heroes are said to always have a quest, sometimes more than one, and they most likely have helpers or assistants helping them through these quests. During these quests, the evil characters always seem to be after the hero. They must show the qualities of a hero or they would not be able to accomplish their quests thoroughly.…

    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings