What’s in a Hero?
(An Analysis of Achilles and Odysseus as Epic Heroes)
Not everyone can be a hero. In spite of what parents tell their children, they will not all grow up to save the world. Though a hard truth to swallow, it is just that; the truth. In both The Iliad and The Odyssey the archetype of the epic hero is challenged, begging the question: What does it mean to be a hero? Heroes do come any many different forms, however to say that anyone can be a hero would be an obloquy. The Greeks understood that heroes were few and far between. There was no way to actually measure a hero. They also knew that there is nothing more interlocutory than a hero. Homer presents both Achilles and Odysseus in a wildly different light; one as a grandiloquent …show more content…
After Odysseus has been identified as the hero archetype, it is legitimate to ask what this means. According to Amos, “The Hero Archetype represents the protagonist or central character, whose main purpose is to separate from the ordinary world and sacrifice himself for the service of the Journey at hand.” (Amos) However, there is more to being a hero than copious amounts of self-sacrifice. In fact, Odysseus finds a way to avoid self-sacrifice entirely, making it home to his wife and son safely. This is because Odysseus, along with being the hero, is also the trickster. However this is a finite portion of his archetype as some argue, “Not only is Odysseus the protagonist… he is the template from which the modern hero is cut.” …show more content…
As Lindberg states, “The first phase of his rage in the Iliad is indeed about what others think of him, including the honor and glory that are his due.” (Lindberg) Achilles’ primary focus is that of his heroism and how it will be viewed by others, especially those on his side of the war. He will go to great lengths to have his name remembered, but does not have regard for who will be hurt in the process, hence his extremely violent nature. There is an argument over whether or not this is Achilles’ downfall. Is he the greatest, or is there someone else? As Huff says, “I think a case can be made for Hector and possibly Odysseus as greater heroes than Achilles.” (Huff) Many academics would agree that Achilles is too sporadic a thinker to even be considered a viable hero.
In the history of the Greeks, there has never been a greater hero than Achilles or Odysseus. They represented what the people of the time most needed in their lives. Whether it be a hero who speaks or a hero who fights. In the case of Achilles, he was the perfect hero for war time. But Odysseus was convenient in the times following war. Both are a necessary archetype of hero, and neither is more important than the other when it comes to relevance in
(An Analysis of Achilles and Odysseus as Epic Heroes)
Not everyone can be a hero. In spite of what parents tell their children, they will not all grow up to save the world. Though a hard truth to swallow, it is just that; the truth. In both The Iliad and The Odyssey the archetype of the epic hero is challenged, begging the question: What does it mean to be a hero? Heroes do come any many different forms, however to say that anyone can be a hero would be an obloquy. The Greeks understood that heroes were few and far between. There was no way to actually measure a hero. They also knew that there is nothing more interlocutory than a hero. Homer presents both Achilles and Odysseus in a wildly different light; one as a grandiloquent …show more content…
After Odysseus has been identified as the hero archetype, it is legitimate to ask what this means. According to Amos, “The Hero Archetype represents the protagonist or central character, whose main purpose is to separate from the ordinary world and sacrifice himself for the service of the Journey at hand.” (Amos) However, there is more to being a hero than copious amounts of self-sacrifice. In fact, Odysseus finds a way to avoid self-sacrifice entirely, making it home to his wife and son safely. This is because Odysseus, along with being the hero, is also the trickster. However this is a finite portion of his archetype as some argue, “Not only is Odysseus the protagonist… he is the template from which the modern hero is cut.” …show more content…
As Lindberg states, “The first phase of his rage in the Iliad is indeed about what others think of him, including the honor and glory that are his due.” (Lindberg) Achilles’ primary focus is that of his heroism and how it will be viewed by others, especially those on his side of the war. He will go to great lengths to have his name remembered, but does not have regard for who will be hurt in the process, hence his extremely violent nature. There is an argument over whether or not this is Achilles’ downfall. Is he the greatest, or is there someone else? As Huff says, “I think a case can be made for Hector and possibly Odysseus as greater heroes than Achilles.” (Huff) Many academics would agree that Achilles is too sporadic a thinker to even be considered a viable hero.
In the history of the Greeks, there has never been a greater hero than Achilles or Odysseus. They represented what the people of the time most needed in their lives. Whether it be a hero who speaks or a hero who fights. In the case of Achilles, he was the perfect hero for war time. But Odysseus was convenient in the times following war. Both are a necessary archetype of hero, and neither is more important than the other when it comes to relevance in