How Is Odysseus A Hero

Improved Essays
Holden Harrington
Ms. Finkelstein
Honors English II 7th Period
16 May 2016
The Wild and Magical Adventures of the Heroic Divine, Odysseus The Odyssey is a novel based on greek mythology and the life of Odysseus. This book was written in the 8th century BC by an author named Homer. The story takes place in the seas between Europe and Africa, sailing from island to island, by ship. Odysseus faces many challenges on his long journey from Troy to his home on an island named Ithaca. Odysseus and his crew get blown off course due to a curse casted by a god; this results in taking ten years to return to their homeland. His leadership and strategic skills are tested greatly. Odysseus proves to be a hero through noble and intelligent acts that he carries
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Odysseus was a commander in the Greek army, and he devised a very skillful plan to win the war for Greece. The odds were stacked against them. The Greek army was severely outnumbered and was thought to have surrendered. The army tricked the Trojans with a surrendering gift, a huge wooden horse. Little had the Trojans known that a specialized team from the Greek army was hiding inside the gift, waiting for their prey to fall asleep. Once the Trojans celebrated, got drunk, and fell asleep, the Greeks took action and destroyed them all. Odysseus’ plan allowed the Greeks to retrieve the queen and win the war. Odysseus was the only one to step up to the plate and rise to the challenge of conquering the Troy …show more content…
The suitors wanted to become the new king of Ithaca, and started flirting with Odysseus’ wife, Penelopeia. They wanted to eliminate all heirs to the throne, resulted in them targeting Odysseus’ son, Telemachos. Telemachos and his mother had feared them, and hoped for Odysseus to return home and get rid of them. Odysseus eventually had landed at Ithaca. He found out that his family needed his help through a goddess named Athena. He developed another strategic plan to save the day. Athena disguised him as a beggar so that no one would have noticed him and foiled his plan. Odysseus found his son returning to the city and grabbed his attention while being disguised as a beggar. Telemachos was thinking that Odysseus only wanted food or money, and had tried to rush past him while explaining that he had nothing for him. Odysseus had gotten him to listen and brought him into a secluded area. Athena did her wonders and transferred Odysseus’ appearance back to how they were. “Telemachos threw his arms around his noble father and burst into tears. They sat throbbing and shaking in relief from that long strain.” (Homer 185). Odysseus had described all of his adventures, and answered all of his son’s questions. Odysseus then explained his plan to get rid of the suitors. Telemachos told his mother to set up a contest to win her over, and that it was time to move on from Odysseus. The contest

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