Traits Of An Epic Hero In Homer's Odyssey

Within epic tales, an epic hero plays a very significant role. Traits of a typical epic hero consist of skill, strength, intelligence, and courage. Throughout the conflicts that Odysseus encountered in his adventures and his actions in response to them, it can definitely be said that he fulfilled all of the requirements for an epic hero. His poise aided him on his journey, and he demonstrated his ability to be an articulate speaker. Although his endless curiosity has caused dilemmas, his displays of strength and cunningness has helped both him and his crew escape danger. Moreover, in Odysseus’s first few lines, he described himself as “formidable for guile in peace and war.” He considered himself as a formidable opponent, and there have been …show more content…
Throughout the tale, Odysseus was completely focused on his objective of returning home to Ithaca which not only showed his motivation of obtaining his goal, but also fierce loyalty for his home and family. This personality of his was what drove him forward on the long and treacherous endeavor, and allowed him to continue during hard times. Although Odysseus’s loyalty was mainly to his home and family, he was faithful to his men as well and was unwilling to leave them behind. One instance was when the men fell prey to the Lotus Eaters. Odysseus states, “They fell in soon enough with Lotus Eaters....I drove them, all three wailing, to the ships.” Although he could’ve left the men and continued on with his journey, he forced them to return to their ships so they could travel home, showcasing the loyalty towards his men. Odysseus’s allegiance to his men is also portrayed through the quote, “She [Scylla] ate them as they shrieked there...deathly pity ran me through at that sight, far the worse I ever suffered.” As a result of the compassion Odysseus felt for his crewmates, he described losing them as one of the worst things he ever had to suffer through. He had been forced to watch his comrades die, knowing that there was nothing he could do to save …show more content…
This includes the fact that he wasn’t able to save any of his men or how his hubris caused trouble several times. Although this may be true in certain events, he was able to defy the odds and get past the obstacles that he faced. His heroic acts overcame the flaws that he showcased throughout his journey and made up for his wrong actions. For instance, whether he may have displayed flaws within his journey, he never forgot when others’ were at stake and helping them was of paramount importance. This was greatly represented when he put his crewmates lives’ as priority, proving that he did all he could to save them. It was also one of the most crucial heroic characteristic that he depicted, making his mistakes seem of little