Epitome of a Warlord
The Odyssey
The common definition of a hero is a person admired and glorified for their outstanding achievements and noble qualities. On the contrary, a warlord is a leader capable showing military, economic, and political power with the aid of loyal armed forces. If one were to apply these descriptions to Odysseus, the main protagonist of Homer’s The Odyssey, they would would find that he fits the description of a warlord instead of a hero. With the descriptions of these titles and of Odysseus himself, is really fair to ask if he is a hero or not. In the text itself, Odysseus and his allies do not refer to him as a hero. Odysseus’ comrades clearly state that they see him as a warlord, not a hero. In the story of Helios, …show more content…
Odysseus does the same thing to himself. When Odysseus is narrating, he says this particular excerpt: “I am Laertes’ son, Odysseus. Men hold me formidable for guile in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim” (9). He plainly states that he shows strength and intelligence in war with his men. One would believe these are some of the noble qualities of a hero, but they belong more to a warlord. As said before, a warlord is a person capable of showing power with allies in war. Having great intelligence can be a power itself. Another example of this warlord view is this: “No god. Why take me for a god? No, no. I am that father whom your boyhood lacked and suffered pain for lack of. I am he” (25). Odysseus understands that he has done some unforgivable things. Though many heros in other stories have their faults and bad memories, they are usually later forgiven. Odysseus’ regrets however are never mentioned again. He’s forced to live with the thoughts of not even saving one of his soldiers, betraying his wife, and abandoning those he cared about for a decade. Asking whether Odysseus is a hero or not is not a fair question. He fits the description of a warlord in many more ways. This is hinted at with dialog throughout The Odyssey. Odysseus’ own soldiers question if he is truly human and his allies, family, and friends describe him as nearly unchanged. Though Odysseus is not a hero,
The Odyssey
The common definition of a hero is a person admired and glorified for their outstanding achievements and noble qualities. On the contrary, a warlord is a leader capable showing military, economic, and political power with the aid of loyal armed forces. If one were to apply these descriptions to Odysseus, the main protagonist of Homer’s The Odyssey, they would would find that he fits the description of a warlord instead of a hero. With the descriptions of these titles and of Odysseus himself, is really fair to ask if he is a hero or not. In the text itself, Odysseus and his allies do not refer to him as a hero. Odysseus’ comrades clearly state that they see him as a warlord, not a hero. In the story of Helios, …show more content…
Odysseus does the same thing to himself. When Odysseus is narrating, he says this particular excerpt: “I am Laertes’ son, Odysseus. Men hold me formidable for guile in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim” (9). He plainly states that he shows strength and intelligence in war with his men. One would believe these are some of the noble qualities of a hero, but they belong more to a warlord. As said before, a warlord is a person capable of showing power with allies in war. Having great intelligence can be a power itself. Another example of this warlord view is this: “No god. Why take me for a god? No, no. I am that father whom your boyhood lacked and suffered pain for lack of. I am he” (25). Odysseus understands that he has done some unforgivable things. Though many heros in other stories have their faults and bad memories, they are usually later forgiven. Odysseus’ regrets however are never mentioned again. He’s forced to live with the thoughts of not even saving one of his soldiers, betraying his wife, and abandoning those he cared about for a decade. Asking whether Odysseus is a hero or not is not a fair question. He fits the description of a warlord in many more ways. This is hinted at with dialog throughout The Odyssey. Odysseus’ own soldiers question if he is truly human and his allies, family, and friends describe him as nearly unchanged. Though Odysseus is not a hero,