Why Odysseus is a Hero Essay

Achilles in all his “rage” and Odysseus “the man of twists and turns” are two epic heroes that seem incomparable; although, they do have their differences the two are rather similar. (Iliad pg. 77, ln. 1) (The Odyssey pg. 77, ln. 1) When comparing Achilles and Odysseus it is easy to assume that these two are radically different with only one similarity, they are both men. Despite the one obvious similarity, Achilles and Odysseus and strikingly similar; the same can be said about the two’s…

example, Achilles and Odysseus are two contrasting examples of Homeric grandeur, yet they have the same Dark Age concepts validating them as great men. These concepts are arête, aristos, aidos, and kleos. The first two concepts refer to the greatness of a man or woman, while aidos is shame, and kleos is more like glory. The arête of Achilles and of Odysseus are completely different. Achilles has his arête because of battle prowess, and being the greatest Mycenaean warrior. Odysseus has his…

The use of an epic hero in English literature has been displayed throughout many cultures and time periods. The epic heroes in Beowulf, Gilgamesh, The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Song of Roland can be analyzed and compared throughout the ages depending on the culture. In this paper, the writer will compare and contrast the characteristics of each of the epic heroes, determine their influence on the culture in which they lived, and detail why these characters are considered archetypal. The epic…

of the hero in the katabasis myth serves as a metaphorical journey in the audience’s exploration of such themes. Before defending my position, I will briefly refer to arguments made by Friedrich Nietzsche in The Birth of Tragedy, as I use similar notions in my own explanation of why katabasis myths are more concerned with the journey. I will then provide an overarching explanation of my thesis, and afterwards discuss…

lavish gifts offered and fight for the good of the city. The two speakers Odysseus and Phoenix take two different approaches to persuade Achilles to stay and rejoin the fight. The first speaker, Odysseus, takes a more impersonal approach to the issue by formulating his speech with more logos rather than emotional appeal while Phoenix tries to connect with Achilles through his deep emotional and personal relationship with the hero. While both speaker’s speech contains appeals to logos, it is…

In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is often considered a character who is flawed by some of his characteristics. However, throughout the course of the piece he continuously displayed qualities that prove he is, in fact, a leader. Odysseus, without doubt, is an outstanding hero due to his shrewdness, bravery and selflessness. Odysseus faced many challenges throughout the poem, however, he was always sharp-witted when making decisions. In The Cyclops, Polyphemus grabbed two of the men…

the Greek epic The Odyssey, Homer narrates the journey of the epic hero, Odysseus. Odysseus encounters many foreign groups during his trip back to his home, Ithaca. The idea of gender construction can…

that describe a hero, selfless might cross the mind, but not all heroes are selfless in fact this is a trait Odysseus and Beowulf do not share. Odysseus was far from selfless, in fact quite the opposite, he was very selfish. He believed he was more important than everyone else, so he was willing to sacrifice those under him for his own profit, or well being. This idea that the leader is more valuable than those he leads is a belief held highly in ancient Greek culture, and Odysseus reflects…

Odysseus In the epic The Odyssey there are many characters; heroes, villains, and gods. The most important hero in the story is Odysseus; however, he is a very complex character. Throughout the epic, Odysseus displays many different sides of his personality, showing that he is not all good. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is very crafty. On his journey home Odysseus often had to think outside the box to escape difficult situations. One of these situations was at Calypso’s home. Odysseus had been held…

Two works of literature everyone should read is The Odyssey by Homer and Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Homer’s story about the journey Odysseus went on is relatable to our lives and the journey we have to live on our own. It also relates to the freedoms that we have away from home, but with the longing to be home. Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, is also relatable to us because he is rebelling because his mother is with someone other than his father and he also questions what happens after death.…