Why Odysseus is a Hero Essay

Dan Simmons, an American author, once said, “A hero. You want to be one of those rare human beings who make history, rather than merely watch it flow around them like water around a rock.” Heroes are ordinary people that stand up for what they believe in, even if they stand alone. Heros are fearless at times when the challenges seem impossible. They are everyday people doing extraordinary things. Despite their flaws, heroes make the world a better place to live in. They have the power to inspire…

Odysseus: Son of Pain In Homer 's The Odyssey, a king, Alcinous, urges the protagonist, Odysseus, "Come, tell us the name they call you there at home [...] Surely no man is nameless [...] as soon as he sees the light his parents always name him, once he 's born" (209 • 618-622). Odysseus 's name, in fact, carries great significance. It means "son of pain," and through the course of the poem, the reader can understand how fitting this name is for this character. Odysseus, son of pain, seems to…

supernal knowledge to aid Odysseus in his perilous fights against monsters and atrocities, utilizing the skills of wit, strategy, and bravery. In one example of Athena’s aid to her hero-in-need, Odysseus prays, “if but Athena granted what I prayed for...a club, or staff, lay there along the fold-an olive tree, felled green and left to season.” presents Athena bestowing her help to Odysseus, using an olive tree to signify one of her symbols(Homer 764). Athena had never given Odysseus answers but…

Brains Over Brawns Generally, when people seem to think about heros we think of strong, fearless, and valiant characters that have an unbeatable amount of strength. Odysseus on the other hand is out powered multiple times, but uses his quick-witted intelligence to win his battles. In The Odyssey, written by Homer, and translated by Robert Fagles, Odysseus overcomes some of his conflicts with his determined and cunning intellect to trick his enemies while Penelope uses her wits to deceit the…

An epic poem about a man of twists and turns, Odysseus, the greatest hero in Ithaca who is known for his muscle and bravery. His son, Telemachus, a curious boy wanting to find his father, starts his journey across the seas of Greece. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, the reader can believe two sides of the poem, realistic or nonrealistic. In Ithaca, where Telemachus lives, there are gender roles. Comparing men and women in situations can be very different on what they are, such as;…

character development wasn't a build up, but mercurial personality changes. Aeneas seems to be committed to his mission but has many doubts. He does believe the positives exceed the negatives aspects. After Anchises appears from the underworld and asks why would you want to be reborn after death? Which makes him contemplate the decision and mission he is embarking on. Anchises want to have control and power, but he is deceitful and after the gods gave him the mission forcefully he isn't able to…

Quite a bit if you think about it. The book in question, The Odyssey is an epic story with a vast and diverse group of characters that today’s society can draw a parallel to. There are many themes in the book ranging from infidelity to hubris. Our hero Odysseus is our lens into his world and through him we can examine ourselves and our society. In the odyssey infidelity is like a plague running rampant in the world, no stone unturned no quarter given. The same can be said about our society as…

Polyphemus lived in a cave and had a trait of cruelty. He was a man-eating Cyclops. One of the well-known myths of the Greek is that of the Cyclops and the Odysseus. The narration was done by Homer. The myth about Odysseus and Cyclops is about a giant Cyclops who is one-eyed. The giant threatened and almost brought the era of Odysseus the hero to an end. In the Greek mythology, Cyclops is among the most memorable characters. This myth inspired a lot of artists due to its cunningness and…

In the poem The Odyssey by Homer, similar events unfold with Agamemnon who is also making his trip to the underworld. There are similarities between the journey of Odysseus to Ithaca in The Odyssey and the Bundren family in As I Lay Dying. The Bundren family’s struggling to get to Jefferson is similar to the journey Odysseus makes to Ithaca in The Odyssey. Addie is still alive while her coffin is being built and the first set of problems arises. The characters note that soon the…

asked to Telemachus, the son of Odysseus; a boy “inept at battle.” (2.66) And although Telemachus is most certainly Odysseus’s biological son, it is only in the journey to find his father that he can truly become like his father, a king and a brilliant strategist of war. In order to measure up to his “fearless” father Odysseus, Telemachus must learn self-restraint, respect, and articulation in his words (4.303).…