...The epic poem, the Odyssey, by Homer tells the adventures of the epic hero Odysseus. Though they have human frailties, an epic hero possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence and also overcomes perilous situations. In book 9 of the Odyssey, Odysseus demonstrates several of these characters as he escapes from the Cyclops Polyphemus. The epic hero Odysseus demonstrates intelligence, bravery, and cleverness. One quality of an epic hero that Odysseus possesses is that he is intelligent. The Cyclops asks Odysseus where he left his ship, inquiring it was around the point or by the shore. Odysseus sees through the question and responds, “it broke up on the rocks at your lands end” (189). Odysseus does not want the Cyclops to find...
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...Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, left his home to fight for Greece and along his journey he faced many hardships, but he conquered them all. The Odyssey written by Homer, tells the story of Odysseus’ journeys and how he made it through these hardships to regain his kingdom, and to be reunited with his wife, Penelope. The Odyssey was a thrilling and suspenseful story that keeps you wondering how Odysseus will conquer these hardships, and bring him and his men safely back to Ithaca. From escaping Calypso with the help of Athena, to fighting the cyclops Polyphemus, Odysseus had to be a strong leader to help his men overcome these journeys. Odysseus was an epic hero because he was intelligent, brave, and he was a strong responsible leader. Odysseus was an epic hero because he was very intelligent. One of the many journeys that he and his men had to face was with Polyphemus. While Polyphemus slept Odysseus courageously stabbed him in the eye, in order for him to open the heavy door...
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...Homer, author of the Odyssey, identifies Odysseus as an epic hero through the way the main character faces supernatural forces throughout his treacherous journey back home. Polyphemus, one of the giant one-headed giants, closes the entrance of the cave and eats many of Odysseus’ shipmates, making it more difficult to escape. Homer illustrates that the cyclops had, “…clutched at my companions and caught two in his hands like squirming puppies to beat their brains out…and made his meal…everything: innards, flesh, and marrow bones…” (Homer 765). Not only did Polyphemus harm the shipmates by squeezing their brains out, but he shoved them down his throat as if they were a small snack. Odysseus must face the fact that many of his loyal companions cannot join him...
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...some people would argue it is King Arthur others believe it to be Odysseus. Odysseus is the king of Ithaca in Homer's Odyssey. Both of these kings prove to be great but only Odysseus proves to be an epic hero. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus proves to be an epic hero due to his cunningness, resilience, and determination. In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus proves to be an epic hero due to his cunningness. Odysseus shows he is cunning in how he constantly overcomes the challenges the Gods face him with. The narrator says “I crouched with my drawn sword to keep the surging phantoms from the bloody pit” (Beers and Odell 776). This proves Odysseus is cunning by showing he is knowledgeable in how sought...
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...According to Karen Hunter, in 1949, Joseph Campbell published “The Hero With A Thousand Faces” which is a book that introduces his creation of the monomyth (Hunter). A monomyth is the concept of a single tale or story. The tale or story represents a mythological adventure being magnified in the rites of passage. Also, the myth goes around in a cycle and is repeated with different social and cultural references throughout the world. Furthermore, Leeming explains that, “the monomyth itself is an expression of the journey of the hero figure, of our journey through physical and psychic life, and of the evolutionary path of humanity to full consciousness” (Leeming). Homer’s use of Joseph Campbell’s monomyth in the Odyssey seen with Odysseus, the hero and main character, provides a great structure throughout the epic in several ways. To begin, the monomyth in the Odyssey can be divided into 11 stages of the hero journey. The first stage that structures Homer’s epic is birth or the ordinary world. Odysseus is born to his father Laertes in Greece under no distinguished ancestry to boast of. Rasovsky stated, As Odysseus grew to be a young boy he showed signs of his talents which included archery (Rasovsky). Going further on with Rasovsky’s findings, Odysseus was intelligent, clever, and exhibited strength through his appearance (Rasovsky). In the Odyssey, Odysseus’s ordinary world is on the peaceful island of Ithaca. Odysseus is the well-loved and respected king of the island. He has a wife...
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...After a vast hero had seen the remarkable birth of his child, he had embarked on a journey with his men to battle in a brutal and callous war. Embarking on his vast journey, he had left his faithful wife and newly born child to fight in a vicious war. The Odyssey is a Greek epic which captures the boundless journey of Odysseus, as he strives to return to Ithaca after battling in the Trojan War. Homer had been a prominent writer who had expressed the vast legends and myths of Greek gods and goddesses and captured Odysseus’ endless adventure, the challenges and temptations he had experienced throughout his journey, and the reflection of his most exceptional and imperfect qualities. As Odysseus had embarked on an endless journey filled with misery and agony, to battle in the Trojan War, he had been greatly praised and celebrated by many Ithacans and his homeland. However, although Odysseus had been greatly praised and portrayed as an outstanding individual and king throughout Homer’s epic, his actions and desires had undoubtedly reflected the worst qualities and aspects of his character. As Odysseus had embarked on his vast and extensive journey from Ithaca, he had been disloyal and faithless to his wife Penelope, who had been sincere, waiting years for his arrival...
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...In Homer's the odyssey there is a character named Odysseus. Odysseus goes on an amazing journey and along his way he goes through many things that mold him into an epic hero. Odysseus also proves his heroism through his behavior. During the story Odysseus often presents us with his great intelligence, his superhuman strength, and also his great leadership and bravery. However though Odysseus does not always act like a hero and does immoral things but when the time is right, the true heroic side of him will come out and we will see how heroic Odysseus really is. Odysseus is a true epic hero and has the the personal characteristics to prove it. Throughout the Odyssey Odysseus presents us with examples of his superhuman strength. That is characteristic...
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...I. Troy is the name of the legend in Homers epic poem the Iliad. It was a city that fought in the Trojan War for ten years. The city was conquered and destroyed by a Greek army that was led by a king named Agamemnon. According to Homers the Iliad, the Trojan War started because of the abduction of Helen, who was a queen from Sparta. The king of Troy Priam, his son Paris who was also prince of Troy was behind the abduction. The Trojan War was thought to have taken place during the Bronze Age, which was around 1200B.C. What we knew it as was Myceanaean that spread through Greece. This civilization had also developed a system of writing (LIVESCIENCE: The Legend of Troy). In Homer’s the Iliad it takes place in the tenth year of the Trojan War....
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...Killing a hundred eight men doesn't sound hero but in the case of Odysseus from the Odyssey, that's what happens. In Homer's epic poem the Odyssey the hero Odysseus Fill the spot of the hero, however, he does have anti- hero traits at times. Some epic hero Qualities he shows are abnormal abilities, tested on his quest, and restitution. According to the epic hero guideline, a hero must possess supernatural ability. Odysseus showed this in these quotes “He cut down twenty trees used his bronze axe to trim and is deftly smooth them then lined them up” and “by the fourth day he had completed all this work”. Odysseus also showed this ability When He swam for two days straight in a raging waters. Here is an example from the book on how bad the...
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...Both the Odyssey and the Aeneid describe the journeys of the two Greek heroes –Odysseus and Aeneas, as they struggle towards their goal through the crises and deadly situations caused by the wrath of the gods upon them. In the Odyssey, we see that Poseidon (god of the sea/earth shaker) has a grudge against Odysseus while Athena, god of wisdom, aids him throughout his journey. Similarly in the Aeneid, we see that goddess Juno dislikes Aeneas as he is destined to destroy the city of Carthage loved by Juno during his mission to find a new land- Rome, whereas Aeneas’ mother Venus aids him. In these epics, many points of similarity and differences arise such as the characters of the heroes, how their journeys are delayed by women obsessed with love, what they are destined for and how they achieve the final goal in the end of the epic. The very first similarity we see in both the epics is that Virgil starts his poem in the same way Homer does, that is they both refer to Muses to sing about the epic heroes of Greek mythology- Odysseus and Aeneas. Virgil again refers to Muses for the second time in book six of the Aeneid. Another similarity is the assembly of gods in Olympus described by both Virgil and Homer. As seen in the Odyssey, Odysseus’ character is clever and smart one. He is a learner and later becomes self controlling. His ‘never give up’ attitude shows that he can go through any situation to get what he wants. Also, his character is full of twists and turns. While in the Aeneid...
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...What is a hero? A hero is someone who is admired for their courage, bravery, and noble qualities. Heroic acts are often celebrated because they show the strength of the human spirit and the ability to overcome challenges. In literature, we often see characters put to the test in various ways to determine whether they are truly heroic. In Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, we see the protagonist Odysseus facing numerous challenges on his journey back home to Ithaca. In this essay, we will explore what constitutes a heroic act and whether Odysseus acted heroically on his journey. First, one of the key aspects of a heroic act is courage in the face of danger. In Book 9 of The Odyssey, we see Odysseus and his men facing the danger of the Cyclops Polyphemus. Odysseus shows bravery as he devises a plan to blind the Cyclops and escape his clutches. He says, "I tied them [ram's wool] silently together, then slung a man under each middle one to ride there, shielded right and left by the others" (Book 9.). This shows Odysseus' quick thinking and bravery in taking on a giant who could easily overpower him and his men....
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...Odysseus: Hero or Not In Homer’s epic The Odyssey, Odysseus is a true thinking man’s hero. He faces many obstacles in his journey home from the Trojan War, with a curse from the sea god, Poseidon. Odysseus battles monsters, makes tough decisions, and fights with his integrity to get home, but through what some call “bad luck” and the size of his pride Odysseus finds himself in a pretty difficult predicament. However, like any other heroic tale, in the end he’s able to go home to his wife and son. The question is did he come back as a heroic legend or a selfish punk? Believe it or not, Odysseus is the demanding hero in this poem. Through tough decisions, sacrifices, and his humble attitude…at times; Odysseus shows the reader he is still a human...
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...In Homer’s The Odyssey, the author tells us of a magnificent story of lust, deceit, greed, and heroism. The Odyssey is a display of a journey of determination, willpower, patience, and virtue. The author tells the tale of Odysseus, on his voyage home to Ithaka. This is happening after the end of the Trojan War. Odysseus, the main character, goes through a series of many unforeseen trials and tribulations in this exemplary journey. This exemplifies his character and displays him as a hero in the eyes of the audience. During these different happenings, Odysseus makes decisions that do not correspond to his character. Odysseus is displayed as not only a hero but also as a good leader to his men. Throughout all their trials such as the Sirens, Polyphemus (the cyclops), and the enchantress Circe, Odysseus is displayed as clever, patient, cunning, and fearless. Odysseus made decisions not only for himself but also for his men as well. For example, he did not leave his men on the island of the Lotus Eaters when they clearly had no desire to go back to Ithaca; he knotted them onto the boat and left the island. He was determined to get home with as many of his men as he possibly could, though they repeatedly disobeyed him. Odysseus is one of history's greatest leaders and this is a vital part of what makes him such an epic hero Another characteristic that stand out and makes Odysseus a hero is his ability to overcome his obstacles in order to reach his goal. Odysseus is faced by many...
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...the Odyssey, the Iliad, and the Mahabharata is to compare how these exiles were brought upon the heroes and the consequences when the hero returns to society. The difference between the Mahabharata and the other three epics, is that the exile of the Kuravas was imposed on them by others. Though Yudhisthira is technically the only one in the family who brought it upon himself by playing the crooked dice game. For the most part, the exile of the Kuravas is not self-imposed. This is very different to the exiles seen in the western epics. In the Iliad, Achilles exiles himself for feeling shamed by Agamemnon, he chooses not to fight and instead have hundreds of his countrymen die. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh chooses to abandon his kingdom for an unplanned amount of time on a search for immortality somewhere in nature because of Enkidu’s death. Both Achilles and Gilgamesh exile themselves because of strong feelings they get. The exile of Odysseus is about brought on by himself, by making Poseidon extra mad, not leaving Calypso’s Island, among other transgressions against the gods....
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...Gender role in The Odyssey, specifically focusing on the women's role and how women's treatment by men can be indicated as sexist. They are usually identified by their looks and treated based on how their physical appearance is, and whether they have power over any men. She makes it clear that throughout Odysseus’ journey to the underworld, he spots and gets a glimpse of different variety of women. She says that throughout the Odyssey, they do not state anything about the women’s accomplishments in their lifetime, but only about their important son's, good looks and pleasingness, and their affairs with gods. She also talks about how women are known for their action and activity towards their sons and husbands, but never for the action and deeds of their own, or how they are, nor what accomplishments they did for themselves. Helene states that it seems in the book Odyssey, the only achievements women could achieve was being pretty and attractive to they eyes of the men. She proves throughout her paper that even Homer made it sound as...
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