Odysseus as an Epic Hero

Odysseus states, “The dangerous nymph Calypso lives and sings there, in her beauty and she received me, loved me”(ll.991-993). Calypso loves Odysseus because of his looks and his wisdom, and so do the other women on her island, especially since they have never seen a man before. When Odysseus explains the reasons of why he can not stay on Ogygia, Calypso tells him that Ogygia is his home from now on. Within hearing this, Odysseus loses all hope of ever getting back home to his sweet wife, Penelope and his dear son, Telemachus. The god Hermes tells Calypso to free Odysseus or Zeus will punish her, she frees Odysseus, and he returns to the sea, with all hopes restored to returning

Penelope, while she probably a little worried that Odysseus wasn’t coming back, she didn’t know how little progress he was making. Odysseus was constantly making progress towards getting home, then something else would push him back to square one. He was extremely close to reaching Ithaca, then Poseidon decided it wasn’t his fate to return at that moment. Even when he was trapped on Calypso’s island. He had his boat fall into Charybdis, the monster living in the whirlpool. Odyssey then was forced to hold onto debris of his ship as he was whisked away wherever the ocean took him. He then stumbled upon Calypso's island, was trapped for many years, and could not leave. Another emotional burden he had on him, was that when they were travelling through the Strait that occupied Scylla, Odysseus knew that 7 of his men would have to sacrifice. He had to be able to keep to himself that some of them would not make it. He did this in order for him and the rest of the crew to survive. However, it was a large burden to carry and was difficult for him especially because he couldn’t do anything about

     Is Odysseus, the main character of Homer’s The Odyssey, really an epic hero? An epic hero embodies several heroic traits such as; having superior or super-human strength; being intellectual and courageous; and being a strong and responsible leader. An epic hero struggles and is overwhelmed with difficulties. An epic hero is on a quest of self discovery, war or some sort of goal. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is on a quest to return home to Ithaca after ten years of war in Troy. Odysseus, during his quest, is forced to venture through a merciless Cyclops, angered Gods, deeply obstinate Goddesses, the underworld, and determined suitors that are after his wife Penelope. Odysseus surmounts

Many people refer themselves as heroes but Gavilan has made The Hero’s Journey which shows the requirements of being a hero. Odysseus is considered a epic hero according to Joseph Campbell article The Hero’s Journey and the qualifications of an epic hero. Odysseus was lost at sea coming across lands that is unknown and may be dangerous. After 20 years he finally makes it back home safely, in the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer. In The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell it shows what skills or events the stories must meet to be required an hero’s journey. Odysseus qualifies as a hero because he meets the following components based on that he has to complete a quest, he has a mentor, and he has allies.

Odysseus displays as an epic hero in the Odyssey. But what is an epic hero? Some characteristics of an epic hero is someone who is brave, strong, and intelligent. A hero was a leader who had not only physical strength, but mental strength as well. Odysseus faces many obstacles and life-threatening situations, but he overcomes them all. Odysseus demonstrates a lot of heroic like qualities during the reading of the odyssey.

Lance Armstrong once said, “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or even a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever”. This quote resembles that one of the most important qualities of a hero is persevering through rugged obstacles. As the quote refers to time, Odysseus’s journey took 20 years to accomplish and throughout it he faced many trials, showing how great heroes are made up of those trials in life. Throughout the Odyssey written by Homer, Odysseus journeys home to Ithaca and throughout the journey, he gains qualities of an epic hero by facing and overcoming numerous challenges.

Thesis statement: Throughout Odysseus long journey home to Ithaca, he faces numerous challenges, which he overcomes, giving him qualities of an epic hero.

An epic hero is one who exhibits courage, strength, bravery, intelligence, and a desire to achieve. Odysseus, from "The Odyssey," is a person who perfectly fits the definition of an epic hero. Odysseus has been one of the most frequently portrayed figures in literature. He performs many courageous acts throughout his journeys: He uses his intelligence to overcome obstacles and learns from his mistakes along the way. In this essay I am going to point out how Odysseus personifies an epic hero.

During The Odyssey, Odysseus shows us many of his “epic” traits. Some of the these

In the poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus, the main character, travels away from his home and finds himself in a situation that prevents him from going back for a long period of time. During the times of trouble, Odysseus reveals characteristics about himself that might otherwise have been hidden if it were not for the journey. This defines his character and shows him to be not an admirable hero. Odysseus first shows this when he successfully escapes from the Cyclops’s home but made a drastic mistake and says: ‘O Cyclops! Would you feast on my companions?

However, Odysseus isn’t as perfect as most think. He has a lack of control over his shipmates creating a longer time without seeing his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus. Odysseus faced many challenges that got him and his men stuck, but he remained selfless the whole way home to Ithaca. The story of Odysseus and his journey home begins with Athena, a goddess, begging Zeus, a god, to help Odysseus, who has been lost at sea for over ten years. Odysseus’ fight to get home can be explained when Homer wrote, “ while he fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home” (Homer 8-9).

Odysseus's journey is about him making it home, alive, to his kingdom and wife back in Ithaca. After the Trojan war he was captured by Calyspo and took him to her Island. While Odysseus was trapped on Calyspo's Island, Ithaca was left without a king, and his wife, Penelope, was left alone with suitors. A few years later, Odysseus finally left the island making a grueling journey trying to make it home. Odysseus and his men encountered many obstacles. These obstacles include,

In Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey,” the central character Odysseus goes on a thrilling adventure. He faces death multiple times, defeats plenty of creatures, and overcomes many hardships. It’s evident that he’s a hero, but would he qualify as a traditional epic hero? Some of the most defining traits of an epic hero are bravery, being able to overcome darkness and come out a hero, and going on a quest or journey. By that definition, Odysseus qualifies as an epic hero.

Odysseus is an epic hero who has been on a home journey for twenty years. During his trip home he has visited many lands and been through many trials and challenges. Odysseus boast characteristics of both an epic hero and a thrill seeker.

Odysseus shows that he is an epic hero by the multiple obstacles Odysseus faces in his adventure, in “ The Odyssey” An epic hero is a brave, intelligent, ongoing, and also noble character. “ A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself “ (Joseph Campbell). In the Odyssey, Odysseus is an epic hero because he is favored, a leader moreover strong.