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![Odysseus As A Hero Essay
An epic is defined as a long narrative poem describing the noble and courageous deeds of a hero. Similarly, a hero is denoted as an individual
who can be seen as a role model, maintaining qualities and characteristics worth looking up to and hoping to achieve. Odysseus, being the main
character of Homer's epic The Odyssey, is given the title of a hero by these definitions. He is the center of attention throughout the poem and the
people of Ithaka speak of him as if he has godālike qualities. However, when his decisions and intents are examined deeper, it is clearly
discernible that Odysseus is acting out of his own hubris and selfācentered nature, taking unnecessary risks as he travels home due to his elite
status among mortal men....show more content...
She speaks with the god, telling him of "'...[their] absolute purpose, the homecoming of enduring Odysseus, that he shall come back'" (I: 86ā87).
Her allegiance is not explicitly stated until later, when she reveals her true form to Odysseus and says, "'...and yet you never recognized Pallas
Athene, daughter of Zeus, the one who is always standing beside you and guarding you in every endeavor'" (XIII: 299ā301). Odysseus is aware
of this favoritism Athene has of him, as almost all people, mortals and immortals alike, revere him. Throughout his journey, he travels
wherever he wants and takes whatever course of action he wishes to because he knows he has a goddess on his side. He abuses her power,
believing he is entitled to divine help at all times, testing the limits of others and invading their land. For example, on the island of Thrinakia, he
had been previously warned that if he or his men kill the cows belonging to Helios, Odysseus will lose all of his crew members. Instead of
heeding this warning, he and his men become hungry and cannot control themselves. Since Odysseus knew that he would lose the men, a man
with the nature of a hero would have tried harder to deter them. He knew that his men would become hungry, staying on an island where there was
little other food, yet he did nothing. His thoughts were not with his crew ā a simple indication of his
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Odysseus As A Hero Essay
In the essay, Odysseus is characterized as a hero in Homer's 'The Odyssey,' embodying the qualities of a traditional epic hero. However, upon closer examination, his actions reveal a self-centered nature that leads to unnecessary risks, showing that his heroic status is complicated by hubris. The narrative critiques his entitlement to divine assistance and his disregard for the well-being of his crew, ultimately questioning the true essence of heroism.
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Odysseus As A Hero Essay
- 1. Odysseus As AHero Essay An epic is defined as a long narrative poem describing the noble and courageous deeds of a hero. Similarly, a hero is denoted as an individual who can be seen as a role model, maintaining qualities and characteristics worth looking up to and hoping to achieve. Odysseus, being the main character of Homer's epic The Odyssey, is given the title of a hero by these definitions. He is the center of attention throughout the poem and the people of Ithaka speak of him as if he has godālike qualities. However, when his decisions and intents are examined deeper, it is clearly discernible that Odysseus is acting out of his own hubris and selfācentered nature, taking unnecessary risks as he travels home due to his elite status among mortal men....show more content... She speaks with the god, telling him of "'...[their] absolute purpose, the homecoming of enduring Odysseus, that he shall come back'" (I: 86ā87). Her allegiance is not explicitly stated until later, when she reveals her true form to Odysseus and says, "'...and yet you never recognized Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, the one who is always standing beside you and guarding you in every endeavor'" (XIII: 299ā301). Odysseus is aware of this favoritism Athene has of him, as almost all people, mortals and immortals alike, revere him. Throughout his journey, he travels wherever he wants and takes whatever course of action he wishes to because he knows he has a goddess on his side. He abuses her power, believing he is entitled to divine help at all times, testing the limits of others and invading their land. For example, on the island of Thrinakia, he had been previously warned that if he or his men kill the cows belonging to Helios, Odysseus will lose all of his crew members. Instead of heeding this warning, he and his men become hungry and cannot control themselves. Since Odysseus knew that he would lose the men, a man with the nature of a hero would have tried harder to deter them. He knew that his men would become hungry, staying on an island where there was little other food, yet he did nothing. His thoughts were not with his crew ā a simple indication of his Get more content on HelpWriting.net