Odysseuss first situation was with Kalypso. He showed no mercy towards them and killed all the suitors. Because it contains so many and such striking adventures, some have called it an When people think of a hero, they think of a tall, handsome, loyal, brave, and a type of man that could do no wrong. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. He realizes and readily admits that opinions other than his own make complete sense yet he refuses to acknowledge them and ends up dragging others into danger Odysseus himself says My men came pressing round me pleading: Why not take these cheeses, and make a run for it? The general picture that comes to mind when the word hero is said is the idea of Superman or Wonder Woman; however, a true hero is anyone who tries to make their world a better place. If Odysseus took the cheese and left, his men would not have had to dealt with Polyphemus. In The Odyssey, Odysseus allows all of his men to be killed. He knows that the boulder that is blocking the entrance is heavy so he doesn 't kill Polyphemus. He never failed to remember his main goal was to get back to his wife and son in Ithaca.Odysseus was brave enough to conquer these many obstacles on his way home. Even though there is a large gap in space between Odysseus travels and the present, human nature and weakness still share the same obstacles. This is a sign of a true, Odysseus portrays himself as anything but a hero throughout Homers The Odyssey. The old soldier in despair: He has spent ten years (seven of them as Calypsos not entirely unwillingly captive) trying to get home (652, summary). In myths and stories especially, heroes tend to have supernatural capabilities in one form or another, such as superhuman strength, intellect, or even magical abilities. Despite all of the suitors, Penelope stays loyal to Odysseus. In The Odyssey, Odysseus allows all of his men to be killed. A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. One strong archetype in the Odyssey is the hero archetype. He is not a hero, however, when his WebOdysseus may be considered a hero because he is high born, a brave fighter, an intelligent trickster, and one who earns favor from the gods. Once back to Ithaca there were many suitors insulting him, his wife, son, house, and the gods and begging for Penelopes hand in marriage. When a leader mistakes his selfish decisions as heroic it can place him and the people around him in danger. War itself may also be considered an antagonist in the poem war is what separated Odysseus from his home, and he spends much of the poem battling the traumas he and his men suffered in the Trojan War. For instance, Odysseus says that Circes luxuries appealed to his and his mens battle-hardened spirits. Heading home, to Ithaca, Odysseus is faced upon many obstacles that he and his men try to overcome, but in the end substantiate that Odysseus is a villain. In the book it states, She at once called to her husband Antiphates, who immediately began killing my men. Odysseus then cuts the cable from his own ship to save himself. Athena, however, aided him when he arrived to his homeland. Is Odysseus a hero or a villain? The main character is a man named Odysseus who displays hero characteristics throughout the book. I chose these three archetypes because I recognized them the most while we were reading the Odyssey. Even though Odysseus is a troublemaker, he has multiple great characteristics of a leader. Being a hero originally means a brave person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.. Odysseus says, Then he tore them apart and gobbled them up like a lion in the wilderness. All of Odysseuss men are killed by the end of the book. Even when Odysseus was thought to be dead, she still puts up with the suitors behavior and refuses to remarry. When Circe captured Odysseuss men he was advised not to save them by his best man, Eurylochus, however Against this advice, Odysseus rushes to save his men from the enchantress (Homer 1125). He was also the king of Ithaca and the prime protagonist of Homer's epic, the Odyssey. The trojans didn't know Odysseus and his men were inside the big wooden horse, Odysseus and his men eventually came out and attacked the trojans and won the war. Modern day depictions of heroes are influenced by popular media such as comic books, movies, and TV. The first archetype this essay will be explaining, Ancient Greek civilizations and their morals. Odysseus is described as a god-like man. Odysseus is a hero because all he wants to do is go home and protect his family. In my mind it is right in the middle he does some things that were ok, but he also did things he shouldn't have done. In conclusion, Odysseus throughout his actions proves to be not only veil but a villain. Odysseus appears to be heroic but looking closer this rash decision was selfish. Another example of him showing care towards his comrades was when Odysseus warns his crewmen of the potential dangers that awaits them if they happen to harm the cattle of Helios the Sun God. For example, when Odysseus and his men find themselves on Polyphemus's island, Odysseus's actions are self-centered and at the expense of his men. Circe had warned Odysseus about Scylla to not try and fight her even when she already has six of his men, but he did not listen to her advice and tried to fight her and lost three more of his men. Each archetype provides an example of what was moral,heroic,and frightening. A hero is someone who, in spite of weakness, doubt or not always knowing the answers, goes ahead and overcomes anyway and this shows the quality of a hero that the well-known hero, Odysseus, does not have. The hero: In the plays The Odyssey, Oedipus Rex, and Antigone the heroes face torturous journeys that put their will power to the test. Even though they disobey him constantly, Odysseus is still loyal to them. Some people question whether the main character, Odysseus, is a hero or not. He fearlessly leads his remaining men home to Ithaca, doing everything in his power to get them back alive and well. Odysseus consists of positive and negative characteristics that is shown in the text by Homer. Odysseus is a hero because he returns home with a changed perspective which reflects his heroic abilities, such as his bravery and dedication to return home. However, it is true that Odysseus was kept as, Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus shows multiple times where he made bad choices due to his hubris.He has shown many careless acts were he only thinks of himself. Throughout the novel The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus continuously shows his personality of being an admirable hero to everyone by using strategy instead of strength. Then to top it all off Odysseus if unfaithful, untrustworthy, disrespectful, and greedy. However, it is true that Odysseus was kept as Calypsos captive for a time. Odysseus may be an epic hero, but he is far from a true one., The general populous has hailed Odysseus as the epitome of the epic hero for several centuries, but to the modern reader, he comes off as anything but. He put himself before his men because he wanted a gift from the cave owner. Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness. The archetype of heroism allows an individual to serve as the primary example of what society deems, archetypes the hero, villain/monster, and the damsel in distress. First example is that he mounted Circes, a woman that helped Odysseus, bed. Odysseus tends to use strategy over strength to be a hero when it comes to challenges. He takes the punishment of Antinous and the other suitors without saying a word and is able to see those who have invaded his house. In Homers So is Odysseus really a hero? So those are just a few instances in the story where he shows compassion for his comrades and truly cares about them. WebOdysseus. Odysseuss inability to think through his rash decisions and recognize the right choice over the honorable and selfish one makes him unfit to be a, In conclusion Odysseus is a true hero even though he was thoughtless, selfish and deceitful. The hero that is portrayed in the Odyssey is a man named Odysseus. However, he is also a villain; he intrudes and assaults helpless creatures and also he returns home expecting his wife Penelope not to have cheated on him while he was gone. Odysseus is not a hero based on the standards of merciful, selfless, and gentle because of his actions of sacrificing his men, killing the suitors and being ruthless throughout the Odyssey. His odyssey might be described as ones own life struggles. He has the qualities of being a hero in some situations but also has flaws which make him seem less of a hero at times. In The Odyssey, Odysseus along with his men try to go back home to Ithaca but due to Odysseus nature, only he actually returns alive. Of course not, but does not being a villain automatically make him a hero? The old soldier in despair: He has spent ten years (seven of them as Calypsos not entirely unwillingly captive) trying to get home (652, summary). Academus Education is an online learning platform providing free Classics Education to students through summer schools, articles and digital think tanks. These traits and behaviors are not acceptable for anyone, especially a person considered to be and hailed as a hero. Also this shows that he is mean because he yelled at the nurse to not tell anyone who he really is. For example, when his men are tempted by the Lotus eaters or captured by Circe, Odysseus rushes to save them without hesitation. Hero; Of course Odysseus. These details show that Odysseus is not a hero because of his selfishness because in every one of these evidences he only thinks about himself. He earns the respect of his men during the Trojan War by making good sound decisions and caring about the welfare of his men. For example, when Odysseus and his men approach the giant he offers him liquor to wash down your scraps of men (Homer 991). These reasons alone leaves me, and should leave you, to believe that Odysseus is not heroic. Odysseus is a hero because he is a courageous leader, a quick thinker and a modest man. The most heroic attribute of Odysseus was that he was smart. Odysseus also used these qualities to aid and strived to prevent oodles of his men from dying throughout the Odyssey, which establishes Odysseus to be viewed as a modern day hero., Lizeth Marin Honors Introduction to Literature Period 3 18 April 2008 Odysseus: Hero or Villain? Finally, Odysseus is home and after a long journey in which he shows no heroic actions and yet proves to be nothing but a villain, he once again proves throughout his actions that he is a villain. He may have super hero qualities such These are the hero archetype, the monster or villain archetype, and the hero's journey archetype. He makes Odysseus look brave and heroic. On the other hand Polyphemus, the monster, is made to be hostile, beast-like and dimwitted. This hero may be tall and handsome, but he is often arrogant, disrespectful, conceited, and rude. This shows that he is really selfish because instead of sacrificing his life he was thinking about him self and he killed his crew members. In my eyes he is a hero struggling to do the best he can but often finds things don't always go as planned. On the island of Cicones,and with his encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus learned that bragging can bring great misfortune. In The Odyssey, Odysseus allows all of his men Would Achilles be judged as a hero in modern times? Odysseus relies on his wit to help him in battle and on his journey home, just as Batman and Iron Man use mental acuity to build their own suits and gadgets. He leads his followers into lousy situations where many people were hurt. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, the main character Odysseus is a valiant king who embarks on a life-changing voyage. On almost any page you turn to in the epic, you can find some act of greed or foolishness coming from Odysseus. So at this point, Odysseus decided that kill the Cyclops will in turn be killing his men so instead he jabs a shark stake into the Cyclops only eye blinding the Cyclops and saving him and his men. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership. Heroism is a concept that has evolved and will continue to evolve over time since it depends heavily on the values which each society covets. In Homers The Odyssey, Odysseus proves he is not a hero because he is arrogant, secretive, and unfaithful; resulting for readers to believe that every action has an consequence. Ed. He does not have any supernatural abilities unlike Achilles who is the son of a goddess and so has superhuman strength and speed. Some men were killed by the Cyclops, a huge monster with one eye. This shows that he is selfish because he doesn't care about the nurse. On the island of Cicones,and with his encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus learned that bragging can bring great misfortune. You make my stiff heart know that I am yours. Penelope never once considered cheating on Odysseus so why couldnt Odysseus pay her the same courtesy. From Villain to Hero explores the reception of Odysseus in philosophy, a subject that so far has been treated only in tangential or limited ways. The Iliad contains a multitude of these heroes, since the focus of the action is on the Trojan War and various characters stories within this narrative. Odysseus is a different type of hero to Achilles: his heroic qualities stem from his quick wit and clever tactics rather than brute strength in battle. WebOdysseus is an epic hero because he cares about his family, he is intelligent and he shows courage and because he shows determination. He proves then to be a villain by seeking his revenge for the suitors and maidservants that once betray him (696, summary). That plan was to build a big wooden horse as a gift for the trojans, the trojans accepted it and brought it inside their village. Kirke tells Odysseus not to fight Scylla, yet he chooses to anyway. The crew tries to get Odysseus to be quiet, but his ego gets in the way, and he tells Polyphemus his name; leading to Polyphemus cursing him and his men to make the journey home slow and painful. The gods punished him by stranding him at sea for more than ten years without being able to go home. This is what underpins a modern-day hero, and it drastically differs from the ancient perceptions of heroism. All the little kids probably looked up to him but now kids don't even know his name. When on the beach in Phaeacia he confidently stalked as a mountain lion exultant in his power strides through wind and rain and his eyes blaze and he charges sheep or oxen or chases wild deer , and when he sees Nausicaa He launched in at once, endearing, sly and suave . However, once again, Odysseus motivations are ultimately selfish: the, Moving away from Homer, another hero of ancient epic is Aeneas from Virgils, Academus Education is an online learning platform providing free Classics Education to students through summer schools, articles and digital think tanks. It is sometimes difficult to reconcile this man with the one who willingly gives up eternal life for the moral condition and the chance to return to his wife. Everytime he enters a new island, he does not start telling everyone that he is Odysseus, king of Ithaca. However most myths are in this way, there doesn't seem to be many relatable things in these stories but the overral moral connects to the reader making the myth more realistic. In homer's Odyssey the main character Odysseus is a person who only tries to help himself. This shows that Odysseus had mounted Circes bed and that he had a affair with Circe. Many would argue that Odysseus is more of a villain nowadays, for every instance of his wiliness or feats of strength there are several of venality, vice, cruelty, or selfishness. In homer's Odyssey the main character Odysseus is a person who only tries to help himself. As Odysseus is about to kill the Cyclops, he remembers that he is trapped in a cave with a large boulder blocking the entrance that he and his men will not be able to move. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. They can do many small acts of heroism and never become acknowledged as a hero, yet when they do something horrendous they are labeled as a villain. During his journey Odysseus used what he has learned from is mistakes to return home and kill the suitors of his wife. Odysseus defies the suitors and wins his wife and kingdom back. He is shown to be clever but flawed, as his pride leads him to reveal his identity to Polyphemus in Odyssey 9, enabling the cyclops to pray to Poseidon and curse the rest of his journey back to Ithaca. Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus makes mistakes that causes his men to be killed. I armed myself long ago against the frauds of men. In The Odyssey, Odysseus allows all of his men to be killed. Odysseus fits the description of a hero because hes done a few things that are heroic. He tried at great measures to help his men return home to Ithaca alive. He is consistently referred to with the epithet a man of many ways (compared to the swift-footed Achilles), demonstrating that Odysseus heroism is due to mental rather than physical strength. Odysseus could have left his men behind with Circe or the Lotus Eaters, but he. In the epic poetry, The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus exhibits his arrogance, foolishness, and his lack of leadership in which it leads to him going home by himself. He spends five long years on the Island of Calypso and another five with Circe. Achilles, Odysseus, and Aeneas are undoubtedly heroes but they would all certainly feel out of place in a superhero movie of today! One trait that Odysseus has is that he is very clever. Aeneass epithet is pius, which does not have a precise translation but encompasses duty and patriotism to gods, country, and family. A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, achievements, and noble qualities. Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness. Although he earns the trust of his men while in Troy, he loses it on his perilous journey home. Odysseus doesnt deserve the title of a hero because he made bad decisions that affected his crew poorly, Athena did almost all of the work in getting him home, and he cheated on his wife multiple times throughout his journey home. The majority of those who read The Odyssey consider the protagonist of the story, Odysseus, a hero. Homer said, But Odysseus shot his right hand out, clutching the nurses throat. He leads his followers into lousy situations where many people were hurt. On this journey, he encounters many monsters, many ladies, and we see his good side and his bad side. Odysseus was probably think that if he and his army defeated Troy than they would have any more trouble with anyone, but, April 2008 Odysseus: Hero or Villain? Joseph Campbell once said, A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. True heroes are those who do something for others rather for themselves, Odysseus doesnt exactly show this trait in The Odyssey. Odysseus makes some substantial mistakes, thus leading to the failure to his men. One of these plans was his ingenious idea to trick Polyphemos, which shows he is a hero by saving countless lives. A good example of a modern hero would be the First Lady, Michelle Obama. However, he has many traits that explain his clouded judgement. WebOdysseus was a legendary hero in Greek mythology, king of the island of Ithaca and the main protagonist of Homer's epic, the Odyssey.. When he faced the Cyclops he stabbed his eye, so the men could get away.The crewmen then escape the cyclops's cave by riding under the bellies of the cyclops's rams as Odysseus even ties each and every one of them to a ram by himself. This also shows that he is not a hero because he was mean because when the crew members were yelling his name he never saved them all he did was watch them die. On the other hand, he does not seem much like a hero because he was unloyal by having affairs on Penelope. Odysseus has these qualities and more. In the age of postmodernism, there are instances where a person can be both a hero and a villain. He was a role model for his son Telemachus who wanted to be like him. Odysseus is perhaps more closely paralleled to a modern-day hero like Batman or Iron Man. Don't waste your time on revenge. She was one of the only goddesses on his side. Odysseus was also selfish when he sailed near the lands of Sirens.Steer wide; keep well to seaward; plug your oarsmens ears with beeswax kneaded soft(Homer 669-671). Odysseus is not the epitome of an epic hero., Hero? WebOdysseus is not a hero because he was not a good leader. While Odysseus does demonstrate some qualities that are not heroic, he is still defined as a hero because of his better, more heroic qualities in which he is far superior in than any other man. It states in the book, Athena touched him with her wand and covered him with wrinkles. Athena made the plan to defeat the suitors and helped disguise Odysseus. (For tales of his wanderings see Polyphemus, Aeolus, the Laestrygones, Circe, the Underworld, the Sirens, Scylla, Charybdis, Lampetia & Phaethusa, Calypso, Leucothea .) Odysseus tells the Phaeacians in his story, So they spoke, but they could not persuade my great-hearted spirit; and I answered him again with angry heart: Cyclops, if any one of mortal men shall ask thee about the shameful blinding of thine eye, say that Odysseus, the sacker of cities, blinded it, even the son of Laertes, whose home is in Ithaca(Homer.9.500-506). For example, when Odysseus and his men find themselves on Polyphemus's island, Odysseus's actions are self-centered and at the expense of his men. In Homers The Odyssey, Odysseus is considered the hero of the story. Everyone thinks he is not a hero is he slept with circe there is a reason why that is not a strong reason that he is not a hero. Odysseus said then, at last , I mounted circes gorgeous bed. (Homer 10.386). Odysseus, Hero or Villain? Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness. The qualities in which define Odysseus as a hero are courage, intelligence, and leadership. Dexter Morgan. In the novel, The Odyssey, Odysseus goes to war against the Trojans in hope to win. Due to the fact that hes very noble and brave (and in an epic poem), that makes him an epic hero. He faces countless challenges, meets new people, and has to make sacrifices for the overall benefit of his crew (Bowler and Homer 645-705)., Odysseuss tale has been told several times, and most depict him as an epic hero. He was also loyal to his men. Some are very strong, some are very smart, some are very rich that they can afford to create gadgets to make them do unnatural things, like Batman and Iron Man. These events lead to him losing crew members and putting them into dangerous situations, elongating his voyage home, and putting his integrity at risk. While he was extremely driven by one goal, getting back home to his family, he performed some not-so heroic deeds on his quest and once he arrived back in Ithaca. Odysseus portrays himself as anything but a hero throughout Homers The Odyssey. The ancient idea vastly differs from what we think of as a hero today but there are parallels that are interesting to consider; ancient heroism still arguably impacts modern-day perception. Odysseus doesnt do this only once through his journey back, he does it again with Kalypso for seven years and by will: He lay with her each night, for she compelled him. (V, 163). The archetype of heroism allows, most people, Odysseus is believed as a hero. Odysseus cheats on his wife more than once; it was not a simple lapse in judgment. Odysseus is a hero because of his selfless attempts in saving his crew members, and his intelligence and cunningness in difficult situations. Odysseus goes through his life believing he is the best. On a website posted by teachers at Harker Heights High, an epic hero is someone who embodies the values of a particular society. Evidence proves that, Odysseus has no reason to save his mens lives but for his own convenience.