A hero is someone who is compassionate, selfless, and wise. On almost any page you turn to in the epic, you can find some act of greed or foolishness coming from Odysseus. Homer said, But Odysseus shot his right hand out, clutching the nurses throat. 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. He is not necessarily up against anything (Hydra is not Hercules' opponent but a task he has to complete). Evidence proves that Odysseus is a villain, because he tries to convince that he was kept unwillingly by Calypso. From Villain to Hero While this is undoubtedly a noble deed, Odysseus slips up more than he does any good, therefore making it unfit to call him a hero. On many occasions, however, Odysseus makes decisions beneficial to himself alone. WebOdysseus is the spitting image of what an ancient Greek hero would be like but in todays society or just in general, Odysseus is not heroic. When Odysseus slaughters the Trojans, he starts to act like he was greater than any god. There was one obstacle where they fell Third example is that when the nurce, Eurcilia bathed Odysseus when he was wearing a disguise, she found a scar on him that he got years ago. 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? He is cunning, sly, suave, strong, confident and self-possessed. Explain the situations in which Odysseus shows these qualities. Being a hero originally means a brave person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.. In The Odyssey, Odysseus allows all of his men to be killed. Many would argue that Odysseus is more of a villain nowadays, for every instance of his wiliness or feats of strength there are Odysseus goes through his life believing he is the best. During Odysseuss journey it becomes evident that Odysseus is a hero like the legends say, he meets all the criterias of being a hero such as being brave, smart, fighting against evil, and protecting others from danger. Odysseus is finally home, on Ithaca, and is then helped by Athena and disguises himself as an old beggar. 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. WebOdysseus. Well, the definition of a hero is : a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities., What is an epic hero? 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. While he is not a modern hero, he is a compelling character in the Odyssey, and the reader roots for him to achieve his goal of returning to Ithaca. In consequence he possibly endangers the rest of his crew from safely reaching home by endangering himself. Odysseus said, comrades riven in agony/ shrieking out my name // angler poised on a jutting rock // gasping out their lives. 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. Some people question whether the main character, Odysseus, is a hero or not. He is unfaithful to Penelope many times throughout the book. He cares more about honor than the safety of his crew. Odysseus has stolen from people, raped women, and murdered people when it all could have been avoided. The first reasons why Odysseus is a hero is because he risks his life for crew multiple times throughout the story. Odysseus is a good hero because he is rational when times get tough. 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. He takes much conceited pride in Despite multiple pleas to return to fighting, he continually refuses until his companion Patroclus is killed by Hector. Even though they disobey him constantly, Odysseus is still loyal to them. Although Odysseus does cheat on Penelope with Kalypso, he still remains loyal, and his love for her hardly wanes. This shows that he is selfish because he doesn't care about the nurse. Diverging from previous studies, This reveals Odysseus is a villain because he reacts as if he was innocent and some way being betrayed by his own wife. The archetype of heroism allows, most people, Odysseus is believed as a hero. Odysseus left Calypsos Island and began his journey back home. However, think about his so called heroic actions and the way he made everything work out for his own benefits. Odysseus has some good traits, some bad flaws, and has been in some ugly situations, but overall he is a true hero. Athena found him to be so winning, so worldly wise, so self possessed! . However especially in the later books of the Aeneid which focus on war he is still seen accruing kleos by going on a killing spree, and partakes in considerable bloodshed and vengeance; notably, at the end of the Aeneid, he kills Turnus unnecessarily to seek revenge for the death of Pallas. The majority of those who read The Odyssey consider the protagonist of the story, Odysseus, a hero. Theoi 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. In addition to saving lives a hero should be humble, Odysseus does not fit that description, his hubris is as big as the moon. A good example of a modern hero would be the First Lady, Michelle Obama. Another way in which Odysseus shows he is a villain is when he finally reunites with his wife. He often does things based purely on a feeling. Also in The Odyssey, Odysseus makes careless decisions which lead them into trouble. Lets just say he stabbed Poseidons son, had his crew turned into pigs, faced a six-headed monster and whirlpool, and that is to say the least. Odysseus could have left his men behind with Circe or the Lotus Eaters, but he. Odysseus portrays his selfishness right as the book begins and this shows how truly incompetent of an individual he is. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2009., I will be writing a essay of the book The Odyssey written by the person Homer. One reason for this claim is odysseus is smart, brave, and kind and another reason is he wants to go home and protect his family. 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 . Odysseus tends to use strategy over strength to be a hero when it comes to challenges.
Odysseus had come up with a plan for his men during the war. 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. WebIn Homers The Odyssey, Odysseus is considered the hero of the story. A hero acts in the context of fate and divine forces. 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. Odysseus was also a prominent character in another Homeric epic, the Iliad. Odysseus said then, at last , I mounted circes gorgeous bed. (Homer 10.386). Those who hurt you will eventually get their own karma. See if a hero transforms Odysseus is clever by doing this because he can predict that the liquor will make him fall asleep. Another example of Odysseuss ignorance toward people is when Eurylochus tells him not to go onto Kirkes island because he knows the crew would be turned into swine. Odysseus has no reason to save his mens lives but for his own convenience. The defining characteristics of Odysseus in classical literature are interpreted in wildly different ways by different authors: he is portrayed as a hero in Homers The Odysseus puts everything at risk in order to get his men home safely. He was also loyal to his men. Odysseus is a villain because he is stubborn in Polyphemuss cave, disrespectful to the gods, and is unfaithful to his wife. These events lead to him losing crew members and putting them into dangerous situations, elongating his voyage home, and putting his integrity at risk. He is different from Achilles and Odysseus in that he is a distinctly Roman hero and therefore upholds specifically Roman values, which have already changed from the values that were important in Homers society. Odysseus may be leaderful, but he can be too curious. However, he has many traits that explain his clouded judgement. Homers Odyssey is about an epic hero named Odysseus and his quest home. He tried at great measures to help his men return home to Ithaca alive. In another place in the book, six of Odysseuss best men are killed by the six headed beast Scylla. While he and his men were on the land of the lotus eaters Odysseus could have left, After defeating the Cyclops and heading back out into the sea he stood on his ship mocking the Cyclops. Despite all of the suitors, Penelope stays loyal to Odysseus. One of the motifs for which Homer has set the precedent is heroes: Homeric heroism is a concept that is widely discussed within scholarship. Due to the many unfaithful and self-centered decisions he makes in the story, Odysseus is not a hero. The themes of warfare, human emotion, loss, and struggle are enduring and can resonate with anyone across the world. These characteristics impact the characters day to day, or in the books case, the quests. Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. Written about two thousand and seven hundred years earlier, the Odyssey is still influencing modern storytelling today. Odysseus also possesses the personal qualities of an epic hero. He spends five long years on the Island of Calypso and another five with Circe. Everytime he enters a new island, he does not start telling everyone that he is Odysseus, king of Ithaca. A hero to me is supposed to save lives. I could not welcome you with love on sight! Is Odysseus A Hero Or A Villain Analysis | ipl.org Neither does he lack in ingenuity, King Nestor said that No onecould hope to rival Odysseus, not for sheer cunningat every twist of strategy he excelled us all . The Greeks valued strength in battle, brutality, and vengeance as ideals that a hero should uphold. is Odysseus In a way, Odysseus is a hero with strength, wits, and cunning who dominates the largest beasts the planet has to offer. During his journey back home to Ithaca, Odysseus commited adultery twice. Due to the many unfaithful and self-centered decisions he makes in the story, Odysseus is not a hero. Another way in which Odysseus shows he is a villain is when he finally reunites with his wife Penelope and reacts with rage when she tests him. Odysseus is no hero, if anything, he is more of a villain. On the island of Cicones,and with his encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus learned that bragging can bring great misfortune. Some men were killed by the Cyclops, a huge monster with one eye. Odysseus represents what being a hero is actually all about. What a hero is a person that will give everything that they have to save another person from any harm. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is on a quest to return home to Ithaca after ten years of war in Troy. WebWhile Odysseuss identity as a warrior is often praised and celebrated in the poem, war itself is presented as a divisive force separating men from their families and causing misery Largely, the problems with understanding the moral position of Odysseus stem from his immense experience and cleverness, which make him at once mortal and fantastic. Odysseus thinks he is being heroic and manly, but he is actually placing his life and that of the crews in danger all because he wants to hear the song of the sirens. 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. Diomedes, Odysseus, Ajax, and even Hector are all examples of Homeric heroes: they win kleos (glory) in battle by defeating their enemies in killing sprees which display their aristeia (battle excellence) the ability to defeat the enemy is what epitomises a Homeric hero. Odysseus is finally home, on Ithaca, and is then helped by Athena and disguises himself as an old beggar. Therefore, Odysseus is not a hero. The son of Laertes and Anticlea, Odysseus is a hero because he is a courageous leader, a quick thinker and a modest man. In homer's Odyssey the main character Odysseus is a person who only tries to help himself. Odysseus is truly a heroic figure because he demonstrates courage, improves his character, and wins the support of the gods. The, Odysseus is perhaps more closely paralleled to a modern-day hero like Batman or Iron Man. Humans make mistakes, and seeing Odysseus failures humanizes him and makes him more realistic. 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.