Odysseus was well known for being a hero. On the other hand Polyphemus, the monster, is made to be hostile, beast-like and dimwitted. Odysseus is described as a god-like man. Dexter Morgan. A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Odysseus is not a hero because he was not a good leader. WebOdysseus is not a hero because he was not a good leader. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. 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. He is not a selfish hero: instead, his drive is to his people and to found a new city that will eventually become Rome. He has been cheating on his wife by sleeping with another woman. These characteristics impact the characters day to day, or in the books case, the quests. In Homer's Odyssey Odysseus is a character who, sometimes behaves like a proper hero and also as a very self-centered character at other points. While Odysseus many adventures are very exciting, he spends a considerable amount of time cheating on his wife (with. The Odyssey is the perfect story for examples of archetypes seeing as it has so many of them. Odysseus doesnt resist Kalypsos charm and cheats on his wife Penelope. There is many thing that can support this claim. Odysseus was also very arrogant to think that he could get past the Sirens. Homers Odyssey is about an epic hero named Odysseus and his quest home. One example of this would be when he tells Polyphemus that his name is Nobody. Written about two thousand and seven hundred years earlier, the Odyssey is still influencing modern storytelling today. She was one of the only goddesses on his side. On Ithaca Odysseus never brags to the suitors and is able to enter his house with the Antinous and the other suitors knowing his real identity. During his long and perilous journey home Odysseus shows many heroic qualities that help save his men from many dangerous situations. All depictions in Ancient Greece and Rome were truly to better enhance the world's view of the artistic human form. 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. 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. Everyone has their favorite super hero, whether it be Superman, Batman, or even Ironman. He not only slays all of the suitors but also the slave girls who slept with them, an act of violence that is morally abhorrent by modern standards. WebOdysseus is a villain because he is stubborn in Polytheisms cave, disrespectful to the gods, and is unfaithful to his wife. 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. Also this shows that he cheated on his wife Penelope, he also never told her about it. Another way in which Odysseus shows he is a villain is when he finally reunites with 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. His motivations are not due to his own honour or to take revenge, but for the greater good of the world itself. Odysseus is no hero, if anything, he is more of a villain. He is not a hero, however, when his Even though there is a large gap in space between Odysseus travels and the present, human nature and weakness still share the same obstacles. An epic hero is on a quest of self discovery, war or some sort of goal. 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. A good example of a modern hero would be the First Lady, Michelle Obama. His most distinguishing trait, however, is his sharp intellect. 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. A hero acts in the context of fate and divine forces. 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. Reflection, Pages 9 (2149 words) Views. He proves then to be a villain by seeking his revenge for the suitors and maidservants that once betray him (696, summary). The simple acts of heroism are often overlooked-thats very clear to me not only in war but in peace (source 2). 2765. He may as well be on Americas most wanted list with all the trouble he was causing. 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). The episode of the Sirens,(Book 12), is one example. So those are just a few instances in the story where he shows compassion for his comrades and truly cares about them. Odysseus was also a prominent character in another Homeric epic, the Iliad. The Odyssey begins after the Trojan war had left Odysseus trapped, pointlessly seafaring for 10 years after angering Poseidon, the god of the sea. Each archetype provides an example of what was moral,heroic,and frightening. Odysseus defies the suitors and wins his wife and kingdom back. A hero takes many forms, such as an allegorical hero, a tragic hero, or an epic hero. He plays with the lives of his men and he is punished for it. These reasons alone leaves me, and should leave you, to believe that Odysseus is not heroic. He may have super hero qualities such as extreme strength and cleverness but he doesnt embody them the way one should. Odysseus is thought of as a hero in the physical and spiritual sense because of his bravery while facing the many dangers of creatures, goddesses, and many other things for almost 20 years trying to get home to his wife and son. 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. A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom. (Bob Dylan). Odysseus goes through his life believing he is the best. Diverging from previous studies, For example, when his men are tempted by the Lotus eaters or captured by Circe, Odysseus rushes to save them without hesitation. Even though Odysseus is a troublemaker, he has multiple great characteristics of a leader. He has no regard for anyones feelings but his own, and he believes nothing and no one can harm him, not even the gods. The Greeks valued strength in battle, brutality, and vengeance as ideals that a hero should uphold. This can be said for most of Odysseus's actions in the story, as his main objective is to reach his home. One of the many situations Odysseus survives is his encounter with Skylla. thinks of himself as a hero. The first heroic thing he has done is go fight in a war with the trojans. Odysseus of Ithaka. Sometimes being a hero is difficult. 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. Odysseus is able to see who is loyal and who is not and take his revenge with the suitors never knowing who, Odysseus is also disloyal to his wife who stayed faithful to him despite the circumstances. He is a hero because he saves his beloved wife from the suitors that yearn for her (the wife, Penelopes) hand as well as Odysseus thrown; he does this through a battle that ends, these three archetypes the hero, villain/monster, and the damsel in distress. A hero consists of anyone who puts their best selves forward in service to humanity. The main character is a man named Odysseus who displays hero characteristics throughout the book. Especially if you compare it too previous myths like Hercules or Achillies; they were all muscle and not a ton of brain. Evidence proves that, Odysseus has no reason to save his mens lives but for his own convenience. Another way Odysseus' quick-decision skills helps him is when he chooses to leave the island of the Lotous-eaters, because he realized his whole crew would have fell under the curse if he had stayed there. Now, is Odysseus a villain? 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). 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, the protagonist of Homers The Odyssey, is not a good example of a modern hero. Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns. Nobody wants a hero to lose so Homer gives him admirable traits so that readers find themselves rooting for him. One strong archetype in the Odyssey is the hero archetype. Most of these mistakes could have been fixed by Odysseus making better decisions throughout his journey. Another plan he implemented was to kill the suitors which is also a success because Odysseus and Telemakos themselves kill over a hundred men without an injury to themselves .Odysseus is a quick-thinker whose resourceful ideas save many lives. He tries desperately to return home to Ithaka and his wife, Penelope, and newborn son, Telemachus. Odysseus, hes known as a war hero on his way back to his homeland, who ends up going on a ten year long journey due to unforeseen circumstances. Even though they disobey him constantly, Odysseus is still loyal to them. Well known heroes do not kill people with no sympathy or mercy. The villains that try to keep the hero from his quest are usually uglier, more evil, and more cunning than anyone we know in ordinary life. 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. WebOdysseus is an epic hero because he cares about his family, he is intelligent and he shows courage and because he shows determination. On the other hand, he does not seem much like a hero because he was unloyal by having affairs on Penelope. Odysseus, the hero in Homers epic poem The Odyssey, fought in the Trojan War and embarked on a ten year journey to return to his kingdom, Ithaca. The superheroes we idealise today are heroes because of their selflessness and commitment to helping others rather than personal motivations. WebOdysseus, Hero or Villain? He never gave up trying to get back home to Ithaca.Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire/ how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him/Odysseus, raider of lost cities, took your eye: Laertes son, whose homes on Ithaca. (1062)This shows that Odysseus is brave because he fights the. Odysseus shows extremely inadequate leadership qualities throughout the story. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is quite the legend known to people, whether you are high up in the sky with Zeus, or deep in the ocean with Poseidon, everyone knows Odysseus. 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. 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 is not a hero because he is selfish. Why is Odysseus an epic hero? Not every narrative has one. 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. The qualities in which define Odysseus as a hero are courage, intelligence, and leadership. Odysseus could be considered a hero, but many of his actions say otherwise. That is why he began this trudge across lands in the first place; to be a hero. The crew relies on their leader to be honest with them when it comes to situations such as these. Odysseus has some good traits, some bad flaws, and has been in some ugly situations, but overall he is a true hero. 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. However, it is true that Odysseus was kept as Calypsos captive for a time. 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. Some men were killed by the Cyclops, a huge monster with one eye. Odysseus had come up with a plan for his men during the war. Odysseus is different from other heroes. 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. This is Walter White. 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. Heroes cannot be cross cultural, and Odysseus heroics do not transcend time and apply to the modern world. This led me to wonder, what characteristics qualify or disqualify someone, In Homer's The Odyssey, he portrays Odysseus, the hero of the story, as clever and brave. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2009., I will be writing a essay of the book The Odyssey written by the person Homer. These are the hero archetype, the monster or villain archetype, and the hero's journey archetype. These heros helped anyone they saw in need, even if it put themselves in danger. If a hero is reinforced as a hero, The innate nature of humanistic narcissism strengthens. Athena found him to be so winning, so worldly wise, so self possessed! . The mighty Odysseus is many, many things but he is no hero in my eyes. WebThe Hero The constant strife for self-satisfaction Is often taxing. Being a hero is loyal and responsibility. He leads his followers into lousy situations where many people were hurt. 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. Odysseus said, comrades riven in agony/ shrieking out my name // angler poised on a jutting rock // gasping out their lives. Many times in the epic he manipulates others, commits foolish acts and is full of hubris. The epic hero is often of mixed, there are three archetypes that provide insights to Ancient Greek civilizations and their morals. (XIX, lines 163-190) Penelope is experiencing so much pressure from the suitors and her family, but she still refuses to succumb and does not cheat on. This allows readers to truly see Odysseus other side. 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). In many cases he only saves himself, he is selfish, and he isnt humble. (For tales of his wanderings see Polyphemus, Aeolus, the Laestrygones, Circe, the Underworld, the Sirens, Scylla, Charybdis, Lampetia & Phaethusa, Calypso, Leucothea .) With this presentation, I will explore Odysseus' heroic role in the ancient world and whether or not he could be considered a hero for our modern culture. A hero to me is supposed to save lives. 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. First example is that he mounted Circes, a woman that helped Odysseus, bed. Odysseus says, Then he tore them apart and gobbled them up like a lion in the wilderness Odysseus is not a hero because, he is foolish, lacks faithfulness and is consumed by his Hubris and selfishness. 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 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. 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. The first archetype i 'll be explaining is the hero, characteristics of a hero, sage, and villain. The possession of the character trait, arrogance, does not help him in escaping, but rather puts him closer to danger. WebFrom Villain to Hero explores the reception of Odysseus in philosophy, a subject that so far has been treated only in tangential or limited ways. 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. He even risks his own soul for them. He is not necessarily up against anything (Hydra is not Hercules' opponent but a task he has to complete). He does not have any supernatural abilities unlike Achilles who is the son of a goddess and so has superhuman strength and speed. In the age of postmodernism, there are instances where a person can be both a hero and a villain. They expect Odysseus to make decisions for the well being of the crew. He loses his entire crew in the process, intentionally sacrificing some of them to Scylla for his own survival. He was a villain and there is no doubt about it. 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. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is on a quest to return home to Ithaca after ten years of war in Troy. Odysseus is able to see who is loyal and who is not and take his revenge with the suitors never knowing who. The 3 archetypes, Whenever I think of a hero, visions of characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman often come to mind, as these strong figures have save their respective communities from danger using their remarkable skills.

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