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He is intelligent, yet boastful. 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? On the other hand, he does not seem much like a hero because he was unloyal by having affairs on Penelope. Odysseus, when it comes to his crew and family, is confident, compassionate, wise, and always knows a way to get out of any problem. Odysseus is not a hero because he constantly puts his men in danger and makes decisions without thinking. 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. The deaths of his men are the result of Odysseus weaknesses. Odysseus is not a hero because he was not a good leader. Towards the begging of the story Odysseus and his men get trapped in a cave by a Cyclopes The Cyclops is eating his men so Odysseus decides he must kill the Cyclops in order to save the remainder of his men. He also leads his men into their own fates. Diverging from previous studies, Montiglio outlines the philosophers' Odysseus across the spectrum, from the Socratics to the Middle Platonists. I chose these three archetypes because I recognized them the most while we were reading the Odyssey. He has no regard for anyones feelings but his own, and he believes nothing and no one can harm him, not even the gods. Odysseus is a hero because all he wants to do is go home and protect his family. Odysseus is truly a heroic figure because he demonstrates courage, improves his character, and wins the support of the gods. A hero consists of anyone who puts their best selves forward in service to humanity. 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. 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. And he was also cocky and arrogant with his overconfidence which caused tension between him, the Cyclops, and. Odysseus could be considered a hero, but many of his actions say otherwise. 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. 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 . 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. In this case, he is a hero in this story because, Cited: Homer. 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). A hero takes many forms, such as an allegorical hero, a tragic hero, or an epic hero. He tries to take shortcuts and as a result of this is men are killed and his boats destroyed. 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. Odysseus, in Homer's Odyssey, is considered an ancient hero. Also in The Odyssey, Odysseus makes careless decisions which lead them into trouble. 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. He told her not to tell anyone who he really is. 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. A hero is a figure undertaking a quest (Odysseus). He loses his entire crew in the process, intentionally sacrificing some of them to Scylla for his own survival. 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. The Odyssey, by Homer, has a large range of stories in it. They tied me up, then, plumb amidships, back to the mast, lashed to the mast and took themselves again to rowing (Homer 1134). If you wish to support us, please check out our range of merchandise, available now on Redbubble. This allows readers to truly see Odysseus other side. Odysseus 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. He makes Odysseus look brave and heroic. What are some reasons why Odysseus is or is not a hero? Art has always tried to mirror life but in the ever yet similarly famous tale Odyessus by Homer there is no question as to this myth's life mirroring image. We say put out again on good salt water. Yet, I refused. The only reason Odysseus ties himself up to the mast, when instead he could have simply plugged his ears with wax like the rest of his crew, is that he chooses the jeopardous choice, wanting to "go down in the books" by being the first man to ever listen to the Sirens song and live. He has been cheating on his wife by sleeping with another woman. A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. If a hero is reinforced as a hero, The innate nature of humanistic narcissism strengthens. Once back to Ithaca there were many suitors insulting him, his wife, son, house, and the gods and begging for Penelopes hand in marriage. He is brave, but also conceited. 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. WebEvidence proves that Odysseus is a villain, because he tries to convince that he was kept unwillingly by Calypso. In Homers The Odyssey, Odysseus is considered the hero of the story. 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. He then spends the majority of the epic poem sitting in his tent while the war rages on and the Greeks begin to lose without him. A hero accepts who he is as an individual, but strives to change himself for the better. The themes of warfare, human emotion, loss, and struggle are enduring and can resonate with anyone across the world. Would Achilles be judged as a hero in modern times? Odysseus comments that his crew tried to calm him down and get him to stop talking, but he. Due to the fact that hes very noble and brave (and in an epic poem), that makes him an epic hero. Evidence proves that. Some people question whether the main character, Odysseus, is a hero or not. Odysseus of Ithaka. 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. During his journey Odysseus used what he has learned from is mistakes to return home and kill the suitors of his wife. Not every narrative has one. Is this not what a villain does? 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. In the age of postmodernism, there are instances where a person can be both a hero and a villain. 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. Having his men by his side when he returns seems a trivial thing to him. 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. On almost any page you turn to in the epic, you can find some act of greed or foolishness coming from Odysseus. 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. An epic hero is braver, stronger, and cleverer than an ordinary person. He was very competitive and tried to be better than anyone else and insured his name lived on forever. He is cunning, sly, suave, strong, confident and self-possessed. Another example that proves he is not a hero when he was acting selfish by sacrificing his crew men. ro \hir- ()\ Noun a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal Literary Devices A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom. (Bob Dylan). Evidence proves that, Odysseus has no reason to save his mens lives but for his own convenience. He proves then to be a villain by seeking his revenge for the suitors and maidservants that once betray him (696, summary). 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. His motivations are not due to his own honour or to take revenge, but for the greater good of the world itself. In my eyes he is a hero struggling to do the best he can but often finds things don't always go as planned. Another way Odysseus is also a hero is he always finds a way to survive whether he is in conflict or out on the sea. The crew relies on their leader to be honest with them when it comes to situations such as these. In the Odyssey, Homer values the characteristics hospitality and cunning, but he objects bad leadership. 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. The quintessential hero of the Iliad is Achilles, aristos achaion (the best of the Greeks), who is the most esteemed warrior in Homeric epic. WebOdysseus. One strong archetype in the Odyssey is the hero archetype. 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. First off, Odysseus had to leave his family to go to Troy. Although he earns the trust of his men while in Troy, he loses it on his perilous journey home. The Odyssey. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Shorter Second Edition. While traveling from Troy back to his home in Ithaka, King Odysseus overcomes daunting obstacles, and in doing so discovers his place in the world. On many occasions, however, Odysseus makes decisions beneficial to himself alone. Though you still serve the public, Their strike of disgust enhances the self-fulfilling prophecy. These heros helped anyone they saw in need, even if it put themselves in danger. 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. He was also courageous as well as confident., On the subject of heroism, Maya Angelou once wrote that I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people (Angelou). 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. Odysseus from the Ancient Greek epic The Odyssey by Homer is often considered a hero, although he does not share the same characteristics that most people who are considered heroes in todays popular culture have. He also showed great Athleticism which was very important and highly regarded. To homer and the other people of early Greece he probably was a hero. Also if you ask me, yes a hero can commit crimes. He is confident and cunning,, Having superb and honorable characteristics establishes one a hero. Odysseus is no hero, if anything, he is more of a villain. Odysseus vs Batman - Ancient and Modern Concepts of He is unfaithful to Penelope many times throughout the book. I chose these three archetypes because I recognized them the most while we were reading the Odyssey. Odysseus is a hero because of his selfless attempts in saving his crew members, and his intelligence and cunningness in difficult situations. For example, when Odysseus and his men approach the giant he offers him liquor to wash down your scraps of men (Homer 991). 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. So Athena is the real. This reveals Odysseus is a villain because he reacts as if he was innocent and some way being betrayed by his own wife. The most heroic attribute of Odysseus was that he was smart. THE STUDY CLUB - JSTOR The majority of those who read The Odyssey consider the protagonist of the story, Odysseus, a hero. 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. He is consistently seen to display piety and is perhaps more closely aligned with our ideals of a modern hero in his selfless motivations, comparable to a superhero like Hawkeye whose duty to family trumps all. 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. Many times in the epic he manipulates others, commits foolish acts and is full of hubris. Odysseus was also a prominent character in another Homeric epic, the Iliad. 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. Why Is Odysseus Not Considered A Hero? - FAQS Clear 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. This is very poor leadership in the eyes of his crew members. These traits and behaviors are not acceptable for anyone, especially a person considered to be and hailed as a hero. Instead, Odysseus only hurts him. He is not a selfish hero: instead, his drive is to his people and to found a new city that will eventually become Rome. Is Odysseus A Hero Or A Villain Analysis | ipl.org Instead, he charms the people he meets and uses his wise words that cause them to help and pity him. Aeneass epithet is pius, which does not have a precise translation but encompasses duty and patriotism to gods, country, and family. WebOdysseus should not be considered a hero because he portrays himself as a selfish man that failed his crew, and is controlled by his hubris. Moving away from Homer, another hero of ancient epic is Aeneas from Virgils Aeneid.