Preview

Odysseus Hero Definition Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
444 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Odysseus Hero Definition Essay
What is your definition of a hero? It is definitely not a man with supernatural powers that can fly or have unhuman super strength. Many believe this is the case, but the definition is definitely the opposite of this one. A hero would be someone who has courage and has risked or sacrificed his life for others to achieve greatness. A hero to others is a person that has discovered or achieved something outstanding. A hero was a leader who not only had physical strength, but mental strength as well. “He” was usually someone that got themselves into danger, and in cases where the average man would suffer, the hero would have enough stamina to survive. Odysseus shows all of these signs and has achieved greatness because of these characteristics.

In ancient Greece, a hero was considered a man, who is exceptionally clever and talented with great courage and strength,
…show more content…
However, he displays vices that could lead to his death. He tends to be very prideful and arrogant. Odysseus' intelligence and confidence has made him unable to back down from battles .This can lead to more harm than good. Laodamas asks Odysseus if he wants to compete in sports with them, and Odysseus declines the invitation. Seareach then publicly questions Odysseus' skills, and his manhood, by saying, "[you] have no skill in any of the contests of fighting men” (page 129). Seareach's words highly insulted Odysseus' pride. This leads him to take the men up on their challenge. He retaliates by throwing a discus further than any Phaeacian could throw. Later in the book, when Odysseus identifies himself to the Phaeacians, he says, "Men hold me formidable for guile in peace and war: this fame has gone abroad to the sky's rim” (page 145). These actions that Odysseus displays shows that even though he is confident, he can be insecure of his manhood. When his manhood seems threatened, he will defend

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    I will be writing a essay of the book The Odyssey written by the person Homer. The main reason why I am written is so that you can know Odysseus is a hero because how he helps other people before he would help himself.…

    • 464 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A hero is somwone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself- Joesph Campbell. Odysseus is an an optimal hero in both the physical and metal sense. In the physical sense he is a tremendus hero, because he was challenged to all these extreme dangourous adventures; he umexpectly walks out alive after questioning for ten years long and facing the most extraordinarily dangerous creatures and people. Why would Homer set up this whole exciting experience with all the strange comings that Odysseus has to go through, if this was not to show that this stong and intelligent man is a great hero of the Greek world? What will a strong itelligent hero of greek times look like?…

    • 702 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Odysseus Is Not A Hero

    • 102 Words
    • 1 Page

    Directions: Please complete the four sentences below to answer the essential question for your Cornell notes. Remove (directions in parenthesis) and … ; then, put your evidence and\or explanations.…

    • 102 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    A hero, in society’s eyes, possesses supernatural powers and demonstrates his justification of good and evil. But what really makes a hero? The Greeks had a well-specified idea of what attributes a hero needs. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer provides insight in the Ancient Greek civilization’s concept of a hero as one who possesses bravery and intelligence, yet also flaws.…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How Odysseus Is A Hero

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Odysseus is a hero. How is Odysseus a hero? According to Google, a hero is “a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.”. In the Odyssey, I saw Odysseus as a hero because he was patriotic, humane and dexterous and there are a few times I see these qualities in the Odyssey. In this essay, I will discuss how Odysseus revealed his valiant and lionhearted ways throughout his long-lasting, venturesome journey.…

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A common trope in Epic Greek stories is the masculine and strong hero that frequently uses his strength to get out of situations. This means that, in the physical sense Odysseus can be considered a great hero. He overcomes all the extreme dangers within the book such as wondering for…

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A big part of being a hero, is leadership. When Odysseus and his crew show up on the island of the lotus eaters, Odysseus sent his crew out. They found the lotus eaters,people who eat lotuses which makes them forget all of their goals and worries. When the crew is offered some they to forget what their goals and worries are. Odysseus soon finds out what is going on and went to investigate. When he saw what had happened to the crew he tried to get them off the island. In this moment Odysseus dragged them off the island and forced them to grab the oars and sail off. This is not most people's idea of a strong leader. On the other hand, he was able to save his crew. In conclusion, Odysseus knows when to be a strict or kind leader which contributes to why he is considered a hero.…

    • 457 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus: A War Hero

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In today’s society many things can be considered as heroic. In the epic poem, The Iliad and the Odyssey by legendary Greek author, Homer. The main character is a war hero named Odysseus is very intelligent and really strong but is also portrayed as arrogant and at times a horrible leader at times but he is still a war hero nonetheless. But the times have changed, the men who fight in war are no longer worshipped how they were in the ancient times. So with that being said, Odysseus would not be considered a hero today.…

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    What makes a hero a hero? The ancient poem The Odyssey, written by the epic poet Homer, tells the story of a man by the name of Odysseus and his travels home to Ithaca after being at war in the Battle of Troy for nine years. Odysseus encounters many challenges and obstacles through the many adventures that he faces on his way home. His challenge concluding the story is of finding a way to rid the suitors that pillage his kingdom in order to retrieve his position back as lord and husband to his wife, Penelope. As Odysseus went on many adventures, he displayed the qualities of cleverness, bravery, and vengeance.…

    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the spiritual sense Odysseus is a hero, because he remains faithful and loyal to his wife and household. Although he has been wandering away from home for almost twenty years, the only thing that…

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Odysseus Is A Hero

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Odysseus is a hero. He displays many qualities that make him a hero. He is a leader that takes charge, he fights for what he believes in, he tries to keep his men alive or do something for the greater good, and his driving force is very important to him. He is a hero.…

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Superheroes have become increasingly popular in recent times and most people have their favorite from Superman to Batman to the Avengers. Not all heroes have to be superheroes with superpowers. Many people can identify heroes in their everyday life as well. Heroes can be someone that helps a person, for example many people consider their parents to be heroes because of the support they provide them in life. The difference between a superhero and a hero is that heroes are normal people just trying to be there for others while superheroes are made up characters in a book or movie with extraordinary powers. Mistakes are part of everyone’s life, but the difference between a normal person and a hero is that when a hero makes a mistake they work to fix it or overcome the problem. In the book the Odyssey, there are many problems and obstacles that Odysseus has to overcome in his attempt to get home. Odysseus has many traits that make him a hero, for example he is both physically and mentally strong. His…

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Odysseus Is A Hero

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In life there will always be a hero, protecting the angels from the burning souls demanded by the devil . Life has heros for many reasons, such as protecting the people of the world , but not every hero is a satisfying hero. In the book the odyssey, Odysseus is expressed as a great hero because he is a man of steel , not wanting to quit for the adventures he begins. Odysseus is a reliable hero because he's strong, intelligent and caring to his men and the people around him.…

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A hero is a person who has super powers or can do things normal people could not do. A hero is strong, smart and ladies call them “attractive”. A long time ago, a poet named Homer had written an epic poem called “The Odyssey”. In “The Odyssey”, there is a person with these traits named Odysseus. Odysseus goes through adventures for a long time trying to get home. Odysseus is an epic hero…

    • 396 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ancient Greek Heroism

    • 468 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Oxford English Dictionary Online defines heroism as "the action and qualities of a hero; exalted courage, intrepidity or boldness; heroic conduct" and a hero as "the name given to men of superhuman strength, courage, or ability, favoured by the gods and men, and immortal." Buxton (2004: 103) stated that according to the ancient Greeks, heroes were "a class of exceptional mortals whose deeds and sufferings marked them out as especially memorable."…

    • 468 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays