Why Do We Consider Odysseus to Be a Hero free essay sample

Why do we consider Odysseus to be a hero? Was he all bullets and bravado like the heroes of today? Was he a testosterone and power armor kind of hero we see in video games? No, but he was heroic nonetheless. His loyalty, valor, humanity and most importantly, his intelligence, sets him apart from many other heroes from his era and from ours. He exemplifies the most important ideals of Homeric Greeks and is portrayed not only as a proud adventurer, but also as a caring father and a husband. Loyalty is one of the most important of Homeric Ideals. Odysseus has always been seen as loyal to his family in lthica and the men who he travelled with. Some examples of his loyalty towards his family are his Journey itself, traversing stormy seas and vicious locals to see his family again. His outstanding loyalty kept him going for twenty years until he was finally reunited with his beloved family. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Do We Consider Odysseus to Be a Hero or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He also never lost sight of his goal to return home, even during his stays with the two sultry goddesses Circe and Calypso. His stay with Circe can be seen as unfaithfulness to Penelope; however, it was necessary to free his men from their pig-form enchantment. Outstanding valor is a very common trait among heroes from all time periods and Odysseus is no exception. He faced the most fearsome creatures such as Cyclopes, Scylla and Charibdys. He even blinded Polythemus, son of Poseidon. While he may have wept for his fallen men during these encounters, his courage never once faltered, and drove him to surpass these obstacles no matter how terrifying. And his journey to Hades chilled his men to the bone, but Odysseus never gave into fear. Beowulf also had valor to spare. His horrors might even have been greater then those encountered by Odysseus. Both had watched their kinsmen slaughtered before their eyes, both have slain monsters, but Beowulf always killed his prey alone. It takes far more courage to face an inhuman opponent without your comrades to aid you. Odysseus often shows that even though he may be a hero, he was still human. His emotions and how he expresses them show that he is still human above all else. This would make him easy to relate to by the reader/audience. This is one area where Odysseus surpasses Beowulf. While Beowulf may have had unparallel courage, much of his qualities were often inhuman. Beowulf did not show to have very strong family bonds, whereas family bonds are the reason why Odysseus never gave up on his twenty-year Journey home. He may have been easier to relate to during the era where his story was being told in taverns where nearly every man at one aspired to be a noble warrior. However, to the modern reader, Beowulf may seem like a heaping ass of muscle that while having strong values, showed little emotion. This makes Beowulf seem less realistic then Odysseus. The most renowned heroic quality of Odysseus was his intelligence. This is what tried to battle through every obstacle that came his way. Odysseuss cunning is the main reason why he stayed alive, why Greece finally defeated Troy with the Trojan Horse, and ultimately the reason why he managed to get home against all odds. Even when confronted by the goddess Athene, he remains cautious and invents creative lies on the spot. His expertise in the art of deceit saved his life during his encounter with the Cyclops Polythemus. First, by convincing the Cyclops to drink the wine and putting him into a deep sleep where his single remained open. Secondly, by sharpening the trunk of an olive tree into a great steak, heating it over a fire and then thrusting into the Cyclopes one eye. Third by calling himself Nobody so that when Polythemus called for aid he said, Nobody is killing by cunning! meriting a humorous reaction from the rest of the Cyclopes telling him to tell his father.