Characteristics Of Odysseus An Epic Hero

Valor, confidence, always emerges victorious, astute, gods who meddle in the life, loyal, strong. All signs of an epic hero. Was Odysseus a hero? I believe so. Odysseus portrays many of these traits in the Odyssey. Many times he delineates an epic hero's qualities.

In the Odyssey Odysseus portrays astute when he and his men are trapped in the cyclops's cave. Odysseus tells the ghastly giant his name is Nohbdy. When the cyclops is asleep he gathers his men and creates a giant wooden stake. Odysseus then proceeds to stab the cyclops's eye in his sleep. When the giant yells for help and opens the door, he yells that Nohbdy is hurting him. Odysseus puts his men under the cyclops’s sheep and sends them out. He thought the situation through and makes it out alive along with his men. I think this is one sign of a true epic hero because a true hero can on his feet ,and he can think ab what will come and prevents it from happening just like how Odysseus told the cyclopes his name was Nohbdy. He knew that when he would stab the giant he would yell for help. In this way he is clever.

When he fought the Trojan War he emerged victorious. He used his wit and confidence to move his men forward into battle. He thought up the Trojan horse, he created the whole plan. When the blood bath was over he talked to the gods. He stated that man doesn't need gods, that they are capable alone. When Poseidon heard this he became very angry at him and punished him. Odysseus would not return home for many years. Poseidon wanted him to learn that man would not be where they are without the gods. Odysseus showed confidence when he yelled to the gods. Too much confidence, but still he was strong on his way. I think this shows that he is an epic hero because the gods that day were a part of his life. The gods from then on would meddle in his life for years, especially