After killing Grendel, Beowulf’s men describe him as “the mighty protector of men” and “Edgetho’s brave son.” Since Beowulf defeated a monster that no other man could kill, Beowulf is immediately heralded as a hero. Beowulf’s pride and respect both drastically increase after his fight with Grendel. Hrothgar is the first to inform Beowulf of his terrible flaw that could potentially leave him in danger. When Beowulf is warned of his prideful nature by Hrothgar, he mentions Beowulf’s strength and how it is “in bloom” but reminds him “it fades quickly” Hrothgar pleads to Beowulf, “Do not take pride.” (1760-62). Beowulf must take into account how fleeting his pride
Odysseus who is disguised as a begger speaks with Penelope and says, “Your name has gone out under heaven like the sweet honor of some god-fearing king” (IV.95-97). Penelope is being compared to an honorable “God-fearing king”. This paints the picture that Penelope is a very well respected and admirable person. The audience should learn that loyalty is a very important aspect of life. This evidence shows that since Penelope stayed loyal to Odysseus even through doubt, she was rewarded with her life having purpose.
Melody Beattie once said, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” This is what Odysseus had to learn after he did not thank the gods for the Trojan war victory due to his pride. According to Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, “the Greek hero was born of royalty. The Greek hero was braver, taller, handsomer, stronger, than all else. He was liked universally. Songs of praise were sung about him.
Telemachus says, “ Ctesippus, you can thank your lucky stars/ you missed our guest - he ducked your blow, by god!/ else I would have planted my sharp spear in your bowels/ your father would have been busy with your funeral/ not your wedding here” (20.340-344). This shows that Telemachus is more bold in the end because Telemachus starts to talk back at the suitors and stands up for what he has to say against them. This proves that Telemachus is now a man because he indeed has learned his lessons about these suitors so he starts to speak up against them and is no longer putting up with Ctesippus, who is one of the suitors. Final example of Telemachus being more bold is he believes that he does have power against the suitors and that it is his house and he has say in it. Telemachus says, “As for the bow now/ men will see to that, but I most of all/ I hold the reins of power in this house” (21.
In the novel “The Odyssey” Homer displays the main character Odysseus with god like qualities which results in him judging others through tone and actions. When the main character Odysseus came from his confrontation with the goddess Circe his group of men are happy and grateful to see him. His men are gathered around him as if they are the sheep and he is the Shepard that guides them through every step of the way. Odysseus is a well respected man who is admired by his men and is like a higher power to due his god like qualities . While odyssey’s crew is stranded without his leadership and advice, they are unsure where to go due to lack of knowledge and no mentor to lead them.
“Worship of a hero is transcendent admiration of a great man”1(14). Amish’s fictional faculty makes our legendry divinity alive in the pages of The Immortals of Meluha. Shiva, the hero, the protagonist of the novel is “A man who rose to become godlike because of his karma”2(xv). He is a blend of wit and bravery; an unmatched swordsman with cutting edges of intelligence and honest behavior. Godliness including childlike innocence, unraveled sacrificing spirit to save children, women and downtrodden is natural to him.
This constantly reminds readers of why Odysseus has to be back in Ithaca. As suiters “feed on another’s goods and go scot-free” and aim to marry Penelope, Homer vividly describes how Telemachus is not able to handle the uproar of the suitors and Penelope “[falls] to weeping for Odysseus, her beloved husband.” By knowing this information – that is blind to Odysseus but not to the readers – the readers are able to understand the urgency of Odysseus’s household. By doing this, Homer emphasizes not only Odysseus’s responsibility as a ruler, but also his duty as a husband and a father, leading readers to regard Penelope as the main drive for Odysseus’s grand journey. Therefore, the readers are able to deduce that the reason Odysseus has to return home is to protect his household, especially Penelope who is continuously forced to marry one of the
He is considered to be this because he is a heroic and honorable man that has been through many trials and gotten passed them all alive. He is a well-known hero throughout the world. Odysseus qualifies to be the ideal epic hero in all of the categories. For one he was born of royalty. For two he has a special weapon-his brain.
His courage and strength exceed all human men. Beowulf came willingly to help the Danes which was highly unusual in a time of war (Fisher). He set a moral example for human beings spreading the need of friendship. Beowulf was most definitely the ideal Anglo-Saxon warrior as an epic hero of epic proportions (GÓMEZ-CALDERÓN). Gilgamesh was destined to greatness from birth.
He has strength, nobility, courage, a thirst for honor, and self-confidence. His most important characteristic, however, is his intelligence. Moreover, his knowledge and ability to make decisions quickly helped him get out of many of the obstacles in his journey. While Odysseus is at the palace of Alcinous, King Alcinous forces him to explain who he is, where he’s from, and where he is going. This leads into Odysseus reluctantly telling the Phaeacians the narrative of his wanderings.