Odysseus As A Hero In Homer's Odyssey

After reading the “Odyssey,” a lot of people raise questions about Odysseus being a hero. What is a hero anyway? A hero is a person, who is idealized or admired for his/her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Odysseus does fit in all the requirements of a hero as he fights in the Trojan war, he saves his crew from Polyphemus, and he saves his palace from the suitors. Therefore, Odysseus can be called a hero.

Odysseus proves that he is courageous by fighting in the Trojan war. Odysseus is cunning and uses smart techniques to make the odds be in their favor. In “The Odyssey,” Helen describes how Odysseus “flagellated himself with degrading strokes, then threw on a worthless sheet about his shoulders. He looked like a beggar,” (4.244-250)by tricking people of Trojan into thinking he's a beggar, he brought their end to them. Menelaos also praises Odysseus and says how “no one of the achaeans labored as much as Odysseus labored” (4.106-110). This shows that Odysseus did everything in order to make sure they are victorious. Furthermore, this shows that Odysseus is brave as he did this for others and not himself , he put others lives before his.

One of those problems was Polyphemus. When Odysseus was at the Cyclop’s island, without fear, he goes into Polyphemus’ cave along with his crew just out of curiosity; however, when he reaches there, Polyphemus is not there but food is and so Odysseus and his crew decide to stay. When Polyphemus came back to his cave, he eats 6 of Odysseus’ men. Odysseus saves himself and the rest of his crew by poking the cyclop's eye out which is described in the book as “hoisting high that olive stake with its stabbing point, straight into the monster’s eye they rammed it hard” (9.148). Although the cyclop eats some of Odysseus’ crew members, he brings the others safely out of Polyphemus’ cave which can be counted as one of his outstanding