Odysseus As A Hero In Homer's Odyssey

When the word hero is spoken, many may immediately think of a character like Superman. Superman can fly and has extreme strength, allowing him to help his city. What truly makes Superman a hero is how he puts these skills to use with his outstanding personality qualities. Odysseus, from the Odyssey, also has overlapping traits of a hero. He is not gifted with supernatural capabilities but still put in an effort to help his men and community. Odysseus shows characteristics of bravery, kindness, and intelligence throughout his adventure.

Odysseus’ representation of bravery allows him to put other safety and well being before his own, and he doesn’t let fear hold him back from accomplishing great deeds. At one point in his adventures, he passes

Under the threat of death or injury, a clear head and quick thinking is essential in how successful a plan will be. When facing Polyphemus the Cyclops, he is forced to save himself and 12 of his men from death. Before attacking the Cyclops, Odysseus is smart enough to respond with, “My name is Nobhdy… / everyone calls me Nobhdy” (274-275), when asked his name. This later tricks the Cyclops to call out for help, claiming “Nobhdy’s tricked [him}” (317), without releasing he sounds crazy, and Odysseus remains unidentified. This shows how cunning he is and how he thinks on his feet to benefit himself and his crew. Before reaching Ithaca, Tiresias tells Odysseus when he stops on the Island of the Sun god to refuse consumption of the cattle. Odysseus is the only man intelligent enough to ignore his hunger and ends up being the only to survive the punishment given towards the consumer. When Odysseus finally reaches home, he is faced with the challenge of hundreds of greedy suitors and a wife who may not have stayed loyal since he left. Instead of letting his emotions take control and immediately returning to his house, he takes the time to let Athena disguises him as a beggar to first safely investigate the situation at hand. When making decisions, Odysseus keeps in mind the consequences before jumping in. This is shown in each example where Odysseus is