Odysseus As An Epic Hero Analysis

As said by Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, “we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. In relation to Greek mythological heroes, this quote explains that a Greek hero is superior when he repeats his heroic actions and portrays Greek values a multitude of times. Those common values include bravery, in the terms of endurance and fearlessness, and strength, in the way of a tough physique. Two well known heroes, Perseus and Hercules, both display some of those Greek values, but Hercules is the superior hero because he reflects those values more effectively.

The Odyssey by Homer tells the story of Odysseus’ drawn-out, treacherous journey through the dark and unknown seas to Ithaca. After successfully defeating the Trojans in the Trojan War, Odysseus faces various obstacles, which test his worthiness in society. Odysseus is the iconic epic hero because he exemplifies all of the characteristics of that archetype. An epic hero is a figure in society that is idolized because of their admirable traits and ability to spark hope within the hopeless. The concept of epic heroism is incredibly significant because of its eternal life and its survival through ancient times to modern popular culture.

Odysseus must either let his fate fall in the hands of death or prove himself to be a true hero. By persevering and not quitting, Odysseus eventually proves himself to be a true hero, by showing bravery, leadership, and intelligence. A true hero exults bravery and courageousness. Sometimes just by the way he or she stands, it can

Hercules was known as both an immortal and a mortal. He was caring and self-less like a mortal hero, but also strong and willing to give up everything to help others even if he might die like an immortal hero. The idea of immortality and mortality is the same concept if you ask yourself what a hero is, the answer will always be different. To me, being immortal means overcoming obstacles that tested you in ways that you might have gotten killed or sacrifice yourself to save others. Hercules did this when he won wars and battles between immortals and mortals and came out victorious against

Odysseus is a hero because he had help from Athena, a fatal flaw in his character, and he also overcame complications throughout his journey and ended up proving himself to be valiant. Odysseus is a hero because

A epic hero not only succeeds a specific deed, but sacrifices their own personal concerns for a greater good of society. In the book ______ by Edith Hamilton, she wrote about great heroes and their _____ quests. One story of an epic hero, was the story of Theseus and how he became a hero and why he is even considered a epic hero. An epic hero definition in Greek mythology is someone who is brave, courageous, and has their own strengths. Theseus shows a great strength in his story in several different ways.

If you were to think about a man with great abilities like being strong, courageous and intelligent, you could think of people you personally or like me, you could think of someone such as Odysseus. Odysseus fits the definition of an epic hero because he is quick thinking, strong and courageous. Odysseus is one quick thinking individual. He has gotten him and his crew out some some sticky situations with his clever plans. One of these plans were how to get away from Polyphemus, a cyclops who was the son of Poseidon.

And during the journey, he begins to become an epic hero. Odysseus fits the description of an epic hero because he had cleverness, exceptional knowledge, and supernatural conflict. The first reason why Odysseus fits the description of an epic hero is because he had cleverness. The first time Odysseus shows that he had cleverness was in the cyclops, Polyphemus adventure.

In Greek society, there are many valued characteristics of the hero Odysseus which are still valued today. These traits may not be as important in today’s modern world, but there is no doubt that Odysseus is an epic hero. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus proves that he is an epic hero through divine intervention in the Call, where he blinds Polyphemus in the Challenges, and the Atonement, where he goes through a transformation. Odysseus reveals the help of the gods as he plots with Telemachus against the suitors who are plaguing his home to take back what is rightfully his in the Call. Odysseus says “...and Athena’s inspiration spurred me here, now, so we could plan the slaughter of our foes.

Because heroes care so much about their pride and glory, they perform an act of hubris before they meet their tragic fate. The term hubris refers to the act of extreme pride in a foolish manner. Lastly, all the Greek heroes are decedents of the gods, whether it be one of the major gods or minor deities. Heroes have some form of divine relative that gives them an advantageous connection during the ancient Greek era. These traits merge together to create a traditional Greek Hero.