Essay On Odysseus Being A Hero

A Hero for the Ages.

Philip Zimbardo, a psychologist and a professor at Stanford University once said, “To be a hero is when you step across the line and are willing to make a sacrifice. Heroes always take risks. Heroes always are deviant. Heroes always do something that most people don’t.” Philip Zimbardo's statement stays true in The Odyssey by Homer. In the book Odysseus, the king of Ithaca has to leave his family to fight in the Trojan war. He leaves behind his loving wife, Penelope along with his newborn son, Telemachus. Unfortunately, even after the Trojan war Odysseus faces many hardships and troubles returning home to Ithaca Throughout all hardships, Odysseus proves himself as a hero in The Odyssey.

For starters, Odysseus is a hero because he shows many leadership like qualities. First, Odysseus shows leadership qualities when he is among his crew, men helping him get home. Odysseus was giving commands to his crew when he stated, “A dozen vessels sailed on my command” (Homer 9.175-176). This shows Odysseus as a leader because he made valuable decisions and guided his crew. This proves Odysseus as a hero because he is helping and guiding his group to success. Secondly, Odysseus shows leadership qualities when he quickly stops his men from eating the Lotus fruit, an addictive fruit that can be thought of as a drug. Odysseus stated, “I forced them, havied them under the rowing benches, lashed them fast, shouted out commands to my other, steady comrades” (9.111-113). This

He showed leadership when he stopped his men from eating Lotus fruit, which was not good for them. He also shows strength when Antinous throws a chair at his back, but he was not fazed. Lastly, he shows off his strategic qualities by lying to the Cyclops about his boat being destroyed, so the Cyclops could not harm it. While heroes are made to make sacrifices and take risks, Odysseus fulfills his expectations as a great