The Role Of Epic Heroism In The Odyssey

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. Harry Potter is a modern-day character that infuses the historical importance of epic heroism with contemporary

The epic heroes put themselves in harm’s way to ensure the safety of society, receive guidance and assistance from paranormal sources, and are mysteriously “reborn”. Odysseus and Harry are willing to sacrifice themselves, even if the obstacles ahead are extremely arduous, because their main priority is to protect the weak. Even though the two epic heroes are very risky, they almost always have the support of a supernatural force. When things go horribly wrong, Odysseus and Harry are always able to make it right by doing the impossible. Although Odysseus and Harry are epic heroes of different historical times,their core traits are nearly identical because the concept of epic heroism has survived throughout all these years. The significance of epic heroes has not altered since the beginning, so their role in society remains the same, which is to give hope. Throughout history, people always endure dark times, where faith is essential. Epic heroes have been able to comfort society and persuade them that they are safe. Epic heroes also serve as a model for all people to strive be like, so in multiple ways, epic heroes are the base of