The Tragic Hero Of Odysseus In Homer's The Odyssey

Odysseus is a famous protagonist in The Odyssey but is not necessarily a hero. He makes many mistakes throughout the epic poem, which reveals his flawed character. For example, he is tempted by the sirens' song and risks the lives of his crew, he fails to resist the temptation of Circe and sleeps with her. Lastly, He is also very prideful throughout the epic. Throughout Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus displays arrogance and selfishness in his quest to return home to Ithaca. He frequently disregards the advice of his comrades and puts them in danger for the sake of his own pride. A hero is humble, kind, caring, and respectful. They try their best to avoid violence but they fight if necessary. They hope they never fight but train for

The epic illustrates, “Then at last I went up to the dazzling bed of Circe,” (Homer 10. 347-348). This quote reveals that Odysseus sleeps with Circe. This makes Odysseus unfaithful to his wife Penelope. Odysseus also sleeps with the goddess Calypso, further proving his unfaithfulness. Calypso states, “‘You cruel jealous gods! You bear a grudge whenever any goddess takes a man to sleep with as a lover in her bed,’” (Homer 5. 117-119). This proves Calypso slept with Odysseus which gives greater evidence supporting Odysseus’

Odysseus and his men encounter the sirens while sailing past their island, and despite being warned of the danger by Circe, Odysseus insists on hearing the sirens' song. The epic recites, “I alone should hear their singing,” (Homer 12. 163). He orders his men to tie him to the mast and plug their ears with wax so that he can hear the song without risking their lives. However, by doing so, Odysseus not only endangers himself but also his crew. The fact that Odysseus knowingly puts his crew in danger for his own selfish desires is a clear indication that he is not a hero. A hero is someone who puts the needs of others before their own and works towards a greater