The general picture that comes to mind when the word hero is said is the idea of Superman or Wonder Woman; however, a true hero is anyone who tries to make their world a better place. Finally, Odysseus is home and after a long journey in which he shows no heroic actions and yet proves to be nothing but a villain, he once again proves throughout his actions that he is a villain. A hero is one who sets a goal in which takes bravery and dedication in order to achieve. King of Megcenae on Twitter He told her not to tell anyone who he really is. Being loyal, clever, and dedicated are examples of being a heroic person. Some people question whether the main character, Odysseus, is a hero or not. Odysseus relies on his wit to help him in battle and on his journey home, just as Batman and Iron Man use mental acuity to build their own suits and gadgets. Largely, the problems with understanding the moral position of Odysseus stem from his immense experience and cleverness, which make him at once mortal and fantastic. He realizes and readily admits that opinions other than his own make complete sense yet he refuses to acknowledge them and ends up dragging others into danger Odysseus himself says My men came pressing round me pleading: Why not take these cheeses, and make a run for it? The main character is a man named Odysseus who displays hero characteristics throughout the book. He is brave, but also conceited. Odysseus tells the Phaeacians in his story, So they spoke, but they could not persuade my great-hearted spirit; and I answered him again with angry heart: Cyclops, if any one of mortal men shall ask thee about the shameful blinding of thine eye, say that Odysseus, the sacker of cities, blinded it, even the son of Laertes, whose home is in Ithaca(Homer.9.500-506). Throughout the Odyssey Odysseus faces an internal battle between loyalty and betrayal in the presence of numerous temptations. (XIX, lines 163-190) Penelope is experiencing so much pressure from the suitors and her family, but she still refuses to succumb and does not cheat on. Odysseus Dexter Morgan. The hero that is portrayed in the Odyssey is a man named Odysseus. Is Odysseus A Hero Or A Villain Analysis | ipl.org He put himself before his men because he wanted a gift from the cave owner. He takes the punishment of Antinous and the other suitors without saying a word and is able to see those who have invaded his house. Another example that proves he is not a hero when he was acting selfish by sacrificing his crew men. Well in the story of The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus has a lot of honorable characteristics, but he also has a few immoral characteristics. Odysseus then has many hardships upon which he overcomes through his intelligence and wit. He tries to take shortcuts and as a result of this is men are killed and his boats destroyed. Odysseus fits the description of a hero because hes done a few things that are heroic. One form of selfishness Odysseys shows is adultery. Odysseus is a good hero because he is rational when times get tough. Odysseus is difficult to identify as a hero because of his many vices. Heading home, to Ithaca, Odysseus is faced upon many obstacles that he and his men try to overcome, but in the end substantiate that Odysseus is a villain. These are the hero archetype, the monster or villain archetype, and the hero's journey archetype. Humans make mistakes, and seeing Odysseus failures humanizes him and makes him more realistic. This reveals Odysseus is a villain because he reacts as if he was innocent and some way being betrayed by his own wife. Homer remains one of the most well-read texts even today. He is unfaithful to Penelope many times throughout the book. Although he earns the trust of his men while in Troy, he loses it on his perilous journey home. Another decision Odysseus makes to survive is not eating the cattle of Helios while on Thrinikia, his crew members choice in eating the hallowed cows results in their death, but Odysseus knew the consequences and did not touch a cow. There is many thing that can support this claim. Odysseus puts everything at risk in order to get his men home safely. Having his men by his side when he returns seems a trivial thing to him. Even though there is a large gap in space between Odysseus travels and the present, human nature and weakness still share the same obstacles. For example, when Odysseus and his men find themselves on Polyphemus's island, Odysseus's actions are self-centered and at the expense of his men. The only reason Odysseus ties himself up to the mast, when instead he could have simply plugged his ears with wax like the rest of his crew, is that he chooses the jeopardous choice, wanting to "go down in the books" by being the first man to ever listen to the Sirens song and live. So at this point, Odysseus decided that kill the Cyclops will in turn be killing his men so instead he jabs a shark stake into the Cyclops only eye blinding the Cyclops and saving him and his men. He accomplishes many great events like that of defeating the Trojans, slaying the suitors and travelling to and back from Hades. Another example of him showing care towards his comrades was when Odysseus warns his crewmen of the potential dangers that awaits them if they happen to harm the cattle of Helios the Sun God. He leads his followers into lousy situations where many people were hurt. WebOdysseus is not a hero because he was not a good leader. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. 13181950) Selwood, Fleet, GU51 4QT. The hero: In the plays The Odyssey, Oedipus Rex, and Antigone the heroes face torturous journeys that put their will power to the test. With Michelles humanitarian work and benevolent attitude, she helps those in need while trying to better society. He leads his followers into lousy situations where many people were hurt. Odysseus was a authentic persuasive speaker and genuinely intelligent. He plays with the lives of his men and he is punished for it. In the latter, however, some of his more ignoble traits are revealed: he is a braggart, he almost dishonorably uses poisoned arrows, and he shows conceit in his victory over the Cyclops. The Odyssey depicts his ten-year nostos (homeward journey) after the Trojan War until he finally retakes his throne on Ithaca. In the epic poem, the Odyssey told by the one and only Homer, the brave, the godlike human, Odysseus is finding his way home after the big battle victory against the Trojans. Through The Meadowlands and The Penelopiad, Circe and Penelope showed their strong opinions of this hero through their, Archetypes are evident in all kinds of classic literature, but Homers The Odyssey reveals archetypes in heroes, villains, and a journey. Odysseus is not the epitome of an epic hero., Hero? Odysseus has stolen from people, raped women, and murdered people when it all could have been avoided. One of the many reasons I believe this is because he shows that he cares for his comrades. WebOdysseus. Is Odysseus a hero or a villain? He was also loyal to his men. Also if you ask me, yes a hero can commit crimes. He leads his men into trouble, kills the suitors and maidservants without mercy, and betrays loyal wife. What a hero is a person that will give everything that they have to save another person from any harm. This is Walter White. You can just put effort into it and try as hard as you can. Being a hero originally means a brave person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.. Another trait that ends up killing a number of his men is his lack of leadership skills, or rather the lack of respect and trust from his men. Odysseus is not a hero because he was not a good leader. Most of these mistakes could have been fixed by Odysseus making better decisions throughout his journey. Hero He is on a quest for something of great value to him or his people. When the men said Why not take these cheeses, Archetypes are characteristics or characters that can define a hero. WebFrom Villain to Hero explores the reception of Odysseus in philosophy, a subject that so far has been treated only in tangential or limited ways. Odysseus, man of exceptional wit, bravery, and intelligence, epic hero The Odyssey written by Homer, is nothing short of extraordinary. Everytime he enters a new island, he does not start telling everyone that he is Odysseus, king of Ithaca. I chose these three archetypes because I recognized them the most while we were reading the Odyssey. Odysseus has no reason to save his mens lives but for his own convenience. Odysseus Hero or Villian - Cecilya Guilbault Odysseus, a Good He leads his followers into lousy situations where many people were hurt. During his long and perilous journey home Odysseus shows many heroic qualities that help save his men from many dangerous situations. The defining characteristics of Odysseus in classical literature are interpreted in wildly different ways by different authors: he is portrayed as a hero in Homers The Odysseus was not the hero, though. He is not a selfish hero: instead, his drive is to his people and to found a new city that will eventually become Rome. A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom. (Bob Dylan). He would have killed her thinking she would spoil his plan. thinks of himself as a hero. With great power comes great responsibility this quote is used by many heros and odysseus obviously shows no responsibilities, so his power is simply bad, or evil . Despite Odysseus' overconfident nature, Odysseus proves he is a hero by showing bravery and intelligence. From Villain to Hero There was one obstacle where they fell From him angering Poseidon by blinding his Cyclopes son Prometheus, to Zeus striking down his ship, Odysseus did not have the gods on his side during his journey home. Another way in which Odysseus shows he is a villain is when he finally reunites with his wife Penelope and reacts with rage when she tests him. He spends five long years on the Island of Calypso and another five with Circe. Odysseus, when it comes to his crew and family, is confident, compassionate, wise, and always knows a way to get out of any problem. Odysseus, the hero in Homers epic poem The Odyssey, fought in the Trojan War and embarked on a ten year journey to return to his kingdom, Ithaca. A hero accepts who he is as an individual, but strives to change himself for the better. He makes Odysseus look brave and heroic. The book The Odyssey written by Homer reveals a story of a true hero. 48. The simple acts of heroism are often overlooked-thats very clear to me not only in war but in peace (source 2). Evidence proves that Odysseus is a villain, because he tries to convince that he was kept unwillingly by Calypso. Sometimes being a hero is difficult. He is confident and cunning,, Having superb and honorable characteristics establishes one a hero. WebOdysseus should not be considered a hero because he portrays himself as a selfish man that failed his crew, and is controlled by his hubris. Odysseus is able to see who is loyal and who is not and take his revenge with the suitors never knowing who. The most heroic attribute of Odysseus was that he was smart. Odysseus, the crafty ruler of Ithaca is not a hero because of his lack of many important heroic qualities. Is Odysseus a hero or a villain? When he landed on the island of Aiaia, he sleeps with Kirke. Odysseus is a different type of hero to Achilles: his heroic qualities stem from his quick wit and clever tactics rather than brute strength in battle. In Homers The Odyssey, Odysseus proves he is not a hero because he is arrogant, secretive, and unfaithful; resulting for readers to believe that every action has an consequence. WebOdysseus has the defining character traits of a Homeric leader: strength, courage, nobility, a thirst for glory, and confidence in his authority. Odysseus feels he is always the leader and no one can tell him otherwise. A hero consists of anyone who puts their best selves forward in service to humanity. Some men were killed by the Cyclops, a huge monster with one eye. Finally, Odysseus is home and after a long journey in which he shows no heroic actions and yet proves to be nothing but a villain, he once again proves throughout his actions that he is a villain. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is quite the legend known to people, whether you are high up in the sky with Zeus, or deep in the ocean with Poseidon, everyone knows Odysseus. He knows that the boulder that is blocking the entrance is heavy so he doesn 't kill Polyphemus. An epic hero embodies several heroic traits such as; having superior or super-human strength; being intellectual and courageous; and being a strong and responsible leader. Now you might say that in this case Odysseus is not a hero because he was not thinking ahead in the first place and was too curious and got him and his men caught by the Cyclops. Need a custom essay on the same He faces countless challenges, meets new people, and has to make sacrifices for the overall benefit of his crew (Bowler and Homer 645-705)., Odysseuss tale has been told several times, and most depict him as an epic hero. The Odyssey is an amazing piece of literature. He plays with the lives of his men with no regard for the well-being or their families. Odysseus has no reason to save his mens lives but for his own convenience. When a leader mistakes his selfish decisions as heroic it can place him and the people around him in danger. In fact, he shows several qualities one finds in classic Greek heroes, such as Achilles, Hercules, and Theseus. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership. Ed. The ancient idea vastly differs from what we think of as a hero today but there are parallels that are interesting to consider; ancient heroism still arguably impacts modern-day perception. Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus makes mistakes that causes his men to be killed. Essay On Odysseus Being A Hero - Internet Public Library In my mind it is right in the middle he does some things that were ok, but he also did things he shouldn't have done. Odysseus represents what being a hero is actually all about. Odysseus When they get there they see a giantess who then calls her husband. Odysseus of Ithaka. So those are just a few instances in the story where he shows compassion for his comrades and truly cares about them. Some people question whether the main character, Odysseus, is a hero or not. Odysseus vs Batman - Ancient and Modern Concepts of Heroism - by Mansi Dhokia, Achilles fighting against Memnon Leiden Rijksmuseum voor Oudheden, Odysseus is another prominent example of a Homeric hero.