Is Odysseus Truly a Hero?

Darbi Roberts

Professor O’Donnell

English 105

12 October 2015

Is Odysseus Truly a Hero?

        Webster’s dictionary defines a hero as, “ a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities; a person who is great admired” (merriam-webster.com). The infamous story of Odysseus has been played out and read by many and there is always a debate on whether Odysseus is truly hero. A true hero preforms brave acts and demonstrates qualities such as devotion, keenness, and the ability to show kindheartedness. Odysseus shows his devotion by protecting his crew and keeping his wife’s love close to him, he shows keenness by outsmarting monsters and making up stories and shows compassion by the way he greets his family. The god-like Odysseus is truly a hero due to the fact that he fought in the Trojan War and displays attributes such as loyalty, wit and compassion.

        Odysseus first starts off his journey fighting for Greece in the legendary Trojan War. On his way home to see his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus, he runs into a few obstacles that turn his somewhat short boat ride home into what seems like an eternity. Along his journey he has to go through obsessive and seducing Calypso, a vengeful and livid Cyclops, and travels into the underworld. Along the way he looses all his men and almost looses hope, but he finally makes it home to an unpleasant surprise. Disguised as a beggar, Odysseus enters his home that is infested with suitors waiting to take his wife’s hand in marriage. But Odysseus does not come this far to have his wife taken away. Once he is reunited with his bow he is able to show his true identity and take down all the suitors so he, Penelope and his son can all be reunited.

        Odysseus can be seen as loyal in many different ways due to the fact that he protects his men and continuously loves his wife. While on his nine-year journey back to Ithaca, Odysseus and his crew come across a nymph named Circe. Circe adding some comic relief to the story turns Odysseus’ men into pigs because of how they were behaving around her. Circe puts up a stubborn front and refuses to turn them back unless Odysseus sleeps with her. While bargaining with Circe, Odysseus says, “How dear you tell me to treat you with warmth? You who turned my men to swine in your own house now you hold me here as well - teeming me with treachery you lure me to your room to mount your bed” (Homer 241, ln. 374-377). Although enraged with her, Odysseus sleeps with Circe to save his men, showing that his true loyalty lies with his shipmates.  While trapped on the island with the immortal goddess Calypso, Odysseus shows that his true loyalty is to his wife Penelope. After dining together, Calypso starts a conversation with Odysseus and asks him why he wants to go back home so eagerly. Odysseus states his wife is the motivation bringing him home and defends her by saying, “Look at my wise Penelope. She falls far short of you, your beauty, and stature. She is mortal after all and you, you never age or die...nevertheless I long- I pine, all my days- to travel home and see the dawn of my return.” (159, ln. 239-243). The convincing Calypso wants Odysseus to stay with her but Odysseus stands up to her and says he is going back to his wife whom he loves. His loyalty lies with his family back home and he will do anything to get back to them including using his cleverness to outsmart a few obstacles.

        Odysseus uses his wit to get him out of many sticky situations; it is no secret that he is sly and incredibly intelligent. Somewhere along the journey, Odysseus and his men wind up on an island of Cyclops’. He and his crew find themselves trapped by the Cyclops, who is also know as Polyphemus, in his cave with no escape. The cunning Odysseus has a plan however, and after giving the Cyclops plenty of wine he says to him, “So you ask me the name I’m known by Cyclops? I will tell you but you must give me a guest-gift as you’ve promised, nobody- that is my name- nobody- so my mother and father call me, all my friends.” (222-223, ln.407-411). Odysseus outsmarts Polyphemus by telling him that his name is “Nobody” and when they finally escape Odysseus and his men easily get away because Polyphemus tells the other Cyclops’ that “Nobody is killing me now”(224, ln. 455). When he finally reaches Ithaca, Odysseus enters into his once home that is now filled with suitors ready to marry his beloved Penelope. While feasting the other suitors, Odysseus, who is disguised as a beggar, says to Antinous,“ I too once lived in a lofty house that men admired; rolling in wealth I’d often give to a vagabond like myself…And crowds of servants I had, and lots of all it takes to live the life of ease, to make men call you rich. But Zeus ruined it all- gods will no doubt.” (367, ln. 463-467). Odysseus shows his cunning side by telling this grand made up story to Antinous while at the same time trying to teach him that everyone is equal and you could loose everything. Through his story’s, he wants to in a way help him by teaching a lesson in life, showing a caring side of him that is seen much more in other instances.

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