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Odysseus is considered in his time period a hero. What exactly makes him a hero? Is it the way that he looks or feels or is it something more? Odysseus is considered a hero in his time period because he demonstrates the qualities/traits of a hero. Throughout the poem the Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus shows his many heroic character traits. The heroic traits that Odysseus demonstrates are favoritism from the gods, bravery and courage, and in his loyalty and devotion.
Odysseus shows many heroic traits, one predominant trait that’s shown is honor towards the gods. Odysseus shows this trait when in the Cyclopes cave. He shows bravery in the way that he gets his men out of the Cyclopes cave. He says this in a quote on (182) it says, “I wove a web of every guile and wile, as one will do when life’s at stake-so great a menace threatened us.” The plan that he came up with was astute and brave because he could have at any time fallen off of the sheep and gotten killed. It seemed that he volunteered to ride on the bottom of the sheep so by today’s standards he is definitely a hero. It shows bravery because not many men would risk their own lives for anyone else. Also on the Cyclops island Odysseus shows bravery when he and his men stab the Cyclopes eye out. On (181) Odysseys says, “Now it was time to thrust/ the stake into heaped cinders: it grew hot. / I spurred on all my men with words of hope, / that none might flinch with fear. And when that stake/ of olive-wood, though green. Was glowing, just/ about to blaze, I drew it from the flames. / My men stood round me; into us a god breathed daring. And they clasped that pointed stake, / then drove the olive-wood into his eye.” Stabbing the Cyclops in the eye shows bravery because not many men would, once again risk their lives to save the lives of others. Another example is when Odysseus goes down to Hades. When Odysseus is talking to Circe on (207) he says, “Circe, who’ll serve as a pilot on that way? / No man has ever sailed in his black ship/ to Hades ship? He is basically saying that no man has ever sailed to Hades and maybe not ever sailed back. Odysseus going to Hades shows determination, courage and bravery because no man has ever been known to go and sail back. Another heroic trait that Odysseus shows would be in the favoritism that he has obtained from the gods.
Odysseus shows this heroic trait in many ways. Most heroes become favorites of the gods in some way; by either showing the gods respect or showing the gods that they deserve their respect and help. Odysseus honors the gods and thus gains their favor when he sacrifices to them. On (186) Odysseus says “… One sheep alone-my ram -was set apart; / my well-greaved crew assigned that gift to me./ Along the sands I sacrificed that ram/ to Cronos’ son, who gathers thunderclouds,/ Zeus, lord of all; for him I roasted thighs./ Zeus respected Odysseus so indirectly helped him bet home by sending Athena the help Odysseus. Also on (5) Zeus says to Athena, “My daughter, / how can the barrier of your teeth permit/ such speech to cross your lips? Can I forget/ godlike Odysseus, most astute of men, / whose offerings were so unstinting when he sacrificed to the undying gods, / the masters of vast heaven?” Zeus even says in this statement how astute Odysseus is and how he never stingy in his offerings to the gods. Many man will or can forget to honor the gods when the gods bless them, so the gods in turn curse those who forgot to thank them. Another example would be when it comes to Athena giving Odysseus his disguises. The gods will not take their time meddling in mortals lives unless they benefit from it in some way. Odysseus seems to have touched Athena’s heart in some way because she is always trying to help him. One way is when she gives Odysseus his beggars disguise on (269-270). Odysseus says, “… Come, goddess, weave some plan/ that lets me punish them. Stand at my side;/ give me the gift of courage, as you did/ when we tore loose Troy’s gleaming diadem./ Were you, just as impetuous as then,/ to stand beside me, gray-eyed goddess, I/ could face even three hundred enemies:/ I need your ready heart; I need your help.” Athena replied, “I’ll be beside you there; my watchful eyes/ will not forget you when you start to act. … But come, I’ll see that you remain/ unknown to all: I’ll shrivel the fine skin/ that sheathes your supple limbs; I’ll rid your head/ of its light hair, and dress you in such rags- / that men will shudder, seeing you so clad. / I’ll dim your splendid eyes, and you will seem/ a mean and wretched thing to all the suitors/ and to the wife and son you left behind within your house. This quote clearly shows that Athena is looking out for Odysseus and that she will be with him. One final trait that Odysseus shows is his belief in loyalty and devotion.
Odysseus shows this trait in many ways but one of the most explicit ways is when he talks about the ways that he wants the adulterous handmaids murdered; because of the fact that they were not loyal to him. He says on (452), “…Once you’ve set the house in order, lead the women out./ Place them between the round tower and the court’s/ stout wall; then, with the suitors’ long swords,/ strike-strike until those sluts have lost their lives/ and can’t remember how their loving plied/ the suitors, when they dallied at their sides.” This quote shows that Odysseus was very serious in his punishment of those in his house that were disloyal to him. In his punishment of Melanthius the goatherd he is just as severe if not worse. He was more severe with the people that were disloyal to him then with the people who lived in his house and disrespected him. Another example would be Odysseus’s loyalty to the gods. When he sacrifices to the gods he shows them how much he respects them and that he has not and will not forget the help that they gave him on his journey home. On (5) Zeus says, “My daughter, / how can the barrier of your teeth permit/ such speech to cross your lips? Can I forget/ godlike Odysseus, most astute of men, / whose offerings were so unstinting when he sacrificed to the undying gods, / the masters of vast heaven?” He shows that he does not forget Odysseus and finally when Odysseus goes down into Hades and talks to Elpenor the young man that fell off Circe’s roof and broke his neck. When Odysseus talks to him in Hades Elpenor asks Odysseus to do the following things (215), “… There, lord, I ask you to remember me. / Do not abandon me, unwept, unburied, lest you provoke the anger of the gods. Burn me and any armor that is mine, / and on the shore of the gray sea, heap high a mound for this unhappy man. Do this/ for me, and set upon that mound the oar/ I used when I, alive, rowed with my friends.” In the following quote Odysseus does what Elpenor asked of him on (237). “As soon as Dawn’s rose-fingers touched the sky, I sent my comrades off to Circe’s house/ to carry back the dead Elpenor’s corpse./ Then we cut firewood; and as we stood/ beside his pyre along a promontory/, the tears we shed were many. When his body/ and armor had burned down, we heaped a mound, / and at the top we placed his shapely oar.” Here Odysseys does what he said that he would do. It shows his loyalty and respect for his lost comrade.
In conclusion it has been shown that Odysseus, man of many wiles is a clever and astute person. He demonstrates these heroic qualities through his bravery and courage, his favoritism that he has obtained from the gods, and his belief in loyalty and devotion.
Odysseus shows many heroic traits, one predominant trait that’s shown is honor towards the gods. Odysseus shows this trait when in the Cyclopes cave. He shows bravery in the way that he gets his men out of the Cyclopes cave. He says this in a quote on (182) it says, “I wove a web of every guile and wile, as one will do when life’s at stake-so great a menace threatened us.” The plan that he came up with was astute and brave because he could have at any time fallen off of the sheep and gotten killed. It seemed that he volunteered to ride on the bottom of the sheep so by today’s standards he is definitely a hero. It shows bravery because not many men would risk their own lives for anyone else. Also on the Cyclops island Odysseus shows bravery when he and his men stab the Cyclopes eye out. On (181) Odysseys says, “Now it was time to thrust/ the stake into heaped cinders: it grew hot. / I spurred on all my men with words of hope, / that none might flinch with fear. And when that stake/ of olive-wood, though green. Was glowing, just/ about to blaze, I drew it from the flames. / My men stood round me; into us a god breathed daring. And they clasped that pointed stake, / then drove the olive-wood into his eye.” Stabbing the Cyclops in the eye shows bravery because not many men would, once again risk their lives to save the lives of others. Another example is when Odysseus goes down to Hades. When Odysseus is talking to Circe on (207) he says, “Circe, who’ll serve as a pilot on that way? / No man has ever sailed in his black ship/ to Hades ship? He is basically saying that no man has ever sailed to Hades and maybe not ever sailed back. Odysseus going to Hades shows determination, courage and bravery because no man has ever been known to go and sail back. Another heroic trait that Odysseus shows would be in the favoritism that he has obtained from the gods.
Odysseus shows this heroic trait in many ways. Most heroes become favorites of the gods in some way; by either showing the gods respect or showing the gods that they deserve their respect and help. Odysseus honors the gods and thus gains their favor when he sacrifices to them. On (186) Odysseus says “… One sheep alone-my ram -was set apart; / my well-greaved crew assigned that gift to me./ Along the sands I sacrificed that ram/ to Cronos’ son, who gathers thunderclouds,/ Zeus, lord of all; for him I roasted thighs./ Zeus respected Odysseus so indirectly helped him bet home by sending Athena the help Odysseus. Also on (5) Zeus says to Athena, “My daughter, / how can the barrier of your teeth permit/ such speech to cross your lips? Can I forget/ godlike Odysseus, most astute of men, / whose offerings were so unstinting when he sacrificed to the undying gods, / the masters of vast heaven?” Zeus even says in this statement how astute Odysseus is and how he never stingy in his offerings to the gods. Many man will or can forget to honor the gods when the gods bless them, so the gods in turn curse those who forgot to thank them. Another example would be when it comes to Athena giving Odysseus his disguises. The gods will not take their time meddling in mortals lives unless they benefit from it in some way. Odysseus seems to have touched Athena’s heart in some way because she is always trying to help him. One way is when she gives Odysseus his beggars disguise on (269-270). Odysseus says, “… Come, goddess, weave some plan/ that lets me punish them. Stand at my side;/ give me the gift of courage, as you did/ when we tore loose Troy’s gleaming diadem./ Were you, just as impetuous as then,/ to stand beside me, gray-eyed goddess, I/ could face even three hundred enemies:/ I need your ready heart; I need your help.” Athena replied, “I’ll be beside you there; my watchful eyes/ will not forget you when you start to act. … But come, I’ll see that you remain/ unknown to all: I’ll shrivel the fine skin/ that sheathes your supple limbs; I’ll rid your head/ of its light hair, and dress you in such rags- / that men will shudder, seeing you so clad. / I’ll dim your splendid eyes, and you will seem/ a mean and wretched thing to all the suitors/ and to the wife and son you left behind within your house. This quote clearly shows that Athena is looking out for Odysseus and that she will be with him. One final trait that Odysseus shows is his belief in loyalty and devotion.
Odysseus shows this trait in many ways but one of the most explicit ways is when he talks about the ways that he wants the adulterous handmaids murdered; because of the fact that they were not loyal to him. He says on (452), “…Once you’ve set the house in order, lead the women out./ Place them between the round tower and the court’s/ stout wall; then, with the suitors’ long swords,/ strike-strike until those sluts have lost their lives/ and can’t remember how their loving plied/ the suitors, when they dallied at their sides.” This quote shows that Odysseus was very serious in his punishment of those in his house that were disloyal to him. In his punishment of Melanthius the goatherd he is just as severe if not worse. He was more severe with the people that were disloyal to him then with the people who lived in his house and disrespected him. Another example would be Odysseus’s loyalty to the gods. When he sacrifices to the gods he shows them how much he respects them and that he has not and will not forget the help that they gave him on his journey home. On (5) Zeus says, “My daughter, / how can the barrier of your teeth permit/ such speech to cross your lips? Can I forget/ godlike Odysseus, most astute of men, / whose offerings were so unstinting when he sacrificed to the undying gods, / the masters of vast heaven?” He shows that he does not forget Odysseus and finally when Odysseus goes down into Hades and talks to Elpenor the young man that fell off Circe’s roof and broke his neck. When Odysseus talks to him in Hades Elpenor asks Odysseus to do the following things (215), “… There, lord, I ask you to remember me. / Do not abandon me, unwept, unburied, lest you provoke the anger of the gods. Burn me and any armor that is mine, / and on the shore of the gray sea, heap high a mound for this unhappy man. Do this/ for me, and set upon that mound the oar/ I used when I, alive, rowed with my friends.” In the following quote Odysseus does what Elpenor asked of him on (237). “As soon as Dawn’s rose-fingers touched the sky, I sent my comrades off to Circe’s house/ to carry back the dead Elpenor’s corpse./ Then we cut firewood; and as we stood/ beside his pyre along a promontory/, the tears we shed were many. When his body/ and armor had burned down, we heaped a mound, / and at the top we placed his shapely oar.” Here Odysseys does what he said that he would do. It shows his loyalty and respect for his lost comrade.
In conclusion it has been shown that Odysseus, man of many wiles is a clever and astute person. He demonstrates these heroic qualities through his bravery and courage, his favoritism that he has obtained from the gods, and his belief in loyalty and devotion.