Character Analysis Essay on Odysseus as an Epic Hero

Introduction

The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus, his crew and their struggle to return home from Troy to Ithaca. However, they find it takes longer than expected because they have to overcome many obstacles along the way. The Odyssey shows Odysseus displaying many traits that indicate that he is an extraordinary hero. The traits that made Odysseus a hero were being a great soldier, being proud of his achievements, and being intelligent. All of these traits are displayed throughout Odysseus' story.

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Odysseus is a hero when he captures the city Cicones. Odysseus says that he attacked the city and killed the men. However, he then reveals that he shared the wealth with the other citizens so that no one would be left without their fair share (212). These two quotes show that he is a hero. He and his men sacked a large city and killed all the inhabitants with little casualties. His men had such huge spoils from the raid, that they each received a substantial amount of loot. As Odysseus was able take over entire cities, it is rare for a hero to do such a feat.

Because of his hubris, Odysseus can also be called a hero. Hubris is excessive pride, and Odysseus displays it all the time. Odysseus is known for his hubris when he escapes from polyphemus. He says, "Cyclops- If any man on the surface of the earth should inquire who blinded or shamed you so-say Odysseus raider of cities." (227). This quote shows how Odysseus is proud of his accomplishments. He wanted polyphemus, and all other people who asked about polyphemus' fate to tell him that it was Odysseus. He wanted to take all the credit for blinding Polyphemus. Later, this comes back to haunt him as he extends his journey by many years and kills all his crew. Another example of hubris comes when Odysseus' team goes to the sirens. Odysseus: "Let your ship stop for a while, so that you can hear the songs we will sing." There has never been a man who rowed in a black boat past this island without listening to us. This quote is a sign of hubris, as Odysseus wanted the sirens to sound and not die.

Finally, Odysseus shows great intelligence when he tells Polyphemus "Nobody-that's my name." This quote is a sign of Odysseus intelligence. He is using it to trick the cyclops into believing his name is Nobody. This keeps the other cyclops away from Polyphemus's aid when he shouts "Nobody's murdering me now by fraud or force!" This clever trick allows them both to escape later and Odysseus would likely have died without it.

Conclusion

Odysseus, an epic hero and a great warrior, demonstrates many of the characteristics that are associated with epic heroes, such as being intelligent, hubris and being great at intelligence. These qualities are displayed by Odysseus sacking the Cicones city, telling Polyphemus his name and outsmarting Polyphemus inside the cave. These qualities are essential for being a hero today, such as being a great soldier, having god-like qualities and being intelligent.