Odysseus a Hero
Odysseus is a hero of all times thanks to Homer who wrote his story in The Odyssey. Odysseus is a hero in his on time because of all his adventures and characteristics. Homer wrote about the Trojan War, in which Odysseus took part in, in the Iliad, and about Odysseus' long journey home in, The Odyssey. There have been theories that suggest that Homer was illiterate and could not have possibly recited poems of these lengths by memory, and that they were put together much later on and added to. However, there is evidence that a city, possible Troy, existed and was destroyed. Also there was a kingdom of Ithica which allows for a king Odysseus. Even if the King did not go to the war there was still a chance that he might have existed. In the Odyssey, Homer used a narrative structure to tell his stories. The original texts were wrote on papyrus scrolls and it is theorized that these scrolls each told a chapter in Homers plays. The modern version of The Odyssey is a combination of all these scrolls that could have existed as separate stories about Odysseus' travels, his encounters, and how he obtained his status as a hero. Ancient Greece has always been an interest of mine. In 6th grade a teacher that I h
Another heroic quality is his looks and charm. If Odysseus had not have been as handsome then Circe would not have seduced him and he would not have been giving the advice about the river of the dead, the Sirens, Scylla and Charyboidis. Also, at the end of his journey had he not been handsome, Calypso would not have taken him in, fed him and gave him shelter, and he would have died on her island. And after all that, I do not believe that he would have been as welcomed at the Kingdom of Pheaecia by the princess Nausicaa. In order to encounter all these conflicts, Odysseus has to endure great suffering. He is kept from his lovely wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, for twenty years. Not only that but he has to suffer by watching monsters such as Polypheums and Scylla devour his crew. And then he has to endure the destruction of his ship and crew at the hands of Zeus after they slaughtered the sun god's cattle. Odysseus has suffered more than anyone that I can imagine. The story starts in book 9, Odysseus telling his story to the King of Phaeaica. They sacked a city then sailed away when faced with opposing force. Next, they landed on the island of the lotus-eaters. After Odysseus pried his crew away from the lotus-eaters, they landed on the island of the Cyclops. Here is where Odysseus displays all his heroic qualities. In the text, heroism is defined as certain qualities that are revealed in interaction between the Gods, monsters and other humans. In book 8, page 207, line 559-84, the bard, Demodocus, tells the story of the hero Odysseus and how he defeated the Trojans. This is an example of how the Greeks remembered heroes, by their actions. Before the story Odysseus earns his title as a superb war hero by defeating the Trojans. Then in his journey home, Odysseus bests the son of a god, the Cyclops, Polyphemus. After that he tricks Circe, then he passes the Sirens, Scylla, and Charyboidis. And upon completion of
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Approximate Word count = 1323
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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