Odysseus the Hero

A detailed Summary of Odysseus the Hero

The "Odyssey" is an epic story that has been a compelling piece of literature since it was first written and it will remain that way for many years to come. This much-found success of the "Odyssey" has been because of the story's hero, Odysseus.

Odysseus has many personal qualities that make him survive through all his journeys. He is one of the first Greek mythic heroes famous for not only his brain but also his strength. He is a man with a curious mind, and he is also a man with unsettled valor and bravery. In addition to his character, he is a superior athlete as well. Although Odysseus often hesitates before acting he does contain a vast amount of reason and a gift to evaluate situations. Patience is one of his most important characteristics. This patience has saved him and his men many times, and has been illustrated numerous times throughout his travels such as when he disguised himself as a beggar when he finally reached Ithaca, waiting for the right moment to reveal himself.

As great as he was, Odysseus still had some weaknesses that lengthened his voyage back to Ithaca. His most significant weakness he possesses, is that of his pride. Pride is good to have, but in Odysseus' case he had too much of it. This is

clearly apparent in the episode on the Cyclopes' island. When Odysseus and his men are clearly safe away from the island Odysseus brags about his successful achievement. Polythemus hears this and launches giant boulders in the direction of the ship. Some came very close to sinking the ship, yet that was not enough for Odysseus. Blinded by his pride he unwisely revealed his identity to Polythemus. With that Polythemus called upon his father, Poseidon, to seek revenge on the man who had harmed him.

He finally reached Ithaca with these great oarsmen rowing him on in their ship and found that he was about to face another challenge. Perhaps even more bothersome than all the previous perils that he has faced outside of Ithaca, was sailing round the great and mighty seas.

Many knew of Odysseus's voyages and life. A hero is defined as "any person, esp. a man, admired for courage, nobility, etc." and "the central male character in a novel, play, etc." Odysseus fits this definition like a key in a lock. Odysseus had nobility, everyone around him was able to see that; he had courage, his people and crewmates saw that throughout his feats. The second definition was also describing our hero, Odysseus; he was the central character of the novel. His many feats gave him unimaginable respect by others. Both his crew and family knew of his legacy and his commitment to freeing his

"Not that I am naming, far less telling, every feat of that rugged man...then sworded many Trojans through the body on his way out with what he learned of theirs." (P255, lines 253-73)

Some common words found in the essay are:
Polythemus Polythemus, Achilles Greek, Awakes Hero, Lamos P321, Apollo's P439, Odysseus Odysseus, Keeper Winds, Pride Odysseus', Circe Odysseus, , hero odysseus, finally reached ithaca, reached ithaca, character novel, disguised beggar, finally reached, island odysseus, odysseus help, continue journey, odysseus son, odysseus's strength,

Approximate Word count = 1604
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History