Greek Heroes Research Paper

They typical epic hero possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence, is helped or harmed by gods or fate, embodies qualities valued by the culture, or overcomes perilous situations. Odysseus is the main character, and hero of the epic The Odyssey written by Homer in ancient greek times. He is challenged by giant cyclops, hundreds of men trying to marry his wife, envious sirens, and the constant struggle of trying to return home to his family in Ithaka. The epic hero Odysseus is characterized by his cunningness and determination through struggle, though flawed by his ego.

In Homer’s poem, The Odyssey is a heroic hero named Odysseus who is trying to get home after the events of the Trojan War which lasted an entire decade. He battles mythical creatures and faces the rage of the gods. Odysseus meets the criteria of an epic hero because he surpasses Zeus’s punishment with having superior strength, defeats cyclops with intelligence, and braveness when facing Charybdis as well as Scylla.

The meaning of hero has changed over time. The ancient heroes were defined as the people who were stronger and braver than average people. One example of that would be Beowulf. Beowulf was a well-known hero simply because he was able to kill three monsters that on one else would be able to kill. The heroes that are similar to Beowulf are many and they share similar personal traits. The

Greek mythology and the epic poems written during the Hellenistic period are filled with heroes and their adventures, highlighting the qualities that Greeks perceived as valuable in men. Odysseus, a prime example as the protagonist of The Odyssey, fully embodies the Greek idea of heroism, using his physical skill, as well as his clever mind to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. From escaping the Cyclops’ lair to facing the suitors in Ithaca, Odysseus chooses to use strategy over brute force often in The Odyssey and sets a precedent for future heroes of Western epics.

What is a hero? What qualities does he or she have? In our modern lives when we think of a hero we think of nurses and soldiers, but according to the American Heritage Dictionary, a hero in mythology and legend is a man or woman, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods. A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.

In each story, the themes and symbols in them can bring a diverse look on the way the story is interpreted and told. The Odyssey was written by the poet Homer dating all the back to the 8th century. In the Greek epic poem, Homer tells the story of the main character Odysseus’ journey home from the Trojan War. Many themes relating to the human condition are prevalent in the various adventures faced by Odysseus, his men, and his family over the ten year journey. Homer uses symbolism as well to portray these themes of wits trumping strength, man’s weakness to temptation, man’s desire to seek revenge, and loyalty among characters.

Homer's epic poem The Odyssey was written after his Iliad which told the tales of the Trojan War. This Odyssey told of the wanderings of a prominent warrior and ruler, Odysseus. Odysseus fought in the Trojan War and, after the Greeks claimed their victory at Troy, began his prolonged journey home. During his travels Odysseus faced many obstacles which he had to overcome. Through his wanderings, Odysseus had to prove his valor, intellect, and determination. Incorporated into The Odyssey are many current-day characteristics of man including a constant dependence on others, the presence of a greater vision, or lack there of, and the essence of a sensitive side behind courage and pride.

A hero is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Homer created the character of Odysseus, the epic hero who possess the qualities of being hubris but in the long run makes a bold attempt to do the right thing.

A hero is a man of courage and ability who is admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. A hero is a person who does not come along very often in any time period. He is a special person, who is a step above the average person in the way that he handles any situation that may arise.

A hero is something that society has formed an idea about the characteristic it should posses from history. Through the stories told from the past a hero is developed through their qualities and characteristics they value. When one views a hero from a different culture they can form an opinion on what matters to that culture. One will notice that through all these different heroes that they all share common features. In ancient Hebrew culture Moses represents a hero and for ancient Greek culture Odysseus represents heroic figures.

Every human being is unique in his or her own way. Yet they all feel pain, anger, sadness and joy as reactions to everyday events. Although the reactions may be different, the response is always immediate. This is because all humans act out of impulse, and are best shown through the similarities between Greek Mythology and Biblical Stories. They reveal that it is in human nature to oppress the weak, be optimistic, and to fear being replaced.

In classical Greek literature, the epic hero is usually defined in terms of the contrasting characters of Achilles and Odysseus, the most important figures in Homer's great epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greeks in the Trojan war, is actually a demi-god rather than a human hero, having been dipped in charmed waters by his mother and given the gift of invulnerability. Odysseus, on the other hand, is a fully human character, and his heroism consists more in his cleverness, boldness and cunning than his martial ability. The contrast between these two models of the epic hero could not be stronger, for although Achilles is godlike and almost immortal in his fighting prowess, he is childish and

Like all stories, Greek myths are entertaining, intriguing, justly instructive, inspiring and sometimes dark. Much different selections by early artists like Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo are inspired by the Greek legends. First, what makes Greek legends entertaining is the fact that they explain nature, teach moral lessons and inspire other artists. Greek writers, poets produced heroic stories based on Greek legends. The heroic stories were all about great heroes and the deeds they achieved. Secondly, Greek legends created myths to explain and justify anything they could not understand, including natural occurrences, the good or bad luck, birth of animals and flowers and anything they wanted to exalt and commemorate. This makes the Greek legends classic,

Ancient Greek myths stories are some of the most powerful stories that talks about god, goddesses, and mortals characters. Many of these stories teach us a lessons about life and challenge our beliefs. Greek mythology male characters are different from female characters in many ways. The male characters are dominant while the female characters were usually womanish and complex even though the female characters played a big role in Greek myth. Males and females have comparable powers, status, and agency. In the women characters they were heroines and villains, the strong women, the weak women, those who performed good deed and those who were famous for their bad deed. The male characters were portrayed as strong heroes that can take on anything.

“Though he appears on the verge of defeat many times -- a characteristic of the epic hero -- he ultimately triumphs” (Magher). Although there are many characteristics of heroes and epic heroes, one thing is usually common among them all, that the hero triumphs at the end of the difficult challenge. In Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey, there are two epic heroes that share few characteristics and are vastly different in nearly every portion of their lives. Achilles and Odysseus are two epic heroes who face difficult journeys and situations that they ultimately have to overcome. The way these two heroes overcome those obstacles is very different, yet they are both considered epic heroes. What it means to be a hero is a question very open to interpretation. Is it merely someone who wins, saves the damsel in distress, and is idolized for various achievements? Or is it something more, something deeper within a person that leads them in the direction of helping others? Regardless of the many definitions of a hero, it goes without question that both Achilles and Odysseus are indeed epic heroes. In Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey, Achilles and Odysseus can be compared and contrasted as epic heroes.