Odysseus Heroic Characteristics

In the story The Odyssey, Odysseus returns from a long journey after defeating the cyclops, Polyphemus. Odysseus has many heroic attributes that correlate with the lessons of the story. He is overly confident in the actions that he takes. He is cunning when he outwits Polyphemus and escapes him to return home.Finally, he is brave when he follows through with his actions, accomplishing them head-on. These traits are what helped Odysseus save himself and his men from a gruesome death. However, we need to know why these traits are heroic, and how they helped Odysseus.

Those who are not willing to go through hardships, be selfless, courageous and make sacrifices for others aren’t heroes. Throughout the hero's journey, a hero must go through many hardships. Any heroic deed involves danger and sacrifice, and a hero needs courage to overcome the odds they face. To be a hero, one must put other’s needs before their own, and stay true to what they think is right.

"If I play a hero or a good guy, I'll try to find his darkness or his flaws." -J. Kinnaman. (Brainyqoute.com) As Kinnaman mentioned, there are almost always flaws in a hero, and these defects usually make the story more interesting. (Knowing a protagonist's defects is helpful to follow the story, because they usually propel the tension the story.) (-- removed HTML --) , an ancient Greek epic poem written by Homer, the protagonist attracts readers by showing not only his heroic qualities but also his shortcomings. The poem is mainly about Odysseus, a victorious general of the Trojan War, going back to his beloved homeland Ithaca after the brutal battle. However, he suffers through a 20-year-voyage to get home, which is caused by his own flaws. Indeed, he has plenty of heroic qualities, yet they are closely connected to his defects.

Being a legitimate hero is not all about having the extraordinary supernatural powers commonly seen on television. Heroes are people who aid others, often putting themselves at risk to do so. They made the decision to fight, not necessarily physically, for their values. Odysseus, the main character in The Odyssey, should be considered a hero. He put his own life in jeopardy to protect his men from the supernatural threats that they faced throughout their journey. Odysseus should be regarded as a hero because he is brave, clever, and cautious.

What characteristics should a powerful hero demonstrate? To me, a powerful hero is someone who is brave enough to make decisions that does not always benefit oneself but the people in their surroundings. In Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” Odysseus exhibits many heroic qualities. Although he made various mistakes, for example when Odysseus’ men died in the episode of “Scylla and Charybdis” Odysseus’ men died in a battle against the sea creature due to the fact that Odysseus forgot to remind his men of what was yet to come. Similarly, our modern day hero, Kobe Bryant, a recently retired professional NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers, shows similar leadership qualities. He like Odysseus, he is determined and selflessness.

Odysseus: The Hero of all Time Being a hero isn’t just about the fame and glory. It is about the characteristics of the person and how they decide to use them. This epic poem, The Odyssey, written by Homer, has many examples that show off the heroic traits of a character named Odysseus. Two heroic traits that Odysseus acquires are his intelligence and his self confidence. During his journey, the brave Odysseus went through many obstacles that forced his journey to a standstill, but his intelligence and self-confidence helped him survive and return home to Ithaca.

Someone who possesses the qualities of an epic hero is a very brave and loyal individual whose excellence deserves to be recognized. In the poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is the king of Ithaka who embarks on his journey home after being away in the Trojan War for ten years. He is a perfect example of one who possesses epic hero qualities. His skills are evident when he tricks a Kyklops by lying about his name, when he continues on his journey after being living lavishly for several years, and also when he remains strong and perseveres after a deadly storm. Odysseus faces many challenges, but manages to overcome them because of his epic hero qualities of strategic intelligence, independence, and courageousness.

What makes a hero a real hero? We know what a hero is we know Batman, Superman, Iron man, Captain America, Wonder Woman, and even Wolverine. We also know our everyday heroes firefighters, police officers, medical personnel, and even political leaders. We also know all of our favorite book characters. Sometimes we even think of ancient heroes, great warriors of old, but have our expectations changed since then? After all we know some of these “heroes” just for slaughtering their enemies. Do we define these people as heroes just because we’ve always known them this way. When I think of the most important characteristics that a hero can possibly have, three traits come to mind, these are charisma, courage, and selflessness. Who better to put to the test with this list than the ancient greek hero Odysseus.

In the book The Odyssey, the main character is Odysseus. He is the King of Ithaca. Odysseus is brave, cleaver, and smart. He is also noble. He has a son named Telemachus.

What makes a man a hero? Does one always have to follow the “Hero’s Journey” guidelines? To me, you don't have to have to go on a long journey to be a hero, you don't need to be the strongest person in the world, you need to be idolized for courage, outstanding achievements, and noble qualities. Because of these qualities, I choose Odysseus.

Odysseus from the epic poem The Odyssey is the perfect example of a hero that seems a little too human, not quite as “super” as some heroes are made out to be. The Odyssey takes place in ancient greek times and tells the story of Odysseus’ twenty year journey back to his island, Ithaca after the Trojan War. On his journey Odysseus made some questionable decisions such as sleeping with multiple women that weren’t his wife, but like us he has his flaws and that isn’t the only thing that defines who he is as a person and as a hero.

Odysseus is a fantastic leader, in battle and out. His qualities make him almost god worthy, and he is wondrous at problem solving with these qualities. Odysseus proves himself a significant leader because of his intelligence, loyalty to his men and home, and strength, both emotional and physical. Odysseus is a very intelligent man without a doubt. He knows how to command a military, and surpass challenges any normal man would die in.

What is a hero? A hero is not somebody with the ability to fly, run really fast, or control other people's minds,... A hero is a random person that rises to the occasion and performs the action(s) of superhero proportions. “The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is, not to frighten them, but to challenge them.” (Woodrow Wilson). I agree with Woodrow that to be truly heroic, one must have leaderships, bravery, intelligence,... to solve common problems in our society. There are many examples of heroes in our modern day world as well as fictional characters. For instances, Odysseus in the Odyssey, Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit and my mom have those characteristics of heroism.

“How do you like the beating that I gave you, you damned cannibal” (9.397-398)? This quote is from The Odyssey by Homer. This story is about the main character Odysseus and takes place after Odysseus defeated the Trojans in the Trojan War. After defeating the Trojans Odysseus is trying to get back to his home Ithaca. The story also mentions the cleverness and arrogance of Odysseus. Odysseus shows these traits in the confrontation with Polyphemus and the Sirens.

Heroes solve problems, deliver justice and give people a sense of hope when darkness occurs. Merriam-Webster defines a hero as a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability (Merriam-Webster). Exploring the nature and work of Odysseus and Churchill, both have the essential qualities that qualify them as heroes. By comparing the values of intelligence, courage, and perseverance, Odysseus, the king of Ithaca in ancient Greek mythology, and Winston Churchill, the leader of Great Britain during the Second World War, the similar characteristics displayed reveal their heroic nature and bravery.