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The Odyssey : The Epic Tale Of Strength, Courage, Nobility, Knowledge, And Confidence

Good Essays

Raeann Lytle
4/21/2016
Dr. Sammons
GPS 210
The “Heroic” Odysseus The Odyssey is an epic tale of strength, courage, nobility, knowledge, and confidence reflected in a numerous amount of characters. The poem is centered on the most obvious candidate for a hero, Odysseus. However, many argue that he is, in fact, not a hero. He does not do things for other people out of the goodness of his heart, he does not consider other people’s values and needs, and he is self-centered and arrogant. There is also a difference between Odysseus having the characteristics of a hero and not using them, and his wife Penelope having them and silently being a hero. Although Homer portrays Odysseus as the hero of the epic, he does not act on the qualities given to him causing him to seem less of a hero than is expected of him. However, Penelope is seen as a hero because of her strength, optimism, knowledge, and ability to overcome obstacles.
A hero is someone who is determined to have courage or outstanding achievements and is also recognized for the impact they have on the community. Odysseus is the most obvious candidate for the hero in the story, because he is the main character and the story is written around his journey home. However, when The Odyssey is critically read with the main focus on the heroism of Odysseus, there are many reasons why he would not be seen as a hero. In an article by Emily Nicole Howell, an English I teacher at Rustin High School, she talks about how Odysseus

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