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Paul Smith Commented [1]: Rubric: 2, 4, 1, 5, 3

Mrs. Sorgenfrei

World Lit, 9th

December 8, 2018

Homer’s “Heroic” Character

As the hero of Homer’s well-known poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus is more or less

continually displaying acts of heroism. But what characteristics make a hero? The dictionary

describes a hero as being a legendary figure oftentimes of divine descent enriched with great

ability; an illustrious warrior; a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities; one that

shows great courage. In the novel, Odysseus would have been regarded as an eminent hero. But

from a modern perspective, would he seem nearly as heroic as he is made out to be? Commented [2]: A thesis is never a question

One attribute that supports Odysseus’ heroism is his intelligence. One of the most well-

known demonstrations of this intelligence occurs when Odysseus and his men encounter the

Sirens on their journey back home. Sirens are mythical creatures that live on an island and attract

men to their death with their beautiful and irresistible singing voices. Odysseus knows that they

will not be able to subdue the lure of the Sirens’ voices, so he uses his intelligence to formulate a

plan. Once the men near the island, he has the men plug their ears with beeswax to drown out the

sound of the Sirens’ voice. However, he wishes to hear the Sirens himself but knows that he will

not have the power to resist them, so he has the men lash him to the mast. It is a good thing that

Odysseus is smart enough to realize his own weakness because he would not have been able to

stop himself from approaching the Sirens, which would have resulted in death. Commented [3]: Lacking support

Odysseus is a good hero because he is clever and cares about the men whom he leads. At

the land of the lotus-eaters, three of his men eat the lotus and no longer wish to return home. He
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bodily drags each one back to the ship because he knows that, deep down, they still want to

return to their families. Then, after Elpenor dies at Circe’s house, his spirit asks Odysseus to

return and dispose of his body correctly, which Odysseus does out of respect for his crew

member. Odysseus does not seem to look on his men as just a crew to be managed but as

individuals who matter and deserve the best, he can give them. This performance ultimately

showed his heroism and good nature to take care of and protect the people around him. Commented [4]: Lacking support

People have changed their minds on who they believe to be is a good hero. Nevertheless,

people have always wanted the same qualities in a hero. Nowadays, we applaud those that are Commented [5]: who is 'we'?

brave, honorable, and inspiring. The bulk of those who read The Odyssey recognize the

protagonist of the story, Odysseus, a hero. On many incidents, however, Odysseus makes

decisions profitable to himself alone. For example, when Odysseus and his men find themselves

on Polyphemus's island, Odysseus's actions are self-centered and at the risk of his men. This can

be said for most of Odysseus's efforts in the story, as his main aspiration is to reach his home.

Odysseus could be considered a hero, but many of his intentions say otherwise. Due to the many

seditious and self-centered decisions he makes in the story, Odysseus is not a hero. Commented [6]: Lacking support

In the novel, Odysseus would have been regarded as a prominent hero. But from a

modern perspective, would he seem nearly as heroic as he is made out to be? Ancient Greek

heroes are often defined to be strong and courageous, therefore making Odysseus the hero of the

novel. However, nowadays, it takes more than just strength and courage. From a modern

perspective, a hero is someone who is powerful, inspiring, self-sacrificing, and brave. Odysseus

would not be seen as a hero because he did not possess the self-sacrificing nature every hero

should own. Commented [7]: This does not make page

requirement and does not contain a works cited page.
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