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The Epic Journey: How Is Odysseus an Epic Hero

Table of contents, heroic birth and lineage, extraordinary intelligence and cunning, strength and courage, long and perilous journey, humanity and flaws, reunion and redemption, references:.

• Homer. (8th century BCE). The Odyssey.
• Nagy, G. (1999). The Epic Hero. JHU Press.
• Griffin, J. (2005). Homer: The Odyssey. Cambridge University Press.
• Mitchell, A. (2013). An Introduction to Homer. Oxford University Press.
• Finkelberg, M. (2013). The Odyssey and Ancient Art. Oxford University Press.

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How Is Odysseus An Epic Hero

Odysseus is the perfect example of an epic hero. He embodies all the qualities that are associated with this archetype, such as strength, courage, and wisdom. Odysseus’ journey home from Troy is one of the most famous stories in all of literature, and he is one of the most well-known characters in Greek mythology.

The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus’ long journey back to his homeland of Ithaca. After enduring many challenges and obstacles, Odysseus finally arrives home after 20 years away. During his journey, Odysseus demonstrates all the qualities of a heroic figure. He is brave in the face of danger, resourceful in times of need, and displays great strength and determination. Odysseus is also a very wise leader, able to make sound decisions in difficult situations.

Odysseus’ journey home is a classic example of an epic hero’s journey. He overcomes tremendous odds to reach his goal, and in doing so, becomes a true legend. Odysseus is an excellent example of an epic hero, and his story continues to inspire readers to this day.

The central hero of an epic, a lengthy poem about the deeds of gods or heroes, is known as an epic hero. He has qualities that exceed those of most humans, yet he is recognizable as such. These heroes have a tragic flaw. This distinguishes them from gods who are flawless.

In The Odyssey, an epic attributed to Homer, Odysseus is the protagonist. Hubris is his tragic flaw; it occurs on rare occasions when he displays excessive and overbearing pride. Odysseus is regarded a hero because he possesses exceptional skills in combat and leadership.

He is also a man of his word. Odysseus’ journey home from the Trojan War took ten years. During that time he faced many challenges, including the wrath of Poseidon, god of the sea. Odysseus is a heroic figure because he overcomes these challenges, and returned home to his family safe and sound. Odysseus is an epic hero. He possesses qualities superior to those of most men, yet remains recognizably human. Odysseus is a hero because of his skills as a warrior and his wisdom as a leader. He is also a man of his word.

The three encounters that Odysseus had in The Odyssey display his better qualities. His bravery is demonstrated by the encounters with the Lotus-Eaters, the Cyclops, and Scylla and Charybdis. Odysseus’ genius is manifest in his ships arrival on the coast of the Lotus-Eaters.

Rather than releasing his entire crew to explore this intriguing region, Odysseus only permitted two selected men and a runner to discover who lived there after some time. After spending some time there, none of them wanted to return to the ship or tell anyone about it.

Odysseus went to retrieve them himself and found that the Lotus-Eaters had offered his men the fruit of the Lotus plant, which caused anyone who ate it to become forgetful of their home. Odysseus had to drag his men back to the ship, kicking and screaming, in order to save them from a life without purpose. The Cyclops is another being whom Odysseus has an encounter with on his journey home.

Odysseus and his men find themselves trapped inside the cave of Polyphemus, a monstrous one-eyed giant. Odysseus comes up with a plan that will allow him and his remaining men to escape the cave unharmed. He gives Polyphemus wine until he passes out and then Odysseus gouges out his eye with a sharpened piece of olive wood. The next morning, as the Cyclops lets his flock of sheep out to graze, he calls for help from the other Cyclopes on the island.

They ask him what is wrong and he replies that “No one” has hurt him. Odysseus and his men then tie themselves to the underside of the sheep and when the Cyclopes feel around for intruders, they only find the smooth backs of the animals. This plan allows Odysseus and his men to escape and sail away safely. The final event that takes place is when Odysseus must choose between Scylla and Charybdis.

Scylla is a six-headed sea monster and Charybdis is a whirlpool that Odysseus and his men must pass in order to get to Ithaca. Odysseus chooses to navigate the ship closer to Scylla so that he and his men can avoid being sucked into the Charybdis. This decision costs him six of his sailors, but it allows the rest of his crew to make it safely home. Odysseus’s heroic traits are shown during all of these encounters and help him to make it home to Ithaca.

The encounter with Scylla and Charybdis was Odysseus’ most difficult moment up to that point. Scylla was a gray rock sea monster with six heads, and Charybdis was an enormous and harmful whirlpool.

Unfortunately, to reach the destination they had to call at, they were compelled to sail straight through these two extreme risks. Odysseus found himself in a huge scenario. Should he go near Scylla or Charybdis? He determined to approach Scylla, demonstrating how he might make important judgments while under great stress supplied.

Odysseus’ encounter with the Sirens is another example of his quick thinking. Odysseus and his men heard the enchanting singing of the Sirens, but Odysseus had been forewarned by Circe and knew that if they sailed too close, they would be lured to their doom.

Odysseus ordered his men to plug their ears with beeswax so they would not be able to hear the Sirens, and then he had them bind him to the mast of the ship so he could not jump overboard to his death. Odysseus’ cleverness was again shown when he told his men that he wanted them to untie him when he got back to Ithaca. Odysseus was then able to listen to the singing of the Sirens without being harmed.

Odysseus’ intelligence and strength were also shown when he defeated the Cyclops. The Cyclops was a one-eyed giant who lived on an island that Odysseus and his men had to visit. Odysseus and his men were trapped in the cave of the Cyclops because a storm had blown their boat away from the island. Odysseus came up with a plan to defeat the Cyclops.

He gave each of his men a large stick, and he told them to pretend that they were paralyzed. Odysseus then put on a cloak that made him invisible and he went into the cave. The Cyclops was angry that Odysseus and his men were in his cave, so he started to eat them. Odysseus and his men then stabbed the Cyclops in the eye with their sticks and escaped from the cave.

Odysseus’s intelligence and strength were also evident when he killed all of the suitors who were trying to marry Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. Odysseus had been gone for twenty years, and during that time, Penelope had been besieged by suitors who wanted to marry her. Penelope did not want to marry any of them, but she could not get rid of them.

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Epic Hero Essay

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Have you ever wondered what an epic hero really is? The term hero is so commonly used in our day to day life, but what is an epic hero? In the Odyssey, Homer classifies the qualities of an epic hero. An epic hero is a brave and noble character in an epic poem. In the book The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is one such hero for he is a great warrior and a native Ithacan while traversing many lands. Humility is the last characteristic of an epic hero. Odysseus struggles with this one. However, throughout the book there are moments where Odysseus overcame his flaw and showed humility.

Odysseus’ physical strength and intelligence helped him throughout his odyssey. First, he went out and fought victoriously against the Trojans. Then he blinded the Cyclop’s eye in order to free his shipmates.  Finally, when he arrived back in Ithaca, he was able to execute all the suitors single handedly. Another great test of Odysseus’s strength was his ability to string his bow through all twelve axes. Everyone knew what a man Odysseus was, when Penelope brings down Odysseus special bow, Antinous says “no easy game, I wager, to string his polished bow. Not a soul in the crowd can match Odysseus” ( Page 427 Lines 105-106). I think that the fact the Antinous, the one who most severely despises Odysseus can admit Odysseus strength shows what a man he was. An example of when Odysseus used his intelligence was after he blinded Polyphemus, and was asked his name, he screamed out “nobody, thats my name. Nobody- so my mother and father call me, all my friends.” ( Page 223 Lines 410-411) Odysseus then disguised his men under the sheep to get them out.

Odysseus’ strength well exceeds anyone else’s, and was therefore recognized by his own country and others as wondrous. “No easy game, I wager, to string his polished bow. Not a soul in the crowd can match Odysseus’s” (Page 427, Lines 105-106). It’s known to the suitors that Odysseus is well above anyone else, and no one can exceed his strength. Odysseus’ noble lineage is clear. His father was a king, the former King Laertes, and his grandfather came directly from Zeus. Odysseus has travelled through 13 cities/countries. Everywhere Odysseus travelled, wherever he appeared people referred to as ‘Lord’ Odysseus as a result of his noble birth. An example of this is when Prince Telemachus is talking about his dad and says “I beg you, if ever my father, lord Odysseus…” (Page 110, Lines 109-110). Besides for just with his son, Odysseus was well known throughout the world for his nobility.

There is one characteristic that makes Odysseus a flawed epic hero. Odysseus often behaves arrogantly, For example when he is trapped in Polyphemus’s cave. He blinds him and when he is about to sail away he calls out “Cyclops, if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so, say Odysseus” (page 227, Lines 558-560). Odysseus’s hubris caused him to act in this way when he could have simply just left without revealing who he was. However, there were times in the Odyssey where he demonstrated humility. The first time that Odysseus’ flaw, hubris set him back was when he calls to Cyclops just before sailing away that he is who blinded him. This flaw of his lead to his supernatural woes as well. Cyclops then calls out to Poseidon praying to him that he will grant that “Odysseus raider of cities, Laertes’ son, who makes his house in Ithaca, never reaches home!” That is the reason that Odysseus journey home was so setback, because he had Poseidon putting forth many tribulations before him. Despite Odysseus tendency towards arrogance there were times that he overcame this and acted with humility. Odysseus demonstrates his humility when crying out to the gods in search of help. For example in Book 5, when Odysseus has finally escaped Calypso’s island and is on his way, and was attacked by Poseidon. Odysseus cries out and says “ Hear me, lord, whoever you are, I’ve come to you, the answer to all my prayers- rescue me from the sea, the sea lord’s curse! (Page 166, Lines 490-492). Odysseus the strongest mortals in the world is crying out to a god for help, his humility is clearly demonstrated here. Luckily Odysseus always has Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, by his side which continuously leads him to his success.

Now that we understand what classifies a hero as an epic one, I think it is fair to state that Odysseus is an epic hero for he is of noble birth, and is capable of great feats of strength and courage. He has been established as a great warrior in both his own country and all over the world. He becomes famous as a powerful warrior. He faces and meets superhuman challenges, while receiving supernatural help. These are all exemplary characteristics of an epic hero.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Gilgamesh — Why is Gilgamesh an Epic Hero

Why is Gilgamesh an Epic Hero

• Categories: Epic of Gilgamesh Gilgamesh Morality

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Published: Jan 28, 2021

Words: 2408 | Pages: 5 | 13 min read

In summary, "The Epic of Gilgamesh" presents a complex portrayal of its titular character, Gilgamesh, who embodies both heroism and antagonism. Gilgamesh's heroic quest to find a cure for human mortality is juxtaposed with his reckless actions, such as taking the wives of his subjects. While his kingship in Uruk implies a responsibility to protect and respect his people, Gilgamesh often prioritizes his own fame and legacy.

Gilgamesh's duality mirrors the multifaceted nature of human beings who, in their pursuit of certain goals, can exhibit both virtuous and morally ambiguous traits. The ultimate judgment of Gilgamesh's actions hinges on their impact on humanity as a whole. Despite his flaws, Gilgamesh's more compassionate and heroic moments demonstrate his potential for positive influence.

In this light, labeling Gilgamesh as either a hero or a villain oversimplifies his character. Instead, recognizing his humanity and capacity for change allows for a more nuanced perspective. Gilgamesh's legacy endures not only as a reflection of human complexity but also as a testament to the enduring quest for meaning and purpose in life.

Works Cited

• Campbell, Joseph.The historical development of mythology. Joseph Campbell Foundation, 2017.
• Ferry, David. “Gilgamesh: A New Rendering in English Verse.” Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. 1993.
• Larsen, Kristine. 'The Hero's Quest and the Cycles of Nature: An Ecological Interpretation of World Mythology.'Mythlore35.2 (2017): 178-185.

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Gilgamesh: the Enigma of Ancient Mesopotamia

This essay about the historical enigma of Gilgamesh, the legendary king of Uruk, explores the enduring debate surrounding his existence. Examining both archaeological evidence and textual sources, it navigates the blurred lines between myth and reality, questioning whether Gilgamesh was a flesh-and-blood ruler or a mythical construct. While tantalizing clues from excavations at ancient Uruk suggest a historical basis for his legend, the absence of direct references in contemporary historical records leaves his existence open to interpretation. Ultimately, the essay reflects on the enduring allure of Gilgamesh as a symbol of human aspiration and imagination, regardless of his historical veracity.

How it works

In the labyrinth of ancient Mesopotamian history, one figure stands out amidst the shifting sands of time: Gilgamesh, the legendary king of Uruk. His name echoes through the corridors of myth and legend, his deeds immortalized in the epic tales of old. But behind the veil of storytelling lies a tantalizing mystery: was Gilgamesh a flesh-and-blood ruler, or merely a figment of the collective imagination?

To unravel this enigma, we must journey back to the dawn of civilization, to a land where gods walked among mortals and heroes forged their destinies in the crucible of adventure.

In the fertile plains of Mesopotamia, the city of Uruk rose like a titan, its walls reaching towards the heavens and its streets thrumming with the pulse of life. Here, amidst the hustle and bustle of urban existence, Gilgamesh is said to have reigned as king, his exploits recounted in the epic that bears his name.

But as we delve deeper into the annals of history, we find ourselves confronted with a conundrum: the absence of concrete evidence to corroborate Gilgamesh’s existence. While the epic of Gilgamesh paints a vivid portrait of a larger-than-life hero, complete with divine ancestry and superhuman feats, the historical record remains eerily silent. No inscriptions bear his name, no monuments attest to his reign. It is as though Gilgamesh exists in a realm betwixt reality and myth, his legacy shrouded in ambiguity.

Yet, amidst the fog of uncertainty, tantalizing clues emerge to tantalize the curious mind. The city of Uruk, with its sprawling ruins and labyrinthine streets, offers a glimpse into the world that Gilgamesh may have inhabited. Archaeological excavations reveal a vibrant urban center, replete with temples, palaces, and bustling marketplaces. Could this be the Uruk of legend, the seat of Gilgamesh’s power? The tantalizing possibility lends credence to the notion that Gilgamesh was indeed a historical figure, albeit one whose exploits have been embellished over time.

But the quest for truth is fraught with peril, for every clue unearthed only serves to deepen the mystery. The absence of direct references to Gilgamesh in contemporary historical sources remains a vexing puzzle, casting doubt on his status as a genuine historical figure. Could it be that Gilgamesh, like so many heroes of antiquity, was a product of myth and legend, his exploits woven into the fabric of cultural memory?

As we ponder these questions, it becomes clear that the truth about Gilgamesh may forever elude us. Like a mirage shimmering on the horizon, his legacy beckons us to pursue it, yet recedes ever further from our grasp. Perhaps therein lies the true allure of Gilgamesh: not as a historical curiosity to be dissected and analyzed, but as a timeless symbol of human aspiration and imagination. In the end, it matters not whether Gilgamesh was real or merely a myth. What matters is the enduring legacy of his story, a testament to the boundless depths of the human spirit.

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