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Odysseus' Journey to becoming an Epic Hero Odysseus, the main character in Homer's Odyssey, is an accurate portrayal of an epic hero. The Odyssey consists of twenty-four books that portray ten years. Throughout these ten years Odysseus kills a god and Cyclops, exudes strength of mammoth proportions, uses his wits to overcome brawn, and saves his wife and son from barbaric noblemen. Odysseus is a man of courage, wisdom, honor, strength, perseverance, and determination.
In spite of many setbacks, he never abandons his goal of returning home. In the end the wicked are destroyed, right prevails, and the family is united. It is a must for an epic hero to possess strength both physical and mental. Determination, perseverance, and courage are all examples of mental strength that aid Odysseus on his journeys.
Eurylochs, a very wise man, depicts Odysseus through these words "Hardy art thou, Odysseus, of might beyond measure, and thy limbs are never weary; verily thou art fashioned all of iron, that suffered not thy. " This quote supports Odysseus possessing mental and physical strength. Odysseus' limbs never tire because he is determined, because he preservers, and because he is courageous! When Eurylochs states that Odysseus' body is made of iron he is using a metaphor. Because his strength is so great it can only be compared to the strongest metal of the time.
Odysseus is very strong, but also wise. He uses his wisdom when his strength can not compare to that of godly power. " Then godly Odysseus spake 'I will devise myself the ambush to take this ancient one devine, for a god is hard for a mortal man to fight. ', " (Homer 56) is a passage that proves Odysseus is wise to know that he can not defeat a god with brawn but rather he can with wit. The ingenious plan that he devises aids in killing the god, which is hard for a mortal man to do according to the passage. Another example of Odysseus using his wit is when he defeats the Cyclops. In this situation, Odysseus realizes that the Cyclops' massive size can only impede him.
He knows that only having one eye is a big disadvantage. Odysseus uses the weaknesses of the Cyclops against it to courageously vanquish it. Odysseus is wise to use wit to overcome brawn Odysseus loves his wife and son with all of his heart and soul. In this next passage his love, honor, and courage are proven when compared to that of a lion. "Out upon them for truly in the bed of a breve-hearted man were they minded to lie, very cravens as they are! even as when a hind hath couched her newborn fawns unweaned in a strong lion's lair and seartheth out the mountain Knees and grassy hollows, seeking pasture and afterward the lion cometh back to his bed and sender forth unsightly death upon that pair, even so shall, Odysseus send forth unsightly death upon the wooers. " (Homer 54) It is an honor to compare Odysseus to a lion because a lion is a symbol of courage and strength thus Odysseus is a symbol of courage and strength. He exhibits honor and love when he kills the noblemen, wooers that are after his wife.
Because he is an epic hero Odysseus possesses love, honor, and courage. Through his many good deeds Odysseus achieves greatness and heroic stature. His many heroic qualities allow him to overcome obstacles with ease. The word godly is used to describe him and he compares to a lion. He is both revered and feared and will achieve heroic immortality because of it. The term epic hero is made for Odysseus.
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