Odyssey and Epic Hero
An Epic hero Epic heroes are characters in an old poem or story that people can relate to for admire. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer,
Odysseus is that epic hero. Odysseus faced many difficult situations as an epic hero, and made some bad decisions as an ordinary man,
both which show his strengths and weaknesses.
One part of the poem that shows how Odysseus is an epic hero was when he sharpened an olive tree and jabbed it in Polyphemus's
lonely one eye, so him and his men can escape. "Now by the gods, I drove my big hand spike/ deep in the embers charring it again/
and cheered my men along with the battle talk/ to keep their courage up: No man quitting now." [Book 9 lines 282-285] This quote
illustrates how Odysseus jabbed the olive tree in Polyphemus's eye. The thought of home, and him and his men free made him blind
Polyphemus.
The term ordinary man relates to making mistakes, which was what
Odysseus did in book 10. Odysseus's temptation's made him
make a mistake and cheat on his wife Penelope for Circe. "We two/ shall mingle and make love upon out bed. / So mutual trust may
come of play and love."[Book 10 lines 66-68] That quote represents
Circe's proposal to Odysseus to sleep with her, and which he
accepts and cheats on his wife.
Odysseus has shown his strengths and weaknesses throughout the story. His strengths and weaknesses are illustrated though his
interactions with Polyphemus and Circe. His strengths are shown when he used his strength to sharpen an olive tree and blind
Polyphemus. His weaknesses are shown in his temptation, when he decided to stay with Circe for a year and sleep with her.
In conclusion, this paper has illustrated how Odysseus has faced difficult situations as an epic hero and how he made bad decisions
as an ordinary man. Odysseus's actions as both an epic hero and an ordinary man show his strengths and weaknesses. The situations
Odysseus is that epic hero. Odysseus faced many difficult situations as an epic hero, and made some bad decisions as an ordinary man,
both which show his strengths and weaknesses.
One part of the poem that shows how Odysseus is an epic hero was when he sharpened an olive tree and jabbed it in Polyphemus's
lonely one eye, so him and his men can escape. "Now by the gods, I drove my big hand spike/ deep in the embers charring it again/
and cheered my men along with the battle talk/ to keep their courage up: No man quitting now." [Book 9 lines 282-285] This quote
illustrates how Odysseus jabbed the olive tree in Polyphemus's eye. The thought of home, and him and his men free made him blind
Polyphemus.
The term ordinary man relates to making mistakes, which was what
Odysseus did in book 10. Odysseus's temptation's made him
make a mistake and cheat on his wife Penelope for Circe. "We two/ shall mingle and make love upon out bed. / So mutual trust may
come of play and love."[Book 10 lines 66-68] That quote represents
Circe's proposal to Odysseus to sleep with her, and which he
accepts and cheats on his wife.
Odysseus has shown his strengths and weaknesses throughout the story. His strengths and weaknesses are illustrated though his
interactions with Polyphemus and Circe. His strengths are shown when he used his strength to sharpen an olive tree and blind
Polyphemus. His weaknesses are shown in his temptation, when he decided to stay with Circe for a year and sleep with her.
In conclusion, this paper has illustrated how Odysseus has faced difficult situations as an epic hero and how he made bad decisions
as an ordinary man. Odysseus's actions as both an epic hero and an ordinary man show his strengths and weaknesses. The situations