The desire to have and uphold a good reputation makes Beowulf a hero. Though not as significant today, in Anglo-Saxton culture honor and reputation were extremely important values. At times, the importance of having a good reputation was put over staying alive. We see this happen in Beowulf, when Beowulf repeatedly risks his life in order to have a high reputation. First, he “sail[s] the open ocean” traveling far just to slay Grendel (Raffel 34).
Odysseus: A True Heroic Figure “But I would not give way.” This simple, yet strong, inspiring quote was stated on page 218 of book 9 of the Odyssey by the heroic figure Odysseus, when his crew members were ready to take everything they could escape with and avoid confrontation with the menacing Cyclops. Even though this six letter quote is short and to the point, it shows how determined Odysseus really is. I believe that Odysseus is a strong heroic figure in Greek mythology. His best qualities that reflect his heroic character are his cleverness, caring heart for his crew members, and his strong determination. Although this crafty hero has many other great qualities, these qualities are the highlights of his character.
When fate and the Gods are on your side, your chance of overcoming all trials greatly increase. Odysseus very much desired to see his wife and son, but it was his fate to make it home to Ithaca, and with the help of a few gods, his fortune was upheld. “But then, when the happy gods bring on the long hard times, Bear them he must, against his will, and steel his heart. Our lives, our mood and mind as we pass across the earth, turn as the days turn . .
The actual objective lies in making the voyage itself, and to face all those difficulties; to overcome the difficulties in life and gain experience while you are out making the voyage. Therefore, by the time you reach your “Ithaca” you will already have gained so much from the trip that it does not matter so much whether you reached your goals or not. For instance, Odysseus’ goal was definitely not to lose his men; but, he did. That does not mean that he was unsuccessful, even though he failed in achieving all his
Odysseus’s strong leadership play’s a huge role in the issues that face him on his journey home to Ithaca. When Odysseus and his fellowship arrive at the Cyclops’s cave, he takes charge in this position. “Make fast the ship, we shall see whether these Cyclops’s are lawless savages.” (Homer 6) Throughout his strong leadership, his ability to take charge in dangerous events shows that being a strong leader is one of his best attributes. Again, Odysseus shows tremendous leadership when he and his men arrive to a land where they do not know of and Odysseus immediately takes charge. “Peremides, we have no choice.
He often has errors in his judgement that allow adverse situations to take place. Although Ulysses is seen as a great warrior and leader, he makes many mistakes which portray him as a mortal man rather than a glorified hero. Upon his arrival in Ciconia Ulysses leads his men into battle against the Ciconians. His men trust him enough to follow him onto the island and there they
Niane and White Tigers by Maxine Hong Kingston, the main characters both suffer in the beginning of their story but start their journey when they hear the call to adventure. Both struggle intensely in their travels, but with the help of their aids, the protagonists are able to grow enough to begin their journey back home to end the reign of terror. Through the hero’s journey, the struggles the
Baghdad Without A Map. Penduin,1992. “His quest for hot stories takes him from the tribal wilds of Yemen to the shell-pocked shores of Lebanon; from the malarial sands of the Sudan to the eerie souks of Saddam Hessein’s Iraq, a land so secretive that even street maps and weather reports are banned….” Horwitz gives an insightful look into the middle east, traveling throughout the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, to look at Arab culture before the current War on Terrorism. He writes with a style more like a novel and storyteller than an academic book; a student
He had many qualities that made him a perfect example of an epic hero. On his journey to return home, his many flaws often got in his way; he was boastful, filled with hubris, behaved like a common man and was prone to bouts of anger and jealousy. He did however learn, after his long journey home, that he was not invincible and needed the gods help in getting
The Historical Accuracy of The Odyssey Homer wrote The Odyssey in which Odysseus travels to many locations and comes across trouble trying to get back to his homeland, Ithaka. After a storm blows him off course he arrives at the Kyklops’ island. Then he sails to Aiolos’ island and receives a bag of wind in which his crew members foolishly open and they were blown back to Aiolos’ island. Later they sail past a monster which eats some of his crewmembers. Homer composes parts in The Odyssey that are fictional; however most of The Odyssey is accurate such as the locations and creatures that appear in the epic poem.