A hero is someone you can bet your life on and know that they will have your back whatever happens. Odysseus saves his men in the cyclops’ cave, and rescued his men from becoming animals for eternity. Odysseus is a hero because he has both super human strengths and human
He even goes into the underworld to speak to a prophet about how to get back to Ithaca. Being brave and courageous is all about being willing and able to go to the extremes to help or possibly save people or even a place in need. As well as having courage and bravery, Odysseus is also a strong warrior and leader. Living as king of Ithaca, he leads his fleet of warriors across Poseidon’s sea into a great battle against the Trojans. It is here where Odysseus and his fleet of warriors defeated the Trojans because of his great leadership.
Why bait the beast again? Let him alone!...He’ll smash our timbers and our heads together” (lines 449-454)! Odysseus boasts to the Cyclops while he and his men are escaping the island. He is putting his shipmates’ lives in danger, but he does not care, and does it again. Likewise, Odysseus shows acts of selfishness, “as [he] sent them on toward Scylla [and] told them nothing...they would have dropped their oars
Nina Ybarra Mr. Butler English 12CP 1-27-2015 Beowulf the Epic Hero A true hero does not fear death and will risk all that he is to protect people from great danger. Beowulf is an epic hero and tells a great story about a legend who overcomes all difficulties; almost as if he was immortal. All heroes share their characteristics of their preparedness to die, this is what marks their actions heroic. Throughout the epic Beowulf exhibits various characteristics that makes him an epic hero. One of the characteristics Beowulf demonstrations is his capability of deeds of great strength and courage.
The true definition of an epic hero is a character that will take on any challenge even it risks death, posses’ godly strength and ability, and finally will valiantly sacrifice themselves for the good of their people and ideals. In this case, Beowulf is the spitting image of an epic hero. Not only does he fit the description but also he emits pure heroism in almost every thing he does from fighting Grendel to the Dragon. Beowulf portrays the epic hero in the following ways such as taking on seemingly impossible challenges like his swimming competition with Breca, possessing godly and superhuman strength when fighting Grendel and his mother, and finally sacrificing himself by fighting and defeating the Dragon while also dying for his people. Beowulf could not fit the image, attitude, and qualities of an epic hero any more perfect.
Each battle is a representation of good vs. evil. He fights Grendal who is a hideously gruesome monster that would feed on the people of Denmark. He battles Grendal’s mother who kills the king’s closest friend for revenge, and the dragon was guarding a treasure and would kill any man who dared to pass. Another example of how the battles are similar is that Beowulf cannot kill his enemies with normal weapons. In the fight with Grendal, his men’s swords could not penetrate Grendal’s skin.
This is reflected in Homer’s timeless epic, The Odyssey. This is the enduring story of Odysseus: a pious warrior who is humbled by seas, torn apart by his sufferings, and reborn in his journey to reach home. Odysseus’ suffering, if examined through Augustine’s Free Will Defence, is a product of his actions. Fate and destiny play no part in his journey. He wills his fate and invents his destiny.
Furthermore, when he does reach home has to show his muscular strength again. Odysseys is a strong hero and shows his strength of how he can save his people. In homers epic poem “The Odyssey,” Odysseys in one motion strung the bow”(1005) he is being compared to haper because he has power at stringing the bow, while Odysseus tries to save his shipmates, homer describes Odysseus’s feelings at sea “while he fought only to save his life to bring his shipmates home.”(963) He shows how he can do everything by himself. In the end, Odysseus was a honorable hero, was proven. He showed great leadership, bravery, and strength throughout the whole poem.
CD: For example, landing on the island of the Lotus Eaters, “Then I sent out two picked men and a runner to learn what race of men that land sustained” (Homer 897). CM: Nothing was able to stop Odysseus on his journey because he had made critical decisions. CM: Determination is what also led him back home. CD: In addition, having a chance to kill the Cyclops, “If I killed him we perished here as well, for we could never move his ponderous doorway slab aside” (Homer 903). CM: Odysseus original intent was only to go to the battle of Troy.
This is no greater evil now than it was when the Cyclops had us cooped in his hollow cave by force and violence, but even there, by my courage and counsel and my intelligence, we escaped away. I think that all this will be remembered some day too. Then do as I say, let us all be won over.”’ (12.208-213). In this passage Odysseus shows that he has undeniable courage and he knows it, he knows he is a hero. Odysseus’s quest was a personal one, he wanted to return home to Ithaca and reunite with his family.