Who is Odysseus?
A hero in today's society is thought to be perfect due to all of his supernatural abilities; like Superman, the bulletproof, flying savior. However, in ancient Greece, a hero has both heroic and anti-heroic qualities such as Odysseus from The Odyssey by Homer. While Odysseus may display many heroic qualities, he is not perfect and his anti-heroic qualities are more apparent throughout this epic.
Odysseus, being a hero of an ancient Greek epic, is both a hero and an anti-hero, therefore he has some heroic characteristics; he is wise, has quick wit, and he is brave. Homer shows Odysseus's wisdom as he says, "Better to mourn six men than lose them all" (lines 705-706). This is wise thinking because without his men, Odysseus would not have been able to get as far in his journey as he did. It is also natural and expected of a good captain to make choices that will benefit him and his men the most. Odysseus displays quick wit while passing through the Sirens as he says "I carried wax along the line and layed it thick on their ears" (line 745). Odysseus quickly comes up with a simple, yet efficient plan to protect his men as they pass the Sirens. Also Odysseus is yet again displaying his instinct as a captain to protect his men at all costs. Odysseus's most heroic trait is his bravery as he stands up to Polyphemus: "We served under Agamemnon, son of Atreus - the whole world knows what city be laid waste, what armies he destroyed" (line 761). Odysseus's voice does not waver as he addresses the giant beast with a touch of arrogance. But even the most heroic traits have anti-heroic traits to oppose them.
Odysseus is extremely arrogant, selfish, and can be emotionally weak at times. One of Odysseus's most arrogant moments is when he and his men are fleeing the Cyclopes' Island; Odysseus shouds, "Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes' son, whose home's Ithaca" (line 769). Odysseus could not help himself; it was simply a normal reaction for a powerful man, such as Odysseus, who just defeated a gigantic beast all on his own. Odysseus's reaction was not only arrogant, but also selfish, for by shouting like that and telling all the gods who he was, he endangered the whole ship. Later in the epic, Odysseus is selfish yet again while passing through the Sirens as he says, "The lovely voices in the ardor appealing over the water made me crave to listen" (line 752). Odysseus's need to hear the Sirens' voices so he could brag about surviving what no other man could was a selfish act. He endangered his crew for the second time by doing so. A moment of emotional weakness on the island of Lord Helios's cattle is perhaps the most anti-heroic trait Odysseus displays: "So one day I withdrew to the interior to pray to the gods in solitude" (line 817). Odysseus is unsure of what to do, so as any other Greek of his time would, he goes off to pray to the gods for guidance.
The hero of The Odyssey is not a hero, he is an anti-hero who enjoys glorifying himself. Odysseus is only a human being who was given a couple opportunities to act like a hero. His many anti-heroic moments are some of the most powerful found within the epic. Odysseus is curious, selfish, arrogant, fearful, and so many more human traits. It is extremely normal for a human being such as Odysseus to have both heroic and anti-heroic qualities; no one is perfect.
Odysseus, being a hero of an ancient Greek epic, is both a hero and an anti-hero, therefore he has some heroic characteristics; he is wise, has quick wit, and he is brave. Homer shows Odysseus's wisdom as he says, "Better to mourn six men than lose them all" (lines 705-706). This is wise thinking because without his men, Odysseus would not have been able to get as far in his journey as he did. It is also natural and expected of a good captain to make choices that will benefit him and his men the most. Odysseus displays quick wit while passing through the Sirens as he says "I carried wax along the line and layed it thick on their ears" (line 745). Odysseus quickly comes up with a simple, yet efficient plan to protect his men as they pass the Sirens. Also Odysseus is yet again displaying his instinct as a captain to protect his men at all costs. Odysseus's most heroic trait is his bravery as he stands up to Polyphemus: "We served under Agamemnon, son of Atreus - the whole world knows what city be laid waste, what armies he destroyed" (line 761). Odysseus's voice does not waver as he addresses the giant beast with a touch of arrogance. But even the most heroic traits have anti-heroic traits to oppose them.
Odysseus is extremely arrogant, selfish, and can be emotionally weak at times. One of Odysseus's most arrogant moments is when he and his men are fleeing the Cyclopes' Island; Odysseus shouds, "Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes' son, whose home's Ithaca" (line 769). Odysseus could not help himself; it was simply a normal reaction for a powerful man, such as Odysseus, who just defeated a gigantic beast all on his own. Odysseus's reaction was not only arrogant, but also selfish, for by shouting like that and telling all the gods who he was, he endangered the whole ship. Later in the epic, Odysseus is selfish yet again while passing through the Sirens as he says, "The lovely voices in the ardor appealing over the water made me crave to listen" (line 752). Odysseus's need to hear the Sirens' voices so he could brag about surviving what no other man could was a selfish act. He endangered his crew for the second time by doing so. A moment of emotional weakness on the island of Lord Helios's cattle is perhaps the most anti-heroic trait Odysseus displays: "So one day I withdrew to the interior to pray to the gods in solitude" (line 817). Odysseus is unsure of what to do, so as any other Greek of his time would, he goes off to pray to the gods for guidance.
The hero of The Odyssey is not a hero, he is an anti-hero who enjoys glorifying himself. Odysseus is only a human being who was given a couple opportunities to act like a hero. His many anti-heroic moments are some of the most powerful found within the epic. Odysseus is curious, selfish, arrogant, fearful, and so many more human traits. It is extremely normal for a human being such as Odysseus to have both heroic and anti-heroic qualities; no one is perfect.