Stark

Britton Stark
Stoeber
Advanced English / Period 5
March 9, 2013
Odysseus: Self Proclaimed Hero
Is Odysseus really an epic hero? People everywhere have spent centuries arguing over
whether or not Odysseus is an epic hero. One opinion is he is not a hero because of his lack of ability
to keep his men alive, his disloyalty to his wife, and extreme pride and arrogance which ends up getting
him into heaps of trouble on numerous occasions. Sure, he went through most of the steps other heroes
do and Odysseus certainly faces a fair number of trials and tribulations as well. In reality, he causes all
his problems though. They could have avoided been very simply if he had gone home to Ithaca after
the Trojan War ended as the rest of the heroes and warriors did. Odysseus may be a hero in the eyes of
some people, but there is plenty of proof to support Odysseus as the anti-hero.
Some people claim that Odysseus is a hero, one reason is that he is faithful to his wife
throughout his long journey. However during his long away although Penelope remains true to her
husband, Odysseus does not show the same respect to his wife. The earliest occasion is right at the
beginning of the poem on Calypso's Island. After being told that he is being set free he chooses to thank
Calypso by sleeping with her: Even as he [speaks] the sun [sets] and the darkness [sweeps] the earth./
And now, with drawing into the cavern's deep recesses,/ long in each-others arms they [lose]
themselves in love (5. 248-251). Another point of heroism that some people believe is that he is loyal
to his men. In fact there are many circumstances where he not only chooses to not save his men, he
chooses to benefit from the situations of their misfortunes. Such an occasion is that concerning the
Sirens. Odysseus chooses to hear their song even though it will increase the danger they are exposed to:
So they [send] their ravishing voices out across the air/ and the heart inside me [throbs] to listen

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longer./ I [signal] the crew with frowns to set me free--/ they [fling] themselves at the oars and [row] on
harder,/ Perimedes and Eurylochus springing up at once/ to bind me faster with rope on chafing rope
(12. 208-213). Another trait most people find heroic in Odysseus is his honesty. The truth is Odysseus
is not truthful in almost any of the situations that he faces, he uses words to snake his way out of a hard
spot. Some people who meet Odysseus know of this deceitfulness like Helen she said, He flagellated
himself with degrading strokes, then threw on a worthless sheet about his shoulders. He looked like a
servant. So he crept into the wide-wayed city of the men he was fighting, disguising himself in the
likeness of somebody else, a beggar, one who was unlike himself beside the ships of the Achaians, but
in his likeness crept into the Trojans city, and they all were taken in (4.244-250). Odysseus is said to
be a hero, but the fact is that he is unfaithful to his wife and men and he is extremely arrogant.
Odysseus exhibits a lack of loyalty to his wife and son. If Odysseus was a true epic hero,
Odysseus would have remained faithful to his wife no matter how long he was away as she did to him.
Odysseus was unfaithful to his family and men three major times. The first time he was disloyal to
Penelope was at Circe's hall: "Straightaway/ she [begins] to swear the oath that I [require]--never,/ she'd
never do me harm-- and when [she finishes],/ then, at last, I [will mount] Circe's gorgeous bed..."(10.
382-385) While it was noble of him to stay in order to get his best men back, Odysseus should have
kept his promise to Penelope and found another way to get the men back. The second affair he had
lasted a whole seven years. Odysseus was trapped on Calypso's Island, but trapped implies he wanted
out, he loved being in the company of Calypso he loved the sight of her he said, ' All that you say is
true, how well I know./ Look at my wise Penelope. She falls far short of you,/ your beauty, stature. She
is mortal after all/ and you, you never age or die... (5. 238-241). Eventually, Odysseus got tired of
Calypso and her island though. He begged to go home but he had no way to leave with his ship
destroyed. Hermes was sent and instructed him to build a raft. Odysseus was not only unfaithful to
Penelope, he also was not perfect to his men. One occasion is at the house of Circe when Odysseus

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invites his men back to her house and Eurylochus expresses his disapproval. The poem gives the reader
an insight into Odysseus' thoughts: So he [declares] and I [have] half a mind/ to draw the sharp sword
from beside my hip/ and slice his head off, tumbling down in the dust,/ close kin that he was. (10. 482485). Yet, all these long years Odysseus has been gone his son, Telemachus, has grown into manhood
and his wife, Penelope, has been besieged by suitors wishing to marry her and gain Odysseus's wealth.
Odysseus's extreme pride and arrogance seems to cause trouble for him on many occasions
throughout the book. Epic heroes ought to be proud of their accomplishments but they should not brag
or expect things from people because of it. Odysseus's pride and arrogance show up throughout the
book. However, one occasion seems to stick out best. In book 9 of The Odyssey, Odysseus lands on an
island bordering the land of Cyclops. He watches their brutish ways for days yet he still decides to pay
them a visit. His men suggest taking the cheeses and animals but Odysseus refused: But I [will] not
give way--/ and how much better it [can be]--/ not till I [see] him, [see] what gifts he'd give (9. 256258). Odysseus after seeing the Cyclops, Polyphemus he says to him, ' But since we've chanced on
you, we're at your knees/ in hopes of a warm welcome, even a guest-gift,/ the sort that hosts give
strangers. That's the custom (9. 300-302). Odysseus and his men end up trapped in the Cyclops cave for
days before they finally escape by blinding the Cyclops. He loses many men though and it all could
have been avoided if he had taken the stuff and left. The final example of his arrogance is the instance
of their escape when on the ship sailing away Odysseus shouts back to Polyphemus,' 'So, Cyclops, no
weak coward it was whose crew/ you bent to devour there in your vaulted cave--/ you with your brute
force! Your filthy crimes/ came down on your own head, you shameless cannibal,/ daring to eat your
guests in your own house--/ so Zeus and the other gods have paid you back!' (531-536). Pride is one of
Odysseus's greatest flaws and many times the downfall of him and his men.
Homer's epic poem, 'The Odyssey' tells the story of a man whose foolish decisions cause him to
face many struggles on his way home to Ithaca. Some people say he is a hero because he goes on a long

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adventure facing many hardships. Others say Odysseus is a man the world decided one day was the
perfect person to be a hero but had nothing heroic about him at all. There is proof to support both sides
of the argument. The fact that Odysseus lied, cheated, and manipulated his entire way home to Ithaca.
Odysseus is not worthy of the title epic hero because he allows all of his men to die, he is unfaithful
to his wife, and displays pride and arrogance.