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Mario Delmar
Mrs. Tornatore
English 9 Period 2
12 December 2014
Is Odysseus a hero?
A hero is someone who demonstrates substantial quantities of courage or outstanding
achievements and is recognized for their positive impact on society. A heroic person is
someone who can aid in the time of need and comfort others in times of distress. In the epic
poem, "The Odyssey" by Homer, heroes are depicted as people who are loyal,
compassionate, and smart.Odysseus had all these traits, and showed it multiple times
through out his journey.

First of all, Odysseus is a hero because he is loyal. Odysseus shows his loyalty in
more than one way. On his nine year journey home Odysseus and his men came across a
goddess called Circe. Circe and Odysseus start to argue because Circe turns his men into
pigs. Circe will not change them back unless Odysseus stays with her. In their argument
Odysseus said How dear you tell me to treat you with warmth? you who turned my men to
swine in your own house /now you hold me here as well, teeming me with treachery you
/lure me to your room to mount your bed (Circe10.74-77) Odysseus was furious with
Circe but had to stay with her to save his men, that shows his loyalty to his comrades and
how he will go to great lengths to save every man in his crew. Another way Odysseus
shows loyalty is when he told Calypso that he loves his wife even if there is no comparison
between Penelope and Calypso. Look at my wise Penelope. She falls far short of you/ your

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beauty, stature. She is mortal after all and you, you never age or die.../nevertheless I long, I
pine, all my days to travel home and see the dawn of my return. (Calypso5.239-243) that
quote shows that Odysseus is loyal to Penelope despite calypsos offer of him staying with
her. Odysseus loves Penelope and is loyal to getting home to her and his son. His true goal
is to get to his family and he will do anything to get back to Ithaca and his family.

Odysseus is very smart and cunning. Through out the book The Odyssey, Odysseus
has proven how sly and smart he could be. In a bad situation in Polyphemuss cave
Odysseus comes up with a plan to get the cyclops intoxicated and blind him, and so he did.
After Odysseus comes up with a way to disguise his name he said So you ask me the name
Im known by cyclops?/ I will tell you but you must give me a guest-gift/ as youve
promised, nobody, that is my name, nobody so my mother and father call me, all my
friends. (Cyclops9.407-411) This quote is about Odysseus tricking the cyclops into
believing his name was nobody, so he would not get in trouble or get hurt. Odysseus did not
get caught because the cyclops screamed out Nobody is hurting me so people thought
Polyphemus was not in any danger. He uses his gifted skills to escape from dangerous foes
and save as many lives as he can.

Some may argue that Odysseus is ultimately out to save his own life and he gives no
importance to the lives of his men. People may also think that Odysseus is deceitful and
dishonest to his opponents, to his crew and most of all to himself, however Odysseus only
lies to save his men from an untimely demise. He also lies when he ventures through the
sirens path, but only to give his men peace of mind and especially on what may be there
last journey, through Scylla's lair.

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Odysseus is a very compassionate and caring person. Odysseus shows a couple of

times that behind his powerful role he is very caring, A quote showing Odysseuss
compassion is Many cities of men he saw and teamed their minds, many pains he
suffered,/ heart sick on the open sea fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home.
(Troy1.4-6) that quote is summing up everything Odysseus fought for, to get home, and
save his men And that he was determined to get him and his men to safety. Odysseus may
not show it but he is caring and considerate in his own way.

All of these traits are what a hero is made of. A hero needs to be loyal so they will
always stick to what they say they will do. A hero needs compassion so they have empathy
for the person their saving or for the situation they are in. A hero needs to be smart to put a
well rounded plan together. Despite Odysseuss set backs, he is, and always shall be known
as a hero.