Odysseus: Lifetime Hero (The Odyssey by Homer Analysis)

The idea of heroism is commonly misconceptualized among many embodiments of stories. Every hero is often expressed as a person who achieves the highest of high without experiencing the lowest of lows. The Odyssey by Homer formulated during the olden age of Greek culture, follows the journey of the misunderstood protagonist Odysseus who perfectly exemplifies the true meaning of a hero. Odysseus is distanced from his life for 20 years in which he fought his best battles, developed survival skills, and most importantly found a way to get home to his beloved wife Penelope. Therefore, Odysseus is a hero by way of the use of his intelligence and exceptional leadership.

Over the course of his journey Odysseus and his crew experienced many battles that resulted in many casualties. Yet Odysseus found countless ways to use his cunningness against his opponents so that his crew can accomplish their goal of making it home. When Odysseus and his men encounter the cyclopi and Polyphemus, he tells the cyclops an alias as part of his plan to escape. This is illustrated in the text, “My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends / everyone calls me Nohbdy” (Homer 315-316). Odysseus ability to trick Polyphemus creates a sense of diversion to the other cyclopi on the island that Polyphemus is only hurting himself as he screams “Nhobdy has ruined me”.  Therefore Odysseus’ craftiness and quick thinking allows the crew to make their way closer to escaping the cave. Another way Odysseus uses his intuition to gain an advantage is through the farm animals. He thinks of a way to get his men out of the cave using the rams, as written, “I tied them silently together, twining / cords of willow from the ogre’s bed” (Homer 378-379). In order for and his men to escape from Polyphemus he had tied them to the rams, doing this allowed the crew to be free and away from the grasp of Polyphemus. Odysseus’ wittiness saved the lives of himself and the crew members. 

Secondly, Odysseus’ ability to focus on his task and reach his goal makes him an extraordinary leader. His ability to calm his crew and prepare them for the worst situations is demonstrated when they reach the sirens. The sirens have the ability to lure whomever and kill them with their attractive song. Odysseus prepares his crew for the hazardous creatures by instructing them to avoid listening to their song. Odysseus exhibits this in the text: “I carried wax along the line, and laid it / thick on their ears” (Homer 712-713). Odysseus takes charge and protects the crew. The crew has a trust for their leader as they do what they are told no questions asked. Odysseus shows his ability to guide through the hardest parts of their long journey. Odysseus steps up when him and his men encounter the monster Scylla. The monster shakes the crew up and Odysseus takes charge to help them get through the water. In the text Odysseus states, “You at the tiller, listen, and take in / all that I say--- the rudders are your duty” (Homer 776-777). Odysseus hands out jobs and makes sure his crew is focused on accomplishing their goal. He is brave and shows fearlessness while guiding them through the giant monster. Odysseus helps them through a tough time and lights a fire in his crew.

However Odysseus has many incidents where his emotions get the best of him, causing him to be rash and make imprudent decisions. These weaknesses have led to undesirable outcomes for his men. These mistakes are highlighted when Odysseus laughs and mocks Polyphemus  while they escape the island. On the other hand, Odysseus’ bravery overshadows his ability to let his emotions get the best of him, this is exemplified when Odysseus overcame his fear to see the underworld in the land of the dead section. As Odysseus enters the land of the dead he is overstrucken with fear, but he finds a way to be cool and calm. This is highlighted in the text, “I grew sick with fear / But presently I gave command to my officers” (Homer 570-571). Odysseus has an inclination to let his feelings overcome him. However he shows immense bravery. The bravery shows that he can control his emotions when he absolutely has to.

Lastly, the use of leadership and intelligence are some of the many qualities that make a good hero. Odysseus demonstrates both of these traits and more. He also acts as a ray of hope for his crew as they navigate through the tough times. He exemplifies his heroic qualities time and time out. At times he lets his emotions get the best of him, but in the end he always finds a way to control himself and focus on achieving his goal.