Odysseus the Epic Hero
In a world filled with archetypes of how men,women, and children should act, look, and behave, people should know where the archetype for a hero came from. Odysseus, the raider of cities, master of seaways and landways, possess many qualities that make him an archetype for an epic hero. The two qualities that best define him as an archetype are his physical strength and cunning. Without these qualities Odysseus may not have survived through his journey. Therefore, Odysseus who embodies the qualities of physical strength and cunning, serves as an archetype for all heroes to grace the world after him.
Odysseus possess the quality of physical strength, which makes him an archetype for a greek epic hero. Physical strength makes Odysseus a Greek epic hero, because he uses physical strength in all of his trials. When Odysseus sent three of his crewmates to the Island of the Lotus Eaters he told them to to eat the lotus, after they had eaten the lotus they had no hope of home. Meaning that they refused to go back on the ship to finish the journey back home. Odysseus used his extra strength to carry the kicking and screaming men back on board the ship, he then tied all three of them down so they couldn’t break free. Many heroes that came after Odysseus have possessed the quality of physical strength. Even heroes that came before Odysseus embodied the quality of physical strength, but Odysseus has more influence, therefore he made it an archetype. Have you ever heard of a hero does not possess physical strength? For the most part all heroes have some sort of physical strength.
Odysseus also embodies the quality of cunning that makes him an archetype for an Epic hero. Odysseus uses his cunningness to outwit and defeat his opponents. Without this quality who knows if he would have defeated enemies such as Polyphemus. While stuck in Polyphemus’ cave Odysseus first blinded him, then tied his men under sheep and Odysseus himself held on to the largest ram all night. Then when Polyphemus moved the rock to open the cave, he felt to see if the men started to escape, but Polyphemus only felt the sheep and the men escaped unscathed. Odysseus also tells Polyphemus his name,but would Odysseus tell him his real name? Of course not he told Polyphemus, “My name is nobody, everyone calls me nobody.” so when the cyclops yells out that “nobody’s hurt me” all his brothers just laughed at him. Without this quality would Odysseus survived 20 years away from home? Many heroes possess the quality of cunning, the ability to outwit and defeat your opponents. If heroes before Odysseus’ time then what made Odysseus the archetype for a Greek epic hero? Even though many heroes before Odysseus possessed this quality none of them had anywhere near the influence that Odysseus has in the Odyssey. Millions of people have read the Odyssey and millions more will read it. Odysseus embodies the quality of cunning that Homer himself set as an archetype for all heroes to come after Odysseus.
Odysseus, the raider of cities and master of seaways and landways, embodies many qualities that make him an archetype for a Greek epic hero. Odysseus uses his physical strength and cunningness the help him survive 20 years away from his home, Ithaca. Many heroes before Odysseus possessed these qualities, but Odysseus made them an archetype because he has more influence than any hero before him. A multitude of heroes after Odysseus embodied the qualities of physical strength and cunningness that helped them on their missions,trials,and journeys. Without these qualities many of these heroes would not have survived. Homer gave these qualities to Odysseus to influence Greek men, women,children, and possibly people outside of Greece. Odysseus who embodies the qualities of physical strength and cunning serves as an archetype for all heroes to walk the Earth after him. Who knows how this world would have ended up without The Odyssey, Odysseus and the man who created it all Homer.