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Gingras 1
Jake Gingras
Professor Kradinova
World Literature
5, Apr 2016
Hero or Zero
What is a hero? A hero is someone who demonstrates behaviors and decisions that are
emotionally and ethically worthy of awe. Even though Odysseus shows hero like qualities
throughout The Odyssey to depict him as a hero would debatable. Throughout the novel he
demonstrates heroic qualities such as intelligence, strength, and wit. However, even with all of
these qualities he also shows a lack of restraint, poor decision making, and immaturity.
Odysseus does accomplish many great things throughout his journey such as helping Greeks win
the Trojan War, tricking a cyclops into freeing him and his men and saving Ithaca and his family
from suitors who have taken over his house. However Odysseus isn't quaint with the win of the
Trojan War. Instead of going back home he tries to take over Ismarus, which ends up getting
seventy two men killed. He also reveals his real name to the cyclops even though his men beg
him not to. Also Odysseus does not remain faithful to Penelope throughout his journey, and
cheats on her on multiple occasions. Odysseus may be a skillful fighter and very clever, but he is
no hero. He is arrogant, unfaithful, and self-centered.
In my junior year of high school I read the Odyssey for my english class, and I thought
Odysseus was an amazing hero. He was a mortal guy that accomplished many great things such
Gingras 2
as winning a war, beating a cyclops, and winning his wife and house back from the suitors in his
town. Unfortunately, when I read this story again I did not view Odysseus as a hero but instead a
warrior that was arrogant and brought trouble to his crew.
During his epic travels, Odysseus achieved great feats. Odysseus displayed the
characteristics of a hero by beating the Trojans, escaping the cyclopes cave, and traveling for
twenty years alone, evading monsters and the wrath of the gods. However, to characterize him
as a hero would be inaccurate. According to Scott Richardson in his critical essay, “The
Devious Narrator of the Odyssey”, he states: “Among epic heroes, Odysseus is the con artist.
Capable and effective also in the traditional heroic settings—field of battle, open sea, monster’s
