ANALYZING AN EPIC
Elements of an Epic Hero
ODYSSEUS AS A CLASSIC
GREEK HERO
“Sing to me of the man,
Muse, the man of twists and
turns driven time and again
off course, once he had
plundered the hallowed
heights of Troy. Many cities
of men he saw and learned
their minds, many pains he
suffered, heartsick on the
open sea, fighting to save his
life and bring his comrades
home.” Translated by R.
Fagles (1966)
© Microsoft ClipArt 2000
What makes Odysseus a classic
Greek hero? How can Homer’s The
Odyssey be characterized as the
story of an epic hero?
© Microsoft ClipArt 2000
ODYSSEUS IS INTELLIGENT
-but his shrewd intelligence
is of the cunning and sly
sort….not the book-smart
type.
He is, after all, a man of
“twists and turns…”
Odysseus is a man of
deceptions and disguises.
Odysseus mocks reliance on strength alone.
Strength without cunning is what dooms the
suitors to Odysseus’s deception.
Odysseus cuts his losses to Scylla and
Charybdis through careful navigation.
Odysseus is also able to use Circe’s wisdom to
enjoy the Sirens’ song without falling prey to their
seductive dangers.
Even Odysseus’ encounter with spirits from Troy
in the Underworld is a reminder of how brutish
glory brings a short, violent life. Odysseus’s
glory is won by his wits and will yield him a long,
peaceful life.
© Microsoft ClipArt 2000
Physical Strength
While Odysseus
demonstrates cunning,
farsightedness, adaptability
and other aspects of
intellectual prowess, he is
by no means a physical
weakling! He is not
enormous, but he is
powerful, and he is both an
excellent athlete and a
formidable soldier.
© Microsoft ClipArt 2000
Odysseus is on a QUEST to return
HOME
The sharpness with
which he won the
Trojan War is the
same devious aptitude
he uses to find his way
back home. This
same intelligence is
used to outwit
monsters and other
foes who block his
path and threaten his
men’s lives.
© Microsoft ClipArt 2000
Odysseus must be willing to FACE
DANGER WITH COURAGE. He
does not shrink away from his
leadership role in times of great
peril.
From http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/ships/grkship1.html
Fortunately……he has the
ASSISTANCE of the GODS
Throughout the epic, Athena
represents Odysseus favorably to
the other gods, assists and
guides him. Circe gives advice
and ultimately, Zeus helps
Odysseus rule peacefully once he
finally arrives home.
Of course, the gods are not
always pleased. Poseidon
makes Odysseus’s journey a true
test of his wit and valor.
© Microsoft ClipArt 2000
What else? Odysseus is also an
ARISTOCRAT
. He is ROYAL, a member of
the ruling class who seeks
to recapture his “rightful”
place after his long years
away at war. He returns to
one last battle of revenge
on interlopers…rude, crass
suitors of Penelope’s
affections and
possessions…and
reasserts his claim to his
palace, a beautiful wife and
a loyal son to be his proper
heir.
From http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/ships/grkship1.html
A few notes on his
SPECIAL STATUS….
Yes, like most
classic heroes,
Odysseus must
prove himself again
and again and
again, and the
perceptions others
have of him are of
vital importance to
his heroic stature,
but………..
From http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/ships/grkship1.html
….unlike heroes such as Beowulf
who search out the dragon and the
danger….
Odysseus is always
willing to find another
way around the
danger if possible. He
doesn’t run, but he is
willing to hide…
behind disguises,
behind well-timed
silences, amongst
sheep and the suitors.
A FLAW
Like tragic heroes, Odysseus has
faults that lead to disaster.
Unlike tragic heroes, Odysseus is
uses his cunning and guile to
escape the ultimate price his crew
has to pay for his mistakes.
Odysseus has voracious appetites
and a mortal’s weakness for
comfort.
He wastes valuable time on Calypso’s island where he
indulges in sex, food and a basically hedonistic lifestyle.
Finally, he is long removed from the excitement of activity
and glory, and he politely leaves for home.
On Cyclops’ island, trapped and in severe danger of being
eaten down to the last man, Odysseus thinks of a clever ruse
to escape the monster. Upon their escape, his appetite for
fame makes him careless and he reveals his name. By
doing this, he earns Polyphemus’ curse and Poseidon’s
wrath.
When his men open the bag of winds and slaughter Helios’
flocks, AND when Helios’ cattle are eaten, sleeping
Odysseus is responsible for their fall into temptation.
Let’s review…Odysseus
Possesses a cunning wit, used more than his
aging physical strength.
Defeats his enemies with clever deception rather
than meet them head-on.
Endures many trials and challenges.
Takes the hero’s quest to emerge as a new,
wiser and more mature man.
Overcomes his weaknesses to complete his
journey and reclaim his home and family.
Interacts with the gods and receives both their
favors and their curses.
Becomes a heroic figure, a literary icon and an
adventurer’s idol.
The End
WORKS CITED
http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/ships/gr
kship1.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odysse
y/themes.html
Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by
Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin
Books,1996