Odysseus - a Different Type of Hero

Odysseus Ð'- A Different Type of Hero

The Homeric epic, the Odyssey, is set in the peaceful years following the Trojan War, and concerns the returning heroes on their journeys home, in particular Odysseus of Ithaca. Odysseus is an epic hero; he displays courage, superior strength, and leadership, all qualities that people admire. While displaying these archetypal heroic traits he also displays his weaknesses as a man, particularly his excessive pride, which actually make him easy to relate to. So by demonstrating his strengths, and overcoming his weaknesses he becomes an epic hero, not only in Homer's time but in the 21st century as well. Yet these archetypal heroic qualities are not his only heroic qualities, in order to win his battles and find his way home he needed to display other qualities such as cunning, shrewdness, and ingenuity.

The early part of The Odyssey concerns Telemakhos and his journey. In Sparta at the court of Menelaos and Helen, Telemakhos learns of the bravery of his father; "Ð'...and how he fought through hardship for my sake" (Homer IV 176-177). More importantly Telemakhos is given an insight into the ingenuity of his father from both Helen and Menelaos. Helen describes how Odysseus: "He had, first, given himself an outrageous beating and thrown some rags on" (Homer IV 257-258) in order to get inside the city so that he might see the defenses of the city. Once inside the city walls, disguised as a beggar, he was able to merge in with the people of Troy completely unnoticed. Helen recognized him, questioned him, but with his cunning: "How shrewdly he put me off!" (Homer IV 265). Helen then goes on to recount how Odysseus; "Ð'...sworded many Trojans through the body on his way out" (Homer IV 272-273), again demonstrating his courage and strength. Menelaos tells Telemakhos of the Trojan horse, Odysseus's supremely cunning plan of how to enter Troy and defeat the Trojans: "In my life I have met, in many countries, foresight and wit in many first rate men, but never have I seen one like OdysseusÐ'..." (Homer IV 283-285).

Odysseus initially demonstrates his ability to use his cunning to get what he needs on the island of the Phaiakians. After battling a storm stirred up by Poseidon, Odysseus with some assistance from Ino and Athena, eventually makes it to the island. At this place and point in history men are viewed as being vastly superior to women, to the point that women are basically second-class citizens. Odysseus in his initial encounter with princess Nausikaa, carefully considered his options of approach, knowing full well that he needed her assistance. Rather than rushing in and demanding assistance, or rushing in too close to ask for assistance, he shrewdly and carefully used a rather subdued approach to win her favor.

She faced him, waiting. And Odysseus came,

debating inwardly what he should do:

embrace this beauty's knees in supplication?

or stand apart, and using honeyed speech,

inquire the way to town, and beg some clothing?

In his swift reckoning, he thought it best

to trust in words to please her Ð'- and keep away;

he might anger the girl, touching her knees. (Homer VI 150-157)

By carefully considering his options, as opposed to rushing in, he was able to gain Nausikaa's trust, clothing, directions to the palace, and how best to approach queen Arete.

Once craftily gaining Nausikaa's trust and being able to enter the palace, Odysseus tells the Phaiakians the tales of his wanderings, where he is able to relate not only his heroic warrior attributes but also further evidence of his heroic trickery and cunning. After getting caught in the cave of the Kyklops, Polyphemos, and seeing him devour two of his men, Odysseus immediately wanted to seek revenge on the Kyklops. His quick thinking saved him and his remaining crew as; "if I killed him we perished there as well, for we could never move his ponderous doorway slab aside" (Homer IX 316-318). The next day while Polyphemos tends his sheep, Odysseus hardens a wooden staff in the fire. When Polyphemos returns Odysseus gets him drunk, playfully tells the Kyklops that his name is "Nohbdy" (Homer IX 383), and then as the Kyklops passes out, drives the red-hot staff into his one eye. As other Kyklopes rush to see what the screaming is all about they are told by Polyphemos that: "Nohbdy, Nohbdy's