Free Essays: The Charater of Odysseus of Homers Odyssey :: Odyssey essays

The Charater of Odysseus of Homer's Odyssey      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most admired classical hero is most certainly Odysseus, the mythological Grecian subject of Homer's epic tale, The Odyssey.   This legendary figure displays excessive amounts of brains and muscle, seeming almost superhuman at times.   He embodies the ideals Homeric Greeks aspired to: manly valor, loyalty, piety, and intelligence.   The popularity of Odysseus transcends time.   To this day he remains greatly admired as both a hero and an ordinary man who must deal with great adventures and retrieving the life he once had.   For twenty years Odysseus overcame each obstacle the gods handed to him.   He was always respectful to the gods, acknowledging their control of fate and realizing that he needed help if he was to ever get back to Ithaca and his beloved family.   He showed keen observation, instinct, and caution.   He is great at disguises, capable of concealing his feelings, and a fast, inventive liar: heroic qualities that got him through his adversities.   Odysseus is also very human, and the reader can see these many qualities as well.   He is often moved to tears.   He makes mistakes, gets himself into tricky situations, and loses his temper.   We see him play not only a hero but also a husband, father, and son.   He takes on the very human roles of athlete, warrior, sailor, storyteller, carpenter, beggar, and lover.   He vividly displays human qualities like brutality and boldness, while being sensitive and shy at the same time.   It is these human qualities that people can relate to.   While he is no doubt a hero, Odysseus is also viewed as a modern man, the pragmatic survivor.   He must struggle, suffer, and deal with the inescapable fate handed down to him from the great beings atop Mt. Olympus. The average human can relate to Odysseus' human qualities, while admiring him for the heroic traits they can only hope to attain, making him so popular.   Odysseus has the skills, strength, and intelligence to qualify him as a hero, yet he still possess the emotional constraints of a human, which together enable him to survive the chaotic disorder of his adventure.   His journey was rich with people and places and totally unpredictable, just as life is for everybody.   From ancient Greeks to today's reader, it is easy to commiserate with Odysseus while at the same time idolize him for dealing with life as it came at him.