Odysseus: not a Hero

Why Isn’t Odysseus a Hero?

This question has been puzzling folks for ages. Sure, Odysseus gets labeled as this grand hero in Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, but let’s slow down and take a closer look at what he really does. When you dig into his actions and character, he doesn’t quite hit the mark of what we usually think makes a hero. This essay's gonna dive into why Odysseus doesn’t fit the hero bill by looking at his sneaky ways, how he's kinda cold-hearted, and his self-centered goals throughout the tale.

Deceitful Nature

The first thing to notice about Odysseus is how he's always tricking people. Right from the start, he's shown as clever and pretty sly. Like when he tricks Cyclops Polyphemus by saying his name's "Nobody" (Homer, 9.366-370). That's not just sneaky; it goes against what heroes are supposed to be about – honesty and honor.

And it ain't just with the Cyclops. He’s lying all over the place to get what he wants. Take when he lands on the Phaeacians' island – he spins some fake tale about who he is and all his made-up hardships (Homer, 9.19-35). Can you trust a guy like that? Not so much. That throws a big wrench in calling him a hero.

So yeah, Odysseus being deceitful doesn't jibe with what we expect from heroes. They’re supposed to be truthful and honorable – two things Odysseus seems to miss out on big time.

Lack of Empathy

Another big flaw in calling Odysseus a hero is how little he cares for others. All through his journey, he's got this chilly attitude toward folks' lives and well-being – especially his own crew.

He drags them into unnecessary danger more than once. Remember Circe? He hangs out with her for a whole year while his men are stuck as pigs (Homer, 10.209-258). They beg for help, but he’s not too bothered about their suffering. That's far from compassionate or heroic.

Then there’s how he handles other people they meet along the way – violence without thinking twice about innocent people around him. When he comes back home to Ithaca and finds those suitors, he slaughters them brutally (Homer, 22.11-50). Where's the regard for human life in that?

If you're keeping score on empathy here, Odysseus isn't doing great. Heroes should have compassion and care for others’ lives more than their own personal gain.

Selfish Motivations

You’d think heroes would act outta duty or to protect others, right? Not our guy Odysseus! His actions mostly scream "me first."

When facing the Sirens, does he think about safety first? Nope! He risks everyone's necks just to hear their song (Homer, 12.166-200). It’s like he's got his desires set above everyone else’s safety.

You also see this self-centeredness with women in the story. Using them as tools rather than respecting them as equals isn’t very heroic either! Look at how long he stays with Calypso – that's all about convenience for him (Homer, 5.1-85).

If motivations count towards hero status—and they sure do—then Odysseus isn't cutting it here either because heroes act selflessly instead of serving themselves first!

Conclusion

To sum up all these points: Deceitfulness? Check! Lack of empathy? Definitely! Selfish motives galore? Oh yeah—all reasons why calling Odysseus heroic feels pretty off-base if you ask me! While many might still wanna see him through rose-colored glasses due solely based on legend lore surrounding Homeric epics—the facts laid bare paint another picture altogether revealing flaws too large ignore if truly assessing whether title ‘hero’ belongs assigned herein context narrative itself … maybe broader perspective needed examine concept further?Bibliography

• Homer & Fagles R., The Odyssey Penguin Books.,1996
Petersen E.J 'Heroism Ancient Greece' Journal Classical Studies vol.
45 no.
7 pp .321–335
• Sacks D.Mysteries Troy: Unraveling Secrets Ancient World New York :
  Ballantine Books.,2004