Since I neglected to post last week, I feel motivated to do a double post today. After all, who else is going to pick up this slack but me? Lately, our class has been focused on the Odyssey, and the discussions that have been taking place really got my gears turning.
The first topic I want to delve into is a question posed by one of my classmates: "Is Odysseus still a 'hero', even if he could not protect any of his comrades?"
Considering the circumstances of Odysseus's journey, I cannot see how he can be seen as anything but a hero. He tried his hardest to prevent the crew's demise, despite the merciless will of the gods. Few of their deaths can be attributed to a deliberate action by Odysseus. His careless boasting to Polyphemus about his true identity spelled doom for many of his comrades, but he did this unaware of the consequences. An argument can be made on whether or not his negligence with actions such as these revoke his "hero" status, but it is undeniable that Odysseus did everything in his power to save those under him. He outsmarted Polyphemus, intimidated Circe, and warned his crew to abstain from eating the cattle of Helios. He made sure to perfectly follow the instructions of the gods, hoping that even a few of his men would survive, but his efforts were unfortunately in vain.
This unwavering determination to save his comrades is enviable by my standards. What do you guys think? I would love to hear your thoughts.
I believe Odysseus was indeed a hero. With that being said I do not believe he was a perfect hero since he did not make it back with his crew. That fact those is necessary in telling the story of Odysseus since the heroes were not suppose to be perfect in every way. Odysseus tried as he might but he was unable to protect everyone. This makes sense considering Odysseus's status being much higher then his comrades. Odysseus's father and grand father were both descendants of Gods which makes Odysseus a demigod as well. This fact is why Odysseus made it out alive when his ship mates did not. When battling the gods it is most important to be part god yourself in order to survive.
ReplyDeleteConsidering one's intentions is an important part of evaluating character, and Odysseus' had brave, sincere intentions. I say he's a hero. -Penelope
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