Homer’s epic poem “Odyssey” features Odysseus as its hero because he meets the prerequisites. To have an epic one must decide if a narrative meets certain expectations. Like the narrative the protagonist must become embroiled in certain situations, meet people of an elevated caliber and display particular qualities. Epic heroes are required to prove their heroism by overcoming incredible obstacles.
Alternatively, as Phillip V. Allingham states, “heroes [must] face trials and enemies while struggling on an epic journey” (source).Odysseus fights in the Trojan War and spends an incredible ten years trying to return to his island kingdom, Ithaca. On the way home, he outsmarts and wounds the one-eyed giant, Cyclops. He also proves his arete (virtue) by proving himself stronger than the temptation represented by Circe and Calypso (source).
He descends into the underworld, a task common to epic heroes of antiquity, and encounters Ajax there, a soldier he outsmarted to win the great Achilles’ armor.This is an important event to mention because “the hero must undertake a long, perilous journey, often involving descent into Hades, which tests his endurance, courage, and cunning” (Phillip V. Allingham). Odysseus, as this incident illustrates is very cunning, and despite his prowess as a warrior king defeats Ajax with his wits alone.
The importance of Odysseus’ wits cannot be overstressed because the ancient Greeks truly valued this quality. Moreover, “whatever virtues his race most prizes, these the epic hero as a cultural exemplar possesses in abundance” (Allingham).Odysseus outsmarts Cyclops, proves himself a better orator than Ajax, and rids himself of his wife’s suitors as a final demonstration of both brains and brawn. To return to an above-mentioned quality of Odysseus, his skill as an orator is also another characteristic of the epic hero, especially in light of Odysseus being a king and warrior.
The “[epic] hero is not only a leader but a polished speaker who can address councils of chieftains or elders with eloquence and confidence” (Allingham).Odysseus proves this quality when he asks for aid getting home in the court of the Phaeacians. King Alcinous and Queen Arete are so taken with Odysseus speech and manner that he figures he must be royalty, which Odysseus assures him that he is. His kindness to the king’s daughter, Nausicaa, demonstrates his resourcefulness as he leans on a stranger for help rather than attacking her or demanding her aid. Odysseus’ resourcefulness is matched by his superhuman power, which takes the usual and one unusual form.
According to Allingham, the [epic] hero must establish his aristeial (nobility) through single combat in superari a superiore, honour coming from being vanquished by a superior foe. That is, a hero gains little honour by slaying a lesser mortal, but only by challenging heroes like himself or adversaries of superhuman power. ” To that end, Odysseus duels with Cyclops, then Poseidon, Cyclops’ father, and two female sorcerers capable of enchanting anyone less than superhuman. When he confronts his wife’s suitors, he does not resign himself to slaughtering or defeating one or a few but all of them.One again Odysseus performs in keeping with the epic hero, as “the hero may encounter a numinous phenomenon (a place or person having a divine or supernatural force) such as a haunted wood or enchanting sorceress that he must use strength, cunning and divine assistance to overcome” (Allingham).
Throughout the epic, it is Athena extending divine assistance to Odysseus and his son Telemachus. Odysseus is an epic hero because the narrative in which he features meets the requirements for an epic. Moreover, his character operates within the tenets of the epic hero. In fact, Odysseus epitomizes the epic hero.
