Heroism

Heroism today can be exemplified through various different virtues. To some, a hero could be a great baseball player or musician, to others, a corporate leader or entrepreneur. But what characteristics do these individuals hold that make them a true “hero?” Wealth, social status, or being skilled at a sport might be some, but in the Iliad and the Odyssey, Odysseus (the hero) embraces two very distinct and different characteristics; both of which help define …showed first 75 words of 1388 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1388 total…is. By emphasizing the great physical strength and capabilities of Odysseus, and matching it up with wit and cunning, Homer accurately depicts a proper hero. Rather than saying a hero must be either strong or cunning, throwing away one version or another, the book shows that a hero can, and must, have both of those virtues in order to be a true hero. Homer’s Odyssey redefines the meaning of heroism by combining these merits.