The Role Of Odysseus In The Odyssey: Hero Or Villon?
Kiara Mejia Bailon
Mr. Shinn
Lit/Comp 9 Period.3
5/16/14
Hero or Villon? In The Odyssey, many people might say Odysseus is the hero or that he is the Villon, but in my opinion Odysseus is the hero. Odysseus had to leave behind his new born son, Telemachus and his wife Penelope to go fight in the Trojan War, Odysseus had been gone for approximately 20 years. I believe Odysseus is the hero because he is cleaver, brave, and is usually better off working on his own, he’s independent. When Odysseus and his men had come to Polyphemus’s cave they had no clue where or who’s home they were in. Odysseus and his men helped had helped themselves on resting in the Cyclops home and eating all his food and wine. When Polyphemus had came into the
cave, he closed it tight with a solid rock, none of the men could have escaped from there on out. Polyphemus had seen the men ‘Strangers’ he said, ‘who are you? What brings you here by seaways-a fair traffic? Or are you wandering rogues, who cast your lives like dice, and ravage other folk by sea?’ (Lines 240-245). The men pounded with fear, Odysseus asked to be given gifts for being in the Cyclops home but Polyphemus refused “Neither reply nor pity came from him, but in one stride he clutched at companions and caught two in his hand like squirming puppies to beat their brains out, spattering on the floor.’’ (Lines 275-280). Polyphemus ate half of Odysseus’s men, but still gave no gifts to the men. The Cyclops had asked for Odysseus’s name ‘You ask my honorable name? Remember the gift you promised me, and I shall tell you. My name I Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy.’ (Line 360). Odysseus uses his cleverness to blind the Cyclops ‘The Cyclops bellowed and the rock roared around him, and we fell back in fear. Clawing his face he tugged the bloody spike out of his eye, threw it away, and his wild hands went groping;’ (line 390). Odysseus and his men used the Cyclops sheep to escape while Polyphemus tried to find them.
Mr. Shinn
Lit/Comp 9 Period.3
5/16/14
Hero or Villon? In The Odyssey, many people might say Odysseus is the hero or that he is the Villon, but in my opinion Odysseus is the hero. Odysseus had to leave behind his new born son, Telemachus and his wife Penelope to go fight in the Trojan War, Odysseus had been gone for approximately 20 years. I believe Odysseus is the hero because he is cleaver, brave, and is usually better off working on his own, he’s independent. When Odysseus and his men had come to Polyphemus’s cave they had no clue where or who’s home they were in. Odysseus and his men helped had helped themselves on resting in the Cyclops home and eating all his food and wine. When Polyphemus had came into the
cave, he closed it tight with a solid rock, none of the men could have escaped from there on out. Polyphemus had seen the men ‘Strangers’ he said, ‘who are you? What brings you here by seaways-a fair traffic? Or are you wandering rogues, who cast your lives like dice, and ravage other folk by sea?’ (Lines 240-245). The men pounded with fear, Odysseus asked to be given gifts for being in the Cyclops home but Polyphemus refused “Neither reply nor pity came from him, but in one stride he clutched at companions and caught two in his hand like squirming puppies to beat their brains out, spattering on the floor.’’ (Lines 275-280). Polyphemus ate half of Odysseus’s men, but still gave no gifts to the men. The Cyclops had asked for Odysseus’s name ‘You ask my honorable name? Remember the gift you promised me, and I shall tell you. My name I Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, everyone calls me Nohbdy.’ (Line 360). Odysseus uses his cleverness to blind the Cyclops ‘The Cyclops bellowed and the rock roared around him, and we fell back in fear. Clawing his face he tugged the bloody spike out of his eye, threw it away, and his wild hands went groping;’ (line 390). Odysseus and his men used the Cyclops sheep to escape while Polyphemus tried to find them.