Essay Sample about Odysseus: the Anti-Hero

Odysseus is like a double-edged sword because even though he tries to be a good selfless leader for his crew, he ends up being their downfall. In Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey '',  which he wrote between 900-800 BC, the protagonist Odysseus sails with his men back to their home of Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan war. During their journey, Odysseus and his crew face many monsters and mythical beings, at times his curiosity creates confrontations. After many of these confrontations including cyclopes, sea monsters, and a few gods, Odysseus returns home alone as a result of his whole crew dying. He faces 100 suitors for his wife on Ithaca and decides to take a violent route and kill them all. Finally, after many years of fighting Odysseus can enjoy being the ruler of his homeland. Although Odysseus is perceived as an epic hero in “The Odyssey '' as a result of his brave and cunning character, he does not deserve the title because countless times Odysseus fails to show the heroic characteristics of selflessness and moral integrity.  

Heroes can often be described as having hearts of gold, meaning they are selfless. However, Odysseus shows selfishness throughout the story. In book 9 we find Odysseus and his crew near the cyclopes' homeland. Odysseus decides that he wants to go with his men to “learn if the Cyclopes are friends or foes” by entering one of their dwellings (Homer, 374, lines 66-67). Moreover, Odysseus does not need to go on this small adventure and it poses more risk than reward. Odysseus risks his crew’s lives and loses men when the cyclops “caught two more men and feasted on them” (Homer, 379, line 252). If Odysseus was selfless he would have thought about his crew and the family of his crew that were waiting back on Ithaca for them, he would set his curiosity aside. In the end, Odysseus selfishly placed his curiosity about the lives of his crew resulting in senseless deaths. 

Odysseus's behavior upon returning to his home on Ithaca displays his lack of moral integrity. Odysseus surprises the suitors who are trying to obtain his wife’s hand in marriage and take over his throne when he reveals himself by wielding his bow. After killing the ringleader of the group, Eurymachus tries to bargain for the lives of the others by making “restitution of wine and meat… a tithe of twenty oxen with gifts of bronze and gold to warm your heart”(Homer, 409, lines 56-58). A hero would realize that the men would be worth more alive than dead, especially in the deteriorating Ithaca. More importantly, both groups would have gotten what they wanted, mutually benefiting, and the violence could have been prevented. However, Odysseus decides that “there will be killing till the score is paid” and proceeds to wipe out the room full of afraid men (Homer, 409, line 65). Peripherally, Odysseus's response was understandable at the moment, but if he is trying to be an actual hero he would have thought less about his vengeance and more about his citizens and country. To clarify, Odysseus made immoral decisions even when he was faced and pleaded with a more moral conclusion. Heroes make the best decisions for the good of everyone over their own bias.

People who believe that Odysseus is an epic hero will argue that he has shown many feats of bravery and determination. Odysseus on his journey home does find himself in difficult positions and is still able to think clearly. When he travels to the underworld and keeps the dead at bay his heroic character shows. Odysseus is usually thinking of home on his journey with determination to will his crew on so they can complete their return. On one hand, supporters of Odysseus being a hero are correct that he showed traits like bravery and determination at times. On the other hand, it is still true that those two are only part of what makes a hero and Odysseus has been seen doing the opposite. Odysseus is not always brave and determined, especially when he decides to stay on Calypso's “island for seven years. [where] Odysseus ends the telling of his tale to king Alcinous” (Homer, 398, lines 213-214). If he was determined to get home and brave to face the open seas he would have left Calypso’s island earlier. Odysseus can show some heroic traits at times in his adventure. However, he also acts the opposite of those exact traits at times. 

Readers of “The Odyssey often get the impression that Odysseus is an epic hero because he is the protagonist of the story, yet when his actions are examined one finds he is not the epic hero he is told to be. While heroes such as Odysseus can complete large and daring feats, it is people who think more about others than themselves that deserve the fame. Through critical examination, “The Odyssey '' reminds readers that being powerful and daring are not always the best qualities and have the chance to bring difficulties on the people around you.