Odysseus as a Different Kind of Hero in Homer's Odyssey

Introduction: Odysseus Among Greek Heroes

Thanks to the pervasiveness of literature, the name Odysseus is associated with heroism in many cultures. Even Homer calls Odysseus an "ingenious hero" in the first line of the Odyssey. Not only has he "sacked the famous town of Troy," but he also managed to survive the long years he spent at sea and all of the troubles that came upon him there (Homer 13). That Odysseus is a hero cannot be disputed. He is mighty and warlike, makes generous offerings to the gods (Homer 15), and has proved his worth in battle. In these respects, he resembles other Greek heroes such as Achilles and Agamemnon.

Still, something sets him apart from these other giants of Greek epic. While Agamemnon and Achilles sit in Hades arguing and sorrowing over whether their deaths were heroic enough, Odysseus longs for home. The ghost of Agamemnon is described as "sorrowing bitterly" (Homer 393) because his death was not heroic at Troy, and Achilles wastes no time pointing this out — in response to which Agamemnon gives a brilliant and heartbreaking description of Achilles' glory in death, wishing it had been his own (Homer 393). Thus, even within the Odyssey, Agamemnon and Achilles operate as typical Greek heroes. Odysseus, on the other hand, shows more concern for his home, his wife, and his son than for living the hero's life and dying the hero's death. In addition to being a Greek hero, Homer uses the Odyssey to suggest that Odysseus is a different kind of hero — one who longs for home and family.

Longing for Home

Despite the fact that Odysseus is away from home for much of the epic poem, Homer suggests that the hero's deepest desire is to return there. Instead of seeking out further adventure and a hero's death, Odysseus spends much of the poem longing for home. When Calypso goes to search for him after hearing that Jove has commanded her to release him, she finds him "sitting upon the beach with his eyes ever filled with tears, and dying of sheer homesickness" (Homer 88). His tears and homesickness make clear that he is pining for his familiar country and family, not for new adventure.

While some might argue that Odysseus would want to be anywhere rather than remain a prisoner of Calypso, this misses the point. Many men — and probably other Greek heroes like Achilles and Agamemnon — would be grateful for the fate the gods rendered upon Odysseus as a punishment. He is the prisoner of a beautiful goddess, forced to share her bed each night. Yet Odysseus does not want this male fantasy, which his fellow Greek heroes would adore. Homer points out that it was "not he that would have it so," but rather the goddess, who had it in her power to kill him yet desired to make him immortal and enjoy him forever — a far worse fate for Odysseus (Homer 88).

Odysseus's longing for home is also evident in his reaction to Calypso's news that he will be returning. He "shudder[s]" upon hearing it and swears there is something sinister behind her words, scarcely daring to believe that his greatest hopes have been realized (Homer 89). Even while traveling homeward and drawing ever closer, he "kept turning his eyes to the sun as though to hasten his setting, for he was longing to be on his way" (Homer 216).

A Home That Longs in Return

Not only does Odysseus long for his home, but his home longs for him. Minerva (Athena) pleads for Odysseus's release from Calypso, telling Jove that "not one of [Odysseus's] subjects but has forgotten Ulysses, who ruled them as though he were their father" (Homer 84). Homer thus shows that Odysseus is a different kind of hero through the central character's longing for his home as well as his home's longing for him. While Odysseus still possesses many features of the traditional Greek hero — such as might and reverence for the gods — his longing for home over adventure marks him as a different sort of hero.

Conclusion: A Dual Heroism

This longing — for home and family — is the greatest that Odysseus has. Although he certainly shows heroic qualities through his ability to deal with Calypso, brave Neptune's plagues, and kill the suitors, his goal is not to die in battle nor to be buried on a great funeral pyre, as are the goals of heroes like Achilles and Agamemnon. His goal is simply to be home. Thus, while still a hero in the traditional sense, Odysseus is a different sort — heroic both as a warrior and as a husband and father.