Answer to blog question 2

Even though Odysseus might be considered a hero in acient times, I don't think he would be considered a Hero in modern times.  One reason why he wouldn't be considered a hero is because he kills so many people.  We see this in book 22.  Odysseus has just completed Penelope's task of shooting an arrow through 12 axes.  Then, he reveals his true identity to the suitors.  The suitors are terrified and scatter all over, even though there is no escape.  Odysseus goes on a mad killing spree and kills all of them except for a couple who he let get away.  If that wasn't bad enough, after he ordered the maids to clean up the bloody mess, he decided to kill them all by hanging them.  If someone did this in modern times, they would not be considered a hero whatsoever, but might be clasified as a murderor.

Odysseus also lied throughout basically the whole epic poem about his true identity.  He even lied to his own wife throughout book 19 and 20.  He also lies to his father in the begining of 24.  Should hero's really lie to there people about who they are?  I don't think so.  If someone I looked up to had been lying to me about who they really are, I would not look up to them anymore.  Even though no one was mad at Odysseus when they told him the truth, he still lied for many books in the epic poem.  Odysseus also goes to Circe's and sleeps with her.  This is unfaithful to his wife Penelope.  Penelope had been staying true to Odysseus while he was gone away at war missing him terribly but Odysseus could not seem to do the same.  If this happened today, it would be all over the news.  Sleeping with other women while you're married isn't classy and for sure is not Heroic.

When Odysseus goes to visit the dead in Hades, he demonstrates some unheroic things.  While he was there he got to visit his mother and friends.  Then when more and more people began to hear that he was there, they wanted to talk to him.  Odysseus got overwhelmed and just left.  This is very unheroic.  Think of it in terms of the president.  If the president went to visit a group of people and said hi to a few, but more and more people were coming to talk to him so he just left.  People would feel betrayed and would not think that he would be a good leader because he didn't give a chance to everyone to talk to him.  A good leader in my mind, is not considered heroic.