The character of Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey has long been a subject of debate among literary critics and historians. While many consider him a brave and cunning hero, there are compelling reasons to argue that Odysseus is not a traditional hero in the epic mold. Let's explore why, diving into his actions, motivations, and the epic's narrative structure.
Firstly, Odysseus' delayed return home from the Trojan War, a journey that takes ten years, sets him apart from the heroic archetype. In epics like the Iliad, heroes are defined by their courage and valour on the battlefield, not their prolonged absence.
Odysseus' Delayed Return: A heroic Misfit
Odysseus' delayed return home is not due to heroic deeds or battles but a result of his own faults and poor choices. He offends the cyclops Polyphemus and is held captive on the island of Ogygia by Calypso. These detentions, self-imposed by his actions, delay his return to Ithaca.
Offending the Cyclops
Odysseus' blinding of the cyclops Polyphemus, while gratifying, is a selfish and short-sighted act that leads to further hardships. It angers the cyclops' father, Poseidon, who prolongs Odysseus' journey.
Instead of heroic honour, Odysseus gains infamy and Poseidon's wrath, further delaying his return and causing great suffering to his family, including his faithful wife Penelope and their son Telemachus.
Captive of Calypso
Odysseus spends seven years as a captive on the island of Ogygia, unwilling or unable to leave, even after the opportunity presents itself. This passivity, where a traditional hero would strive for freedom, adds insult to injury in Odysseus' quest to return home.
Odysseus' delayed return, caused by his own actions and inactions, is antithetical to the epic hero's swift and triumphant journey home, earned through noble deeds on the battlefield.
Odysseus' Murderous Reign of Terror
Upon his return to Ithaca, Odysseus slaughters the suitors who have been vying for Penelope's hand in marriage. While this act avenges his family's honour and protects Penelope, it also marks a bloodbath that results in immense loss of lives, including innocent bystanders.
Slaughter of the Suitors
Odysseus' masterplan involves disguising himself as a beggar to infiltrate his own palace and gather information. Once his true identity is revealed, he, with the help of his son Telemachus and a few loyal servants, enacts a brutal plan to kill the suitors.
While the suitors' deaths can be rationalized as necessary to restore order and justice in the palace, their numbers and brutality still leave a heavy and senseless toll. The epic characterizes many of these suitors as unworthy, yet the extent of their deaths and the pleas for mercy from some of them cloud Odysseus' heroic image.
Vengeance against the Maids
Odysseus orders his servants to hang twelve maids who, driven by the suitors, attempted to poison him. This extreme punishment, disproportionate to their crimes, reveals Odysseus' vengeful and tyrannical streak.
Rather than maintaining justice or restoring order, Odysseus' tyrannical reign leaves a legacy of death and destruction in Ithaca. This isn't the heroic leadership one would expect from Agamemnon or Achilles, but more akin to the ruthless and lawless world of the Trojan War.
Odysseus' actions, culminating in his delayed and massacre-driven return, challenge the conventional definition of an epic hero. His dominant traits— Cunningham, deceit, and revenge—while key to his survival, also paint a picture of an anti-hero, or perhaps, an extraordinary, complex individual outside the heroic realm. Thus, the Odyssey doesn't depict Odysseus as a traditional epic hero, but a flawed, exceptional human navigating an extraordinary world.