The hero of Homer's The Odyssey is Odysseus, the mythological Grecian subject of The Odyssey. Odysseus displays excessive amounts of brains and muscle, seeming almost superhuman at times. He embodies the ideal Greek hero who has: manly valor, loyalty, pity, and intelligence. Telemachus sees his father as his hero, and Odysseus sets a standard for Telemachus to follow.
             For twenty years Odysseus overcame each obstacle the gods handed to him. He was always respectful to the gods, acknowledging their control of fate and realizing that he needs help if he was to ever get back to Ithaca and his beloved family. He shows keen observation, instinct, and caution. He is great at disguises, capable of concealing his feelings, and a fast, inventive liar: heroic qualities that got him through his adversities. Odysseus is also very human, and the reader can see these many qualities as well. He is often moved to tears. He makes mistakes, gets himself into tricky situations, and loses his temper. We see him play not only a hero but also a husband, father, and son. He takes on the very human roles of athlete, warrior, captain, storyteller, beggar, and lover. He vividly displays human qualities like brutality and boldness, while being sensitive and shy at the same time.
             While he is no doubt a hero, Odysseus is also viewed as a modern man, the pragmatic survivor. He must struggle, suffer, and deal with the inescapable fate handed down to him from the great beings atop Mt. Olympus. Telemachus can relate to Odysseus' human qualities, while admiring him for the heroic traits that he can only hope to attain. Odysseus has the skills, strength, and intelligence to qualify him as a hero, yet he still possess the emotional constraints of a human, which together enable him to survive the chaotic disorder of his adventure. His journey was rich with people and places and totally unpredictable. It is easy for Telemachus to understand Odys...