The Making of Odysseus the Hero in Homer’s Odyssey

This paper examines in a sociological manner how the heroic identity of Odysseus is constructed in Homer’s Odyssey. The making of Odysseus the hero requires the constant testing and improving of Odysseus s heroic qualities, the existence of a largely loyal crowd to testify to his charisma, and the weaving of a myth that wraps him up. Various aspects of the Greek hero are fleshed out.