Epic poems typically contain characters classified as heroic and strong. Odysseus is the main character of this epic poem. He is King Ithaca with a wife and a born son. Odysseus left his home to join the Trojan War, but his crew was disloyal to the gods, causing his journey to take longer than he expected. There are three traits that Odysseus possesses and they are the main things that bring him home. Although Odysseus is heroic and strong, he is also courageous, responsible, and faithful. Courage shines through Odysseus and there are several accounts where he demonstrates how much is within him. One case would be when he visited the land of the dead. Odysseus had to go to a place where spirits go before passing into the underworld. Odysseus continued to carry out the ritual even though he was terrified of the spirits. Another time he shows his courage is when he encounters a Cyclops, who is a giant one-eyed man who possesses an abundant amount of strength. When the men were trapped by the Cyclopes, Odysseus continued to react by saying: "But you are mad, unbearable, a bloodthirsty monster! After this, will any other traveler come to visit you?" He knew that the Cyclops could crush him at any moment. The fact that he continued to sail across the sea knowing that Poseidon was there to get him was very brave. When he finally arrived home in Ithaca, he and his son Telemachus had to battle a house full of suitors. He still fought them mercilessly, although he was outnumbered. While there are many other accounts in which Odysseus proved himself courageous, he also displays great responsibility. Heroes must be responsible for anything to get done. One can't decide that when he feels... middle of paper... If it weren't for him, they would argue much longer. After the men had overcome the walls, they began the battle. As they fought the Trojans, they began to retreat, but Odysseus shouted at them to keep fighting. Ulysses had faith in success and thanks to him they won. No matter how many islands Odysseus had to visit, he always had faith that Ithaca was the last. Every hero should show courage, faith and responsibility. Homer exploits these wonderfully within Odysseus throughout the epic. Odysseus was never influenced by his crew and tried to give them a good example to follow. Although none of the crew except Odysseus has returned home, he still displays these traits in his home with his son. If Odysseus had ever lost any of them on the journey, he would never have returned to Ithaca. Homer shows that people must move forward no matter what.