One of Odysseus' most obvious character traits, and one of the primary indicators of the Western ideal of heroism, is his militancy and physical prowess. This is commented on be several figures in the epic, including Odysseus himself. One of his sailors says at one point, "You are very strong yourself and never get worn out; you seem to be made of iron" (Book XII, par. 22). His single-handed destruction of Penelope's many suitors is also compelling evidence for this facet of his personality. His sheer battle prowess, which is how he came to be on this journey in the first place and is shown in many events and scenarios throughout the novel -- from his method of dealing with the Cyclops at the beginning of the tale all the way to his reclaiming of his wife...

In these regards, Odysseus is not only the perfect idea of the hero, but is truly the prototypical hero. That is, Odysseus' character in many ways defines what a hero is supposed to be in the Western world and in Western literature. His story is fundamental to all later stories, and any reading of the Odyssey must take this into account. Odysseus is the perfect hero because he embodies all of the characteristics that were quite explicitly deemed heroic by his creator.