Odyssey Hero's Journey

Around the 1200 B.C., Odysseus was sailing the Mediterranean Sea for the purpose of reaching home. In his long narrative poem, The Odyssey, Homer conveys how Odysseus desperately wishes to go home to Ithaca. However, he faces brutal treatment and obstacles from several different antagonists, and more obstacles appear when he reaches home. Odysseus came across many external conflicts, which he dealt with intelligence, determination, and loyalty.

Odysseus lost many ships and many loyal sailors that day, and all from Odysseus’ curiosity to explore that island. Odysseus is so eager as to describe the island as having “a curious bay” (Book X, line 85). This example confirms how Odysseus constant and arrogant curiosity is the direct cause of death and waste of time.

Heroes, as shown in literature, often undertake the most difficult tasks and place themselves in mortal danger in order to bring back, for themselves and their societies, both knowledge and treasure. Their stories follow “Hero Journey.” The Odyssey, as the epic story of the hero Odysseus, follows closely the complete cycle of a Hero Journey, both as a physical and as a psychological undertaking. The Hero Journey, used as a framework for both Odysseus’ physical and mental journeys, serves to bind the two together. Each of Odysseus’s physical difficulties can be viewed as a metaphor for a psychological hardship that he must overcome, and by overcoming these hardships, Odysseus matures—achieving a more complete understanding of himself and

While on the island of the cyclopes, Odysseus conceived a plan to free his crew from the cave. In order to

After the war, his plan is to return home, however fate and the gods had different plans for Odysseus. As soon as he leaves for Ithaca, his unknown journey begins. Throughout this journey, he conquers obstacles, meanwhile discovering that he is less dependent of people, being away from his wife and servants for so long. In “The Journey”, by Mary Oliver, the author describes the

Throughout the story, Odysseus 's goal was to return home to Ithaca and spend the rest of his life with his son, Telemachos, and his wife Penelope. Even though is he greatly enjoying himself on all of his adventures, there is a part of him that still longs for his native soil. He loved being on the island with Calypso, but everyday he dreamt of his wife and son sitting at home, waiting for his return. He endured all of his

Although, Odysseus has compared the goddess and Penelope his longing to go home has not changed, “Yet, it is true, each day I long for home, long for the sight of home” (line 228-229). Through Odysseus’ journey, he does not forget home. He knows more tasks are ahead and he is ready to face them, “If any god has marked me out again for shipwrecked, my tough heart can undergo it. What hardship have I not long since endured at sea, in battle! Let the trial come.” This heroic ending grasp the readers’ attention to see that Odysseus is willing to do whatever it takes to go home to Penelope. The love he has for his home land shows his determination and dedication.

On his journey home, Odysseus encounters many obstacles which he attempts to overcome swiftly so that he may arrive home as soon as possible; however, it can be argued that nostos is not his only motive throughout his journey, though it may be the most significant.

In the Odyssey, Odysseus and Telemachus each have a journey of their own, which in turn makes up a double plot in the epic. Odysseus’s plot has many more struggles and is the central role that creates the actual story in the whole novel. To many, the act of Odysseus moving across the sea in search of his own solutions to his issues is just a quest that is constantly being blocked by various obstacles. In all reality, with the help of the sea being a very important symbol, the journey turns Odysseus into a dynamic character as he proceeds through his travels. It is easily seen that in the beginning of his journey, starting when he and his crew landed on Polyhemus’ island, he is portrayed as a rash, egotistical young

Odysseus and his crew face many trials amongst their journey to Ithaca which involved Odysseus having to use his temperance. Unfortunately there were times in which Odysseus' temperance was not there, and his wantonness showed through. On the island of the Cyclops Odysseus and his crew found themselves in a tough situation. Stuck in Polyphemus' cave Odysseus showed temperance after his men urged him to kill the Cyclops. As much as he wanted to avenge his men who had already been eaten he figured the rest of his crew would still need a way out. He put his wiliness to kill Polyphemus aside in order to use the Cyclops to escape from the cave. Unfortunately upon his escape Odysseus could not fight his desire for immortal fame. He

Becoming a Man When the word hero is brought up, names such as Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen probably come to mind. While Harry and Katniss might seem like absolutely different people, but they do have one thing in common. All heroes follow a pattern called the hero's journey. The hero's journey is a common cycle that most protagonists follow.

For undertaking this dangerous task to save others and opposing great obstacles, Odysseus is given respect from his crewmates. In addition, Odysseus is clever in his encounter with Scylla and Charybdis, and although guilt-ridden, later reflects thinking, “But as I sent them on toward Scylla, I told them nothing, as they could do nothing” (783-784). The decision to not tell his men was difficult for Odysseus, but he could not let his crew persuade him to sail back, otherwise they would never reach Ithaca. Using his cleverness, he had to think of the greater good. The decision to choose which monster would be in his best interest to encounter was also difficult for him.

Throughout Odysseus’s journey he had one goal in life: to get back home to his beloved wife, Penelope. Just like many of us today we have a goal of where we want to see ourselves in ten years. Although I am not going to face deadly sea monsters or barbaric cyclopes like Odysseus, I will encounter many hardships on my way to becoming a registered nurse. Despite that the epic poem The Odyssey written by Homer 2700 years ago, it is still very relatable today.

Curiosity distracts Odysseus, and makes him self centered and oblivious to what is best for the entire crew; his selfish behavior costs the lives of two of his crew members to the cyclops alone. Odysseus wanting to always show his strength is

Odysseus and Salak both start their quests by wanting to reach a certain destination. “...who has been wandering for ten years on the seas, to find his way home to his family