The Hero’s Journey:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and The Odyssey
Published in the 8th century B.C.E and 1997 respectively, both The Odyssey by Homer and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling are universally known arts of literature. The Hero’s Journey is a commonly used trope incorporated in numerous amounts of tales. This trope involves a hero who goes on a journey, finds himself in a crisis, defeats his enemies, and comes home changed. Harry Potter, the main character in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, encounters many conflicts and meets helpful mentors on his adventure. Similarly, Odysseus, the main character in The Odyssey, encounters various monsters and obstacles, too. Both Harry Potter and the
…show more content…
All in all, both mighty main characters go on exciting journeys, but eventually they are able to return home.
Unexpectedly, both Odysseus and Harry are surprised with a “call” to leave their homes and pass their comfort zones. Odysseus is called to take part in the Trojan War and Harry Potter is invited to start school at Hogwarts: The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When Harry Potter receives an invitation for Hogwarts, his aunt and uncle (Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia) aren’t too happy to see the letter. “Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail…a letter for Harry. Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him.” This excerpt from the text explains how Harry Potter felt when he received this letter. It also shows how this call affected him and how it took him out of his comfort zone. Furthermore, In The Odyssey, Odysseus is notified that he must travel to Troy to fight the Trojan war. He sets out to this land when his son is only a few years of age and leaves his family. As Homer describes, “What of my sailing, then, from Troy?” This quote is a direct statement from Odysseus, in which he is reminded of his departure from his beloved island. In summary, the call to action phase of the Hero’s Journey trope is revealed to both Harry and Odysseus.
Because of the daunting trails they are soon to face, both characters encounter a mentor that will guide them to achieve
All heroes around the world go through a journey of their own. Those journeys can be a physical, , mental, emotional journey, and lots more. These types of personal journeys are demonstrated in an epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, an interview, The Hero’s adventure by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers, a short poem, Courage by Anne Sexton, a graphic novel, The Odyssey by Gareth Hinds. They all show how journeys can be transformative and show a person’s strengths and/or weaknesses.
In “The Odyssey” by Homer, Odysseus is on a journey home to Ithaca after helping the Greeks win the Trojan War. The “Hero’s Journey” by Joseph Campbell represents the difficult journey a hero must go on to defeat the “final battle,” meaning that he must overcome a really difficult challenge to complete his journey and restore the world. In “The Odyssey” by Homer, Odysseus experiences significant events on his journey home to Ithaca which includes Entering the Unknown; he receives Supernatural Aid; and he experiences the Supreme Ordeal related to Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey.”
Of all literature works read thus far, the Odyssey full fills the hero’s journey in all aspects of the story. Throughout this story there are vivid examples of how the hero’s journey is outlined. From the beginning of “the hero’s journey”, which is the call to adventure Odysseus will begin his journey when he makes the choice of going into battle in the Trojan War. There will also be specific events in this epic story to display “the hero’s journey” even further. Eventually the end of the journey will be revealed when Odysseus regains his family, friends, and home. This part of
For one month Odysseus refuses to leave his safe home on Ithaca. We are not told of the rationale behind his final decision to join the war; however, we must assume that he believes he will be successful, returning home with many spoils of war. His decision to leave Ithaca cannot be merely an external one: he is a young king, and while he rules his land with great strength, he is inexperienced (he does not wish to go off to battle (Book 24, ll. 126-128)). In part, his reasons for initiating his journey must include the experience and maturity he will gain fighting the Trojans.
source of reason and advice to help guide them through their passions. Both mentors warn the
The protagonists of both texts rely on the power of companionship to overcome obstacles in order achieve their goals and dreams and similarly, when faced with their dream alone, they are
The Lord of the Rings and Odyssey are two very weird stories in my opinion. The two stories include several similarities. The most noteworthy similarity of the two that were in common was the use of themes. Both included similar themes such as, life, death,power, brotherly love, myth, temptation, and journey.
What do Beowolf, Paradise Lost, and Star Wars all have in common? They are all epics, long stories, usually in the form of poems, that narrate the adventure of a hero. They can be ancient or modern, and they can be in the form of books or movies, as long as they follow the format of a hero’s journey. Epics are one of the best known formats for a story, and can be used time and time again in literature and film. Homer’s famous poem, The Odyssey, and its modern satire, the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, share many traits as epics. More than just having a similar plot to The Odyssey, O Brother shares many themes, characters (including protagonists and antagonists,) conflicts, and musical elements.
Novelist and poet, Rainer Maria Rilke once said, “The only journey is the one within”(Rainer Maria Rilke Quotes). Meaning, what makes a journey important is how one changes and learns from the experience. The claims made in this quote are well proven in relatively new literature and even one of the oldest poems still studied today. The Odyssey is a famous, well known epic poem. It was written by the renowned poet, Homer, in ancient greek times. The Odyssey follows a man known as Odysseus, he just left fighting in the Trojan war after years. Odysseus has quite the adventure due to the gods’ and goddesses’ constant manipulation, all in the hope of reaching his homeland, Ithaca, and beloved family. Quite the opposite, much younger and shorter “The Journey” is a poem written by Mary Oliver in the 1900s. This poem relays what a journey really is and the purpose of going on journeys. Despite the differences between The Odyssey and “The Journey”, the two both use figurative language to convey a very similar message. People embark on journeys to fill an empty void and learn what they appreciate in life.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Sing in me, Muse”? If so, there’s a possibility you’ve heard it in the introduction from either, Homer’s The Odyssey (8th century) or in O’ Brother Where Art Thou (2000). In O’ Brother Where Art Thou and The Odyssey, the sirens from the book and the laundry ladies in the movie, are described almost exactly the same. Also in the book and the movie, a cyclops is included, but is portrayed differently in both. In addition throughout both of the works, the main protagonist, Odysseus (The Odyssey) and Everett (O’ Brother Where Art Thou), are on a journey in returning back to their families. Although the two works have many differences, much like the time period and the crew size difference, they do share many similarities
The similarities between the two stories are quite extensive, so I will only focus on a few. There are similarities not only in the plot and the journey’s the characters take on and are involved in, but both are packed with metaphors. In both stories, the main characters are following the strong theme of nostos. Odysseus is battling gods, monsters, he even goes and visits Hades to help him return home to his family. McGill convinces two people to escape out of a jail so that he can return to his wife and daughters. Both stories begin with our “heroes” in custody when they are first shown. Odysseus is on an island with Calypso, and the three in O Brother are in jail. Both escape custody,
As the king of Ithaca and the crew leader of several men accompanying him on his focal return journey from the site of the Trojan War, Odysseus is necessarily loyal to his men, and to his denizens, as otherwise, Ithaca would falter, and the men on board with him would not be able to withstand the lengthy, epic journey as they had done. The demonstrations of this vital heroic character trait are numerous, such as when Odysseus remains alongside his supportive crew men during an assault upon his ships, with only the one upon which the previous portion of the odyssey had been conducted remaining afterward, and when his men are in despair at his temporary absence, coming to them in order to not only assuage them, but more importantly to signal to all of them that he would always be with them; that he would be their natural, passionate
The Hero’s Journey is portrayed and widely known in many of the most popular films, songs, and novels. The Odyssey follows this format, and many of these entertainment pieces were inspired by this epic, such as The Chronicles of Narnia. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is led through many different adversities while trying to return home from the Trojan War. He finds himself and his crew in many situations that lead to death or put them in danger, before eventually making it home and being reunite with his family with the help of the goddess Athena. In the Chronicles of Narnia, three children are led into a strange new world in the wardrobe, where they face challenges with their enemies and have to eventually return home. They
Throughout vast journeys of many heroes, no other hero had a more complex journey than Odysseus. This journey is called The Odyssey, written by Homer. It is an epic poem or story told of a hero name Odysseus on a 20-year voyage trying to get back home from the Trojan War. The great epic poem known as The Odyssey and attributed to Homer was probably first written down around the eighth century BC, but the origins of the ancient story in myth, legend, and folklore and art appear to be much older. Greek Epic Hero When you think about Greek Epic heroes, Odysseus will most likely come to mind. Odysseus is the main character in Homer's poem "The Odyssey." "The Odyssey" is a narrative poem that describes Odysseus' adventures
In “ The Odyssey ” by Homer, Odysseus goes on a journey to get home after twenty years the trojan war. The “ Hero’s Journey “ by Joseph Campbell represents the important journey the hero's take on their journey as a hole in the story. The fundamental parts of most stories consist of twelve parts to the hero's journey and some supplementary points. The three parts of the hero's journey supernatural aid, test and supreme ordeal , and reward and journey home. These are some of the most vital parts of the odyssey.