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The Hero's Journey In The Odyssey

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Composed circa the end of the eighth century BCE by Greek poet Homer, The Odyssey retells the story of Ithaca’s king Odysseus and his journey home to Ithaca after the fall of Troy. The ten-year voyage is a classic example of the Hero’s Journey, for it contains within it not only all the necessary plot requirements, but more importantly the archetypes: heroes, heralds, mentors, threshold guardians, tricksters, shapeshifters, shadows, allies, and temptresses are present throughout the poem in both Odysseus’ journey and his son Telemachos’ as well. Although the epic presents each archetype differently and with their own characteristics, never are they described to deviate from the basic definition of their role.
Despite the conclusion of the Trojan

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