`` The Odyssey `` : The Epic Story Of The Hero Journey

Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and the main character in homer’s The Odyssey, was gone for twenty years before finally returning to his family and his homeland. He struggled through many hardships and lost many loyal companions. The King of Ithaca would not have made it home without the assistance of the Greek gods. Despite all of the help and advice that Odysseus receives from the gods, he is a very brave man because his courage and daring in the cave of the Cyclops, his inability to give up and abandon his men on Circe’s island, and his flawless following of the gods instructions are acts of bravery that is uncommon in most men.

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.

The Odyssey is an eight century epic by Homer which depicts the journey of Odysseus as he attempts to return to his home at Ithaka after the fall of Troy. During his travels, Odysseus faced many obstacles whom he had to overcome. In order to do so, Odysseus had to prove his intellectual capacity, strength and determination. “O Brother Where Art Thou” is a 2000 adventure film which follows the journey of a man named Ulysses Everett McGill as he attempts to make his way back home with two fellow convicts after escaping prison. Although it lacks the structure and does not follow sequence of events of the odyssey, the film portrays many of the fundamental concepts and ideas explored in The Odyssey. In this paper, I will explore the themes of the power of cunning over strength, temptation and vengeance in the Odyssey, in order to depict how they are portrayed in the film “O Brother Where Art Thou” and demonstrate the similarities in both tales.

In The Odyssey, Odysseus sails from his home island of Ithaca, Greece, to Troy. (modern day Turkey) His army and him defeat Troy with a tactful strategy, then leave for home. On the voyage home, Odysseus makes many mistakes like conceitedly setting up camp in a cyclops cave, sending his men to meet the Lotus Eaters, and disappointing the gods by stealing food from the land of the Cicones. But Odysseus makes up for his mistakes by saving his men from Circe. He also sacrifices his

Many years after the end of the Trojan War, Odysseus still hasn’t returned home to Ithaka. Many believe that he is dead, but the author lets us know that he is being held as a sex captive on the goddess Kalypso’s island. Kalypso has no plans of letting him go to return home either.

Throne of Glass is an invigorating fictional book that embodies the Hero’s Journey through a fictional adventure including mystical beasts, princes, and magic. Since ancient Greece, adventures have been formatted by a Hero’s Journey. The Odyssey is an Epic written by Homer in the 8th Century and told the story of a man’s adventure to win a beautiful wife. Together, these lively adventures incorporate portions of the Hero’s Journey including crossing the threshold, the ordeal, and tests, allies, and enemies.

The Odyssey, one of the most well known epic stories Introduces Odysseus, the King of Ithaca. This story demonstrates Odysseus’s physical and intellectual strength. Striving to return home after 20 years of his treacherous journey, he uses strength, skill, and superior ability to overcome his troubles. Although he faced numerous obstacles and fought many battles, he made it appoint to get home to his kingdom through his physical ability, intellectual insight, and overcoming his epic flaw.

The Hero’s Journey is never an easy one. This particular journey, as detailed in Homer’s The Odyssey, is one of struggle, loss, heartache, pain, growth and triumph. It is comprised of many steps that Odysseus has to overcome and battle through in order to achieve his final goal of reaching his home and his loved ones. From the Call to Adventure to the Freedom or Gift of living, Odysseus conquered them all. The story begins in the middle of the story, as many of the oral Greek traditions did, with the Journey of Telemachus to find his father. Although Telemachus has not yet met his father, it is almost as if they are journeying together, where the end of both of their journeys results in being reunited. Telemachus journeys from being a

leave Ithaca cannot be simply based on a whim: he is a young king with

The Odyssey is an epic poem that is taken place after the Trojan War. Odysseus and his men were sailing from Troy to Ithica. The trip lasted 10 years and they had some positives and negatives. So even though they had their ups and downs, throughout the adventure they learned many lessons throughout their journey to Ithica. As Odysseus home from Troy, he changes physically and mentally as he learns the following lessons: cunning overpowers physical strength giving into temptations has negative effects, and loyalty and perseverance are heroic and admirable.

The Odyssey is an epic tale of strength, courage, nobility, knowledge, and confidence reflected in a numerous amount of characters. The poem is centered on the most obvious candidate for a hero, Odysseus. However, many argue that he is, in fact, not a hero. He does not do things for other people out of the goodness of his heart, he does not consider other people’s values and needs, and he is self-centered and arrogant. There is also a difference between Odysseus having the characteristics of a hero and not using them, and his wife Penelope having them and silently being a hero. Although Homer portrays Odysseus as the hero of the epic, he does not act on the qualities given to him causing him to seem less of a hero than is expected of him. However, Penelope is seen as a hero because of her strength, optimism, knowledge, and ability to overcome obstacles.

He thinks about others before himself; he takes responsibility for his men and wants to protect them even if it means risking his own life. He demonstrated god-like qualities and morals to inspire his men. Odysseus is arrogant, brave, and wise, however he is sentimental. He states that, “Sometimes you need to serve in order to lead” (Odysseus). Odyssey has done his job after defeating the Trojans, so the reason why he went to war was to encourage liege lord, Agamemnon, and now that it is over, he can return to Ithaca.

The Odyssey is an epic poem that showcases the heroic actions contrasted with the grave disasters of Odysseus, a tragic hero on his way home from the war in Troy. The author, Homer, shows through Odysseus’ actions that even a hero such as he, has flaws. Flaws that if not acknowledged and learnt from, can spell grave disaster in the journey yet to come. Many Greeks recognize Odysseus as the most renowned hero of the Trojan war, thanks to his own accounts of his years away from Ithaca. Following the Greek beliefs, many believe that Odysseus couldn’t have kept himself away for so long, for only the gods can do something like this, and Odysseus can’t be the cause of the crew’s deaths, only the gods could be so cruel. While

Odysseus left Calypso’s Island and began his journey back home. His odyssey might be described as one’s own life struggles. There are ups and downs to every situation, and through reading The Odyssey, readers can connect parallels between Odysseus’ experiences and lessons learned in their own life. Human weaknesses can still prevail through even the strongest men you may think of; examples of this are shown in this epic. Even though there is a large gap in space between Odysseus’ travels and the present, human nature and weakness still share the same obstacles.

Homer's epic tale The Odyssey is a story of the triumphs and downfalls that are in store for one warrior's long pillage home.  Odysseus, the hero from the Trojan wars, has led his people of Ithaca and other Achaean soldiers to victory and now wishes to return home to his wife and family of Ithaca.  Through his twenty year journey Odysseus is often tested not only of his physical strength, but his wits as well.  The many accomplishments he achieved earned him great status and recognition throughout ancient Greece.  The mistakes he made caused the deaths of many men.  Consequently, we as readers are able to see the many personas that Odysseus carries with him.