Odysseus Journey Home In Homer's The Odyssey

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“O Father Zeus, let all this be fulfilled as spoken...Return me to my homeland.” Odysseus spends 20 years away from home, fighting at Troy, then fighting temptations and fighting the seas in order to complete his journey home. This journey home is described in The Odyssey. Home should be a location where one feels safe and respected. This story culminates at the end when Athena forges a truce and peace is created between Odysseus and the families of the suitors, demonstrating this respect and safety. Odysseus finally fully arrives home when he kills the final suitor, makes peace with their families, and reclaims his kingship of Ithaka. The Odyssey is a story of Odysseus and his journey home, his homecoming. Therefore, it must end when he has arrived home. Home is a location where one is recognized, accepted, and feels …show more content…

In order for Odysseus to return home fully, he must reclaim his kingship over the people, and thus return to his former status among the citizens of Ithaka. It is when Odysseus is recognized as a leader once again, that he has fully returned home. Odysseus did not leave Ithaka as a king, to return from war no longer the ruler of his people. Without this recognition, the return of Odysseus is much less significant. Odysseus, returning, as king of these people is a great event. However, instead of returning to rule and be justly glorified for his heroism in war by his people of Ithaka, he returns to only his family and the most devoted of the slaves. Initially, Odysseus does not have the respect of the people and because of this, his arrival is looked upon as a curse upon the people rather than a blessing. Athena intervenes to provide the mediation required to reinstate peace between Odysseus and the suitors. She forms the peace that leads to the people recognizing once again Odysseus as their

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