In “The Odyssey” by Homer, Odysseus is a clever and cunning king of Ithaca, in Greece,
trying to return home from war. Through tough trials and a rigorous journey, Odysseus uses his
new traits to become a better king. “The Hero’s Journey” by Joseph Campbell represents the
stages and events Odysseus goes through to come home. These stages are: Entering the
Unknown, Supernatural Aid, and the Reward and Journey Home are 3 reasons in “The Hero’s
Journey” that Odysseus follows in “The Odyssey”.
Odysseus and his crew “Enter the Unknown” when they enter the cyclops cave. It’s quite
a frightening sight and they’re not sure what they’re about to see “We climbed, then, briskly to
the cave. But the cyclops had gone afield… so we looked
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This quote is significant because the crew is not sure in what they
are supposed see. “The Hero’s Journey” quote relates to this by having “Heroes enter a world
they have never experienced before. Very often it is filled with supernatural creatures,
breathtaking sites, and the constant threat of death” (Campbell). The cyclops, would be the
supernatural creatures, breathtaking sites are the giant sheep, and the island itself, and
the constant threat of death is when the cyclops returns.
Odysseus encounters “Supernatural Aid” when Athena, god of wisdom and military
Tactics, disguises Odysseus as an old beggar to infiltrate his castle, and tends to disguise him
often as Odysseus states: “She has the knack to make me seem a beggar man sometimes”
(Homer 597). This relates to “The Hero’s Journey” quote by the supernatural character (Athena)
giving the means to complete the quest and continue to the hero’s reward, as stated:
“Supernatural simply means “above the laws of nature…” This supernatural character often
gives the means to complete the quest” (Campbell). This quote is significant because Athen, who
is the supernatural aid, assists Odysseus in completing the
One well-known example of “The Hero’s Journey” from popular culture is the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling. In the novel, Harry Potter, the main character, is the chosen one and “The Hero’s Journey” applies to his life from the moment he is attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a baby. Joseph Campbell calls the initial phase of a hero’s development the “Call to Adventure.” The call is the in... ...
...heir journeys or overcome their limitations had it not been for the gods. Of all of the requirements of heroism, being influenced by the gods is the most important. Only through the aid of the gods can a character defeat his shortcomings and truly understand what a hero is. The character must become overconfident and prideful, then, and only then, can the gods step in and break their faults. Finally, the hero either comes to realize how wrong he was or he dies in ignorance.
The first place Odysseus goes after the war is the land of the Ciconians. He and his men raid the island and destroy the village. However the next day, more Ciconians arrive and defeat Odysseus and his men. Several men are killed, and Odysseus experiences his first of many sorrows and tribulations. Next, the hero goes to the land of the lotus-eaters. Some of his men eat the lotus plant and instantly want to stay there and never leave. Odysseus manages to get his men away from the island, and they leave.
Odysseus describes the events saying,” Then I sent out two picked men and a runner to learn what race of men that land sustained…”. In this quote Homer uses indirect characterization to illustrate to readers Odysseus’s urge to satisfy his curiosity by sending out his men into unknown dangers. Odysseus’ curiosity is somewhat of a curse on his men since it lead them into the Cyclops cave getting a few of them killed when they proposed to plunder the Polyphemus and leave but he refused telling Alcinous,” Yet I refused. I wished to see the cave man, what he has to offer…”Homer uses indirect characterization once again , showing Odysseus’s refusal to comply to the wishes of his men to leave the island while they were still safe, instead he became greedy and wanted to see what else the giant had. Later in the same story, Odysseus blinds Polyphemus after the Cyclops ate a few of his
The hero must share their boon with the world but, like the call to adventure, the call to return canbe refused. One such example is in the story of the Hindu warrior-king Muchukunda. When he won a battle against demons, he asked that the gods grant him unending sleep. He went to a cave in the mountains that separated him from the normal world. Muchukunda later returned to the land only to find that he was an giant compared to the man that inhabited it (Campbell 167-169).
The Hero’s Journey is the pattern that many fantasy narratives follow. Lian Hearn’s book Across the Nightingale Floor and Christopher Columbus’ movie Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone have compared against the Hero’s Journey. The stages of the Hero’s Journey that are in both studied fantasies are the call to adventure, crossing the threshold and freedom to live.
After reading this essay one can see how The Odyssey main character Odysseus faces struggles and hardships that only make him stronger.He learns to be more cautious than he was and he truly shows how much he wants to return to Ithaca and learns who is faithful to
The Hero’s Journey is an ancient archetype that we find throughout our modern life and also, in the world of literature.Whether metaphorical or real, the journey that a character goes on shows not only the incredible transformation of the hero but it also gives them their life meaning. It is the ultimate human experience and it reflects on every aspect of life. Take Logan, also known as Wolverine, from the X-Men movie as an example. His adventure starts with “The Call,” which is the first step of the Hero’s Journey. This step happens due to the realization of imbalance and injustice that the character has in their life. Logan steps into the first stage of the pattern but is hesitant to start his adventure because he does not know what and
In The Odyssey by Homer, an epic poem from Ancient Greece composed c. 8th century BC, Odysseus’ journey created a path for self-reflection. As I read, I noticed a parallel between our obstacles, adventures, and goals. Odysseus faced many obstacles due to his excessive pride, experienced several adventures from being taken off course, and had an overall goal to make it home to his dear land of Ithaca.
During Odysseus’s journey in The Odyssey, his own guile, the gods’ obstacles and their assistance for him affected his destiny. Odysseus uses his crafty sense of trickery and guile to get out of situations, which allow him to reach his destiny of returning home. Many times in The Odyssey the gods who dislike Odysseus set obstacles to try to stop him from returning home. However, there are gods who favor him and give him assistance to reach his homeland of Ithaca.
For instance, Odysseus develops two relationships outside of his marriage – one of which was a goddess. Penelope remains loyal to her heroic husband, and even avoids suitors by unraveling the shroud she weaves for Odysseus during the day. The handmaidens that assist circumspect Penelope act as reminders to her consistent virtue and loyalty to her husband as they outline what not to do. The handmaidens are untruthful to Penelope and report her actions to the suitors, engage in festivities with the suitors, and do not stand by her side when she needs them. Penelope undergoes the struggles because she knows that her Odysseus will return to her, and he is a man worth waiting on. However, of course, Penelope does not know about these relationships that Odysseus has taken part in. Though, Penelope still believes that Odysseus is a good man and is proud to be his wife. Odysseus wants to return to his wife but he has everything and more with Calypso on her island. He could have stayed there and would have been very happy there, however he would not have earned his kleos for his quests. If he stayed with Calypso then no one would hear his great tales of battle or his amazing cunning abilities. Penelope is great and all, but she’s no
Joseph Campbell defines a hero as “someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” (Moyers 1). The Hero’s Journey consists of three major parts: the separation, the initiation, and the return. Throughout a character’s journey, they must complete a physical or spiritual deed. A physical deed involves performing a daunting and courageous act that preserves the well-being of another person. A spiritual deed calls for action that improves another individual’s state of mind.
When Odysseus and his men realized they were trapped inside the cave, Odysseus was smart enough to realize that they would be trapped forever by the Cyclops boulder if they killed him. Not only is Odysseus smart enough to create a plan of escape by getting the Cyclops drunk but also stays calm and collected to trick the Cyclops into drinking the wine without arousing suspicion. As a result, they stab the Cyclops, blinding him. To hide his identity as king of Ithaca and to trick the neighboring Cyclops he gives a false name by saying, “My name is Nohbody: mother, father, and friends, / everyone calls...
...cal mythology, and modern fictional heroes stories. They encounter unexpected supernatural and unusual events, but they fight until the end. A good example is Theseus fighting with the Minotaur. According to Campbell, the heroes receive help from unexpected sources or rather divine sources when they are about to give up. When they return back home, no one recognizes them. For instance, Odysseus could not be recognized on his return home even by his own wife Penelope.
The Hero’s Journey is a common structure used in everything from novels to movies; it creates connections between real life and fantasy. As Ryan Weber says, “Ironically, the heroes that teach us to plunge into our unconscious are the very archetypes birthed from it, and we seem to need them as a source of courage to face our own shadow.” The hero’s journey draws the audience in, and inspires those who read the series to live their lives courageously, and not be afraid to live for the moment.