Odysseus Essay

Submitted By kaushalrao101
Words: 1203
Pages: 5
Open Document
Ms. Hill Kaushal Rao
Due Date: 9/31/13 Period 3
English 1
The Heroic Quest Newsletter
Odysseus’ Story
The Odyssey opens in the country of Greece nine years after the Trojan War ended. Because of Odysseus' absence, several suitors want to marry his wife, Queen Penelope. However, she believes that her husband will return, so she does not want to marry. Odysseus' son, Telemachus, also believes that his father is still out there alive. Meanwhile, Odysseus is trapped on Calypso’s island without any transportation, and without a crew. After receiving a message from Zeus, Calypso agreed to help Odysseus get home by helping him build a raft. After the raft is completed, Odysseus starts to sail on his raft and look for land. After his shaky journey, the land he arrived at was the island of Scheria, land of the Phaecians. The princess of the island finds him the next day and leads him to the castle of the King and Queen. Odysseus began to tell his story at dinner. He told them who he was, and what he and his crew did after the Trojan War. He told them of his experiences with the Cicones, the Cyclops, the Lotus Eaters, and with Circe. He told them of his journey to Hades, his encounter with the Sirens, and his deadly adventures with the terrors of Scylla and Charybdis. After telling his story, Odysseus is brought back to Ithaca, where he is reunited with his son. Now, together, he and his son must find a way to drive the suitors away from the palace and reunite himself with his wife.

The Myth Man’s Realization Joseph Campbell, AKA “the myth man”, is a writer and lecturer known for his study of mythology. The more mythology he studied, he realized that all myths serve the same purpose and contain the same elements. He called these similar myths “Monomyths”. He claimed that monomyths contained four defining characteristics. He said that all monomyths contain the supernatural, explain something about the personality of humans, explain a natural occurrence, and show that gods are in control of the universe. The common form of monomyth is the hero’s quest. The hero’s quest is the idea of a hero going on a journey, both physical and mental, and it has six elements that illustrate the common path that the stories take. The elements are the call to adventure, the threshold, challenges and temptations, confrontation or abyss, atonement, and finally, return.
The First Step The first step in the hero’s quest is the call to adventure. In the call to adventure, something first draws the hero out of his home. In the book, Black Ships Before Troy, the call to adventure is when King Menelaus called all of his Greek allies to go attack Troy because his wife was stolen by Paris. Because of this call to attack Troy, Odysseus is drawn out of his home, thus starting the journey. The other aspect of the call to adventure is that the hero rejects the call at first, but we do not see this here because fearless Odysseus does not hesitate to help his royal Greek comrades.
Unknown Territory The second step in the hero’s quest is the threshold. The threshold is when the hero crosses the fine line that separates the known world to the unknown world. A quote that symbolizes this from The Odyssey is this: “I want to find out what those men are like, wild savages with no sense of right or wrong or hospitable folk who fear the gods. (66)” This quote is said when Odysseus is curious about how the Cyclops are, and wants to wait at the cave for them. This quote presents the threshold because Odysseus and his crew are crossing into the unknown world when they step onto the Cyclops’ island. They do not know about them, and how they behave.
Proving His Worthiness Along the long journey, Odysseus faces numerous challenges and temptations, which is the third step of the heroic quest. Challenges and temptations are trials and tribulations that the hero must pass in order to prove his worthiness and to prepare him for future challenges.
Show More

Related Documents: Odysseus Essay

Odysseus A Hero

someone people look up to and want to be. Some people may consider Odysseus in The Odyssey a hero or not. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men are on the way home from the Trojan War. They face many barriers on their journey home. In Homer’s Epic Poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus is not a hero because he never tells his crew anything, he is self-centered, and he either lost his men at stops or had to go and save them. One reason Odysseus is not a hero because he doesn’t tell his crew anything. One example…

Words 754 - Pages 4

Odysseus In The Odyssey

In the novel The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is able to to present himself as a trickster hero. Throughout the book, Odysseus uses his tricky characteristics to get him out of difficult situations. He is also able to use his wits during difficult moments to help his crew, when he is clearly the underdog. Also, Odysseus can deceive others when he seems like an innocent stranger. Lastly Odysseus is cunning, which helps him throughout the book. When Odysseus and his crew are trapped on an island they…

Words 670 - Pages 3

Is Odysseus A Hero

Do you think the man you call a hero is really a hero. Well not everybody thinks he’s a hero. The hero Odysseus not hero as or some people would say in their point of view as their own opinion. Odysseus is not the admirable hero he makes rash decisions to put his men and himself in jeopardy. Although Odysseus seems to be a hero in his own eyes because he is selfish he lets his men go and leave them there and ignore them and leaves them to die. He doesn't want any help from other gods. He has a rough…

Words 602 - Pages 3

Odysseus Hero

“perfect” person would have in their society– but these heroes were still human. One such Greek hero is Odysseus, the king of Ithaca who fought in the Trojan war for a decade and, as stated in the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, was away from his family for a total of 20 years. Odysseus is the hero of the story, yet some claim that he does not deserve the title of “hero.” In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus demonstrates Greek values through his intelligence, strength, and belief in the gods; even though he…

Words 1119 - Pages 5

Odysseus The Wisest

Athena gives Odysseus advice, when the men visit the island of the sun god, and when men who disobey the gods suffer. The wisest and one of the most respected gods is Athena, the goddess of wisdom. During Odysseus’s adventures, Athena confronts characters multiple times as she tries to help them with their challenges. One example is how Odysseus is the wisest of the Ancient Greek heroes because his divine guardian is Athena the goddess of wisdom (898). Because Odysseus has…

Words 762 - Pages 4

Odysseus Defense

In the trial of Odysseus vs the People, Odysseus was brought up on the charges of murder and breaking and entering. Despite both sides having strong arguments, I support the defense due to their counterpoints being strong, clear, and concise. Their thorough analysis and summary of the charges indicated that they were better prepared. A key moment in influencing my support of the defense was when they eloquently refuted the prosecution’s claim about the Cyclops’ cave. By correctly pointing out that…

Words 405 - Pages 2

Odysseus Is A Hero

Have you ever wondered what makes a hero? Is it strength, courage, or something more? Odysseus is a successful literary hero, having been known for more than 2000 years. He is the type of hero that uses intellegence and strategy over his physical strength. There are several major points of the story that prove this are facing Scylla and Charybdis and overcoming the Cyclopes. Scylla and Charybdis set forth a choice. Scylla is certain death for six of his men, but Charybdis is almost certain death…

Words 285 - Pages 2

Epilogue To Odysseus

Long years passed after the departure of Odysseus. I was not able to find satisfaction in any of the Phaiakians men who came to court me. None of them was so courteous, well spoke, handsome, and charming like Odysseus. None of them, not even the best were worthy of me and not only that. No one was like my father too. A great ruler, knowledgeable, who loves his wife dearly and lets her be part of every decision he takes. Marriage is something I had in mind, but no man suited me until the day I met…

Words 1432 - Pages 6

Eumaios In Odysseus

time all Odysseus wanted was to arrive safely back to Ithaka. In this epic by Homer, Odysseus has arrived back in Ithaca after his strenuous journey. He has taken form of another man, not recognized by any members of his town. Most people believe that Odysseus died on his treacherous journey back. Even though Eumaios, the swineherd that continually displayed acts of kindness, loyalty, and compassion to Odysseus, others within Ithaka were not as benevolent to a newcomer’s arrival. When Odysseus is in…

Words 601 - Pages 3

Essay on Odysseus

odyssey takes place ten years after the fall of troy. The story is about the main character Odysseus. Odysseus exhibits both negative and positive attributes through out the story; some may even consider Odysseus as a hero. Odysseus is the ruler of Ithaca and still has not returned since the war. Suitors have tried to take over the kingdom and Odysseus’s wife Penelope while Odysseus has been away. Odysseus wants to get back to Ithaca but Calypso who is in love with him has trapped him on the island…

Words 604 - Pages 3