Odysseus "The Hero's" Journey

Odysseus "The Hero's" Journey

One of the biggest questions in the book "The Odyssey" is, "Is Odysseus a hero or not?" This question can be assessed in many ways, including the many different perspectives, or points of view. These contribute so many factors, it's hard to keep track of all of them. Also, it depends on the definition of a true hero, because people could consider different actions heroic, while others the exact opposite. The story of Odysseus is almost the same as a bible to the ancient people in that area, and it is stated quite a few times that Odysseus is a hero. So, if it is as it's described, then those people considering that this book is like a bible must agree, that Odysseus is a hero. It needs to be kept in mind that Odysseus is human and no human is perfect, so some of his mistakes are understandable. Although this is true, Odysseus made some pretty low decisions that really showed the kind of person he is. So the intriguing question remains; is Odysseus a hero or not? Hopefully, these horizantal plot points, key actions and sayings of Odysseus, and how he is described in different parts of the book will help us know the correct answer.

In the introduction to the story of Odysseus, Homer is calling upon the muse of great poetry to help him pass on the story of Odysseus. He makes many strong statements, most importantly that Odysseus, "Fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home"(P. 1045 L. 8-9). I personally believe this statement is saying a lot, and is a bit of a oxymoron at the same time. Homer is stating that all Odysseus wants is to save his life, and to get his shipmates home. The only reason for his journey is to get himself home as well as his shipmates, not just himself, not just his shipmates. Odysseus cares so much for his home and family that he will stop at nothing to arrive there. The famous story of Odysseus' journey begins with Odysseus being with the Phaecians, who accepted him in after he showed up, half dead, having just lost his missed crew. The King of Phaecia required Odysseus to tell of his adventures, so Odysseus accepts and begins telling his story. It is important to keep in mind that for the duration of the first half of the book, Odysseus is telling the story from his standpoint, which could be considered a very biased standpoint, although Odysseus does admit to many mistakes.

Odysseus leaves Troy, with a full crew and quite a few ships full of men. They start with attacking Cicones, because the wind brought them to that shore, where they took the village over, taking plunder and enslaving the women. Odysseus instructed his men to come back to the ships quickly, but this was the beginning of one of Odysseus's major conflicts. His men showed their first acts of disobedience, being fools on wine. This gave time for the fugitives to run inland, and inform the main army of the Cicones of the attack. They came down the surf, attacking Oddyseus and his men, greatly outnumbered, as Oddyseus's men did their best to hold them back. They finally made it out to sea, but they had lost a great portion of men as a result of their carelessness and rebellion. Next, they reached the land of the Lotus eaters, where some men ate the lotus, which caused them to long to stay on the island. Odysseus informed his men of this, then, he "Drove them, all three wailing, to the ships, tied them down under their rowing benches"(P. 1049 L. 101-102). Odysseus never let a live crew member be left behind, showing his faith in his crew, even after they disobeyed him.

As they continue their journey, they come across the island of the Cyclopes. Odysseus, with his 12 best fighters, approaches one of their caves, where the Cyclopes is nowhere to be found. In the cave, they see cheeses, lambs and kids, where Odysseus's men suggest, "Why not take these cheeses, get them stowed, come back, throw open all the pens, and make a run for it?"(P. 1051 L. 167-168). It's a great idea, and could have easily been pulled off, but Odysseus had come to bargain with the Cyclopes, and that's what he intended to do. When he arrived, the cyclopes wasn't in his cave, so they sat and waited for him.

When he came and noticed them, he blocked off the cave, killed two of Odysseus's men, and ate them. Everyone was terrified for their lives, not knowing what to do. Odysseus, showing his intelligence, stayed calm, and thought through the situation. "If I killed him we perished there as well, for we could never move his ponderous doorway slab aside"(P. 1053 L. 248-250).

So, Odysseus used his wine he brought along to get the Cyclopes drunk, then stabbed him in his eye. The Cyclopes, oblivious to Odysseus' plan, moved the slab aside, thinking Odysseus's name is "Nohbdy," another of his tricks, allowing Odysseus to conceal himself from other Cyclopes as well. With this plan set up, Odysseus and his men successfully sneaked out of his cave, under the Cyclopes's rams.

CYCLOPES

In the Cyclopes's perspective, Odysseus and his men just showed up in his house, and he has no reason to bargain with them because they are stuck in his cave with no way out. So, all they are is a lucky, easy meal. To the Cyclopes, when Odysseus pokes out his eye, he says he was expecting a giant, armed in a giant force, not Odysseus, "Small, pitiful and twiggy"(P. 1062 L. 470). To other men, Odysseus is one of the strongest, smartest of men, not weak.

As they are leaving, Odysseus yells offensive remarks at the Cyclopes, building up the Cyclopes's anger, who then threw a giant boulder past them, nearly beaching their ship. After they got further out again, Odysseus said, "But let my anger flare and yelled"(P. 1062 L. 456). This made the Cyclopes pray to Poseidon that they wouldn't reach home, then throw another boulder, this time shooting them out to sea.

"Trying to put my heart into them, standing over every oarsman, saying gently, 'Friends, have we never been in danger before this? More fearsome, is it now, than when the Cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had! Did I not keep my nerve, and use my wits to find a way out for us?"(P. 1073 L. 764-770). Odysseus is giving his men hope, trusting them to trust him, so that he can get them through it. He is their leader, and their hero, and when their lives are at stake, they believe in him. Odysseus led them through Scylla, although losing 6 of his men.

Trapped on Lord Helios's land of his cattle, starving, Odysseus's men decide to kill some of the cattle to eat, while Odysseus is off praying in solitude, where he fell asleep. They kill cattle, and Odysseus blames the God's, saying, "O Father Zeus and gods in bliss forever, you made me sleep away this day of mischief!"(P. 1078 L. 899-900).

Odysseus didn't make the mistake himself, but he did fall asleep, allowing them to plot and execute the action. The God's conjure a storm that kills all of Odysseus's men, although allowing him to live. He ends up washed up on the shore of Calypso, who he claims, "Received me, loved me"(P. 1082 L. 993). By saying this, he is accusing her, stating that it wasn't his choice.

The whole reason for Odysseus' journey and perseverance is because of his need for his home, with his family. Otherwise, he could have stayed with Calypso, or just given up, staying somewhere else. Odysseus quotes, "Where shall a man find sweetness to surpass his own home and his parents? In far lands he shall not, though he find a house of gold"(P. 1047 L. 35-37). Odysseus is stating that he may find something that seems like the best thing in the world, but in no way possible that it will take place or be better than his home. In some people's minds, it might be different, but Odysseus knows that his home exceeds all other objects, which is what makes him such a strong man.

Internal Conflicts of Odysseus

One of the main internal conflicts of Odysseus is that he is physically and mentally separated from his wife and son back in Ithaca, and he will do nearly anything to get back to his home. As described in the last slide, Odysseus really has an entire "action" or goal, which includes every grad @ grad quality; to get home. He loves his home, he prays to the gods and gives up offerings, he shows his intellectual competence, he is open to growth, and committed to justice. A lot of the horizontal plot points really show Odysseus' positive qualities, but his negative ones as well, because he is battling against his internal conflicts.

External Conflicts of Odysseus

Odysseus really experiences unbelievable amounts of roadblocks in his way, or external conflicts. To overcome these, he needed to apply intellectual competence, love(or strive to get past it), religion(for the gods help), openness to growth, and finally commitment to justice. When he applied all of these conflicts, he was able to overcome the opposing force. Some of Odysseus' external conflicts were the Cyclopes, the gods, the sea, and the wind. The Cyclopes would have killed Odysseus and all his men, had Odysseus not escaped the Cyclopes' cave. Then, the Cyclopes caused two more conflicts; the gods (Poseidon) and the sea. There were many points in the story where the sea betrayed Odysseus and his men because of Poseidon. Also, the wind greatly held back the men. They were within miles of reaching their home when Odysseus' men opened the sack containing the winds, carrying them all of the way back to Aeolia. It could have been as simple as that, but instead Odysseus' men disobeyed him, bringing up another external conflict. That's the second time they disobeyed him, and the final time it brought every one of their deaths. "Now on the shore Eurylochus made his insidious plea"(P. 1077 L. 864). It just took one man to bring the entire crew to betrayal.

Many literary devices were added to the story to enhance the descriptions of situations and the overall story.

The author, wanting to incorporate the use of intelligence in the story, added a lot of foreshadowing, requiring the reader to ultimately predict the result of some sections.

The first, nearly most important foreshadow wasn't directly obvious to the story, but really tells the reader a lot, especially if they notice it. In the introduction to "Sailing from Troy," it is explained how Odysseus arrives in Phaecia, alone, telling the stories of his adventures. So, with Odysseus alone, it shows that his men that are described throughout the story end up dying, or are left behind. On top of that, it is known that Odysseus survives the first part of the book, as long as he is telling the story.

One of the most symbolic sections of the book is when Odysseus arrives home and sees his old dog, Argus. "When he knew he heard Odysseus' voice nearby, he did his best to wag his tail, nose down, with flattened ears, having no strength to move nearer to his master"(P. 1096 L. 1177-1179). To Argus, Odysseus was the most important, heroic person alive. After he saw Odysseus, he was able to finally close his eyes and pass away.

That was the main symbol in the second part, as for the first part, the symbol was symbolizing danger, because of Poseidon and the danger of it, the sea. Whenever it is described as dangerous, or "gray," it is recognized after some soldiers are killed, or when danger is coming, or even both. It is referenced after Cyclopes' island, "Gray sea"(P. 1063 L. 523), before Scylla and Charybidis, "Gray sea"(P. 1071 L. 678), and after all of the perils of Circe and the Laestrygonians, as "the fathomless unresting sea"(P. 1064 L. 538).

On top of that, the author uses similes and metaphors to build up the meaning and descriptions of characters and objects throughout the story.

Even after his men betrayed him completely and killed some of Helios' sheep, Odysseus describes one of the men, as he is hit by the mast and killed, "As the brave soul fled the body, like a diver"(P. 1081 L. 947). He didn't claim "the disobedient man" or "the deserving soul." Odysseus showed respect to the man, describing him in that way.

When Odysseus arrives as a beggar in Ithaca, Athena transforms him into a younger looking man with new clothes, a white tunic, and cleans him up. When Telemachus sees him, he exclaims, "You are one of the gods who rule the sweep of heaven!"(P. 1092 L. 1027).

THE MOTIF

The main motif of "The Odyssey" is the Gods. The entire journey, Gods are playing with Odysseus, making it completely formidable to Odysseus. Zeus, Poseidon, Calypso, and quite a few other Gods, including Odysseus' men, who don't make a good impression on the Gods, causing the gods to despise their journey even more. It is not until the end, when Athena claims "I myself desire for battle"(P. 1090 L. 1015). She is the first one to truly help Odysseus with his journey, not just the opposite. The fact that Odysseus is able to battle through everything the gods throw at him shows how strong of a man he truly is.

So, referring back to the very beginning, "IS ODYSSEUS A HERO OR NOT?"

In the tale of "The Odyssey," Odysseus is a hero because he stops at nothing to get back to his home, he doesn't give up on his crew even when they aren't faithful to him, and even when he arrives at his home and it's being taken over by suitors, he doesn't give up hope that he can take it back.

In "The Odyssey," Odysseus is a hero because he stops at nothing to get back to his home, Ithaca.

Another reason for Odysseus being considered a hero in "The Odyssey" is that he never gives up on his crew even when they make mistakes, disobey him, and don't show complete trust in his word.

Finally, Odysseus has the right to be called a hero because even when he arrives at his home and it's being taken over by suitors, he doesn't give up hope that he can take it back.

?

Odysseus Weeps, Having Pity, Realizing His Mistakes

In the land of the dead, Odysseus said that, "When I saw him there I wept for pity"(P. 1065 L. 582). Although he made the mistake, he understands it, and learns more, becoming a smarter, stronger man.

Odysseus's Men Trust Him With Their Lives

The Fatal Ending of His Men

The Start of the Journey

Odysseus Arrives at Home

After all of the perils and Gods trying to stop Odysseus, he hasn't given in, fighting all of the way through, although he lost every one of his loyal crew. After finishing telling his story to the Phaecians, some young Phaecian noblemen grant him a small boat to carry him on his way home. It has been 20 full years since Odysseus has been home, which is an unbelievably long time. The fact that he kept trying and trying, for 20 long years, shows his perseverance, and how much he cares for his home. On top of that, suitors are invading it, thinking Odysseus dead, trying to win his wife's hand in marriage. Athena appears to Odysseus, explaining the situation, hoping for battle. She turns him fully into a new man, making him look as if in his prime, with a full new white cloak, and an entirely different appearance. His son, first seeing him as a beggar, then seeing him this way, cowers in fear, thinking it to be a God. When Odysseus reveals who he truly is, he is brought to tears, and his son exclaims, "You cannot be my father Odysseus! Meddling spirits conceived this trick to twist the knife in me!"(P. 1092 L. 1038). This really described how confused and in disbelief Telemachus, Odysseus's son, feels. Again, it has been 20 years since they have seen each other, and they are both brought to tears, in realization of the fact that they have finally been reunited.

Odysseus Asks for a Try at the Bow Contest

Home, Sweet Home

Suitors are all over Ithaca, competing for Odysseus's wife. In one of the challenges, they must string a bow, and shoot it through 12 axehandle sockets. Odysseus, disguised by Athena as a beggar, asks for a try. To all of the men, he is either a poor, old beggar, or, as some speculated, a God in disguise. He passed the test, and shot the bow straight through. Then, he shrugged off his rags, and stated, "So much for that. Your clean-cut game is over. Now watch me hit a target no man has hit before if I can make this shot. Help me, Appollo. Even with all of the gods against him all of his journey, Odysseus still uses his intelligence to call upon them for help, and be open to growth as well. He is loving towards his city, needing help to take it back, and commitment to saving his city, getting rid of the suitors, and restoring appropriate rule.

Odysseus finally took back his home, Ithaca. When he is reunited with his wife, she tests him, not thinking it Odysseus, and when he gets angry but passes the test, she is overwhelmed. "Their secret! as she heart it told, her knees grew tremulous and weak, her heart failed her. With eyes brimming tears she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck, and kissed him"(P. 1112 L. 1593-1596). Them, with the description of Odysseus, "Now from his breast into his eyes the ache of longing mounted, and he wept at last, his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms, longed for as the sunwarmed earth is longed for by a swimmer"(P. 1114 L. 1613-1616). These two reactions showed true love, and true longing for each other. To Penelope, Odysseus is her hero, her love, and he has finally returned home.