Odysseus often follows a Machiavellian approach to being a hero, saving the day at whatever cost and usually in a way that is most beneficial to himself. So although he “went through the motions” of being a hero and completing the hero's journey, he didn’t come out of it transformed or as a better person. As a character and hero, his arc is incomplete. Odysseus has completed his hero’s journey in the classic
In the epic poem The Odyssey, written by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald and another version translated by Samuel Butler, Odysseus journey is relevant to today because he had to leave for war in Troy for ten years and then for another ten years had to get himself and his men home leaving his son Telemachus and his wife Penelope behind in Ithaca; in 2015 some fathers go off to war and are gone for so long that are considered dead or missing in action and have to find their way back; then when they come back everything get’s changed around. Some of the challenges Odysseus faced were sea monsters (Scylla and Charybdis), cyclops, going to and from the land of the dead, lotus eaters, getting stuck on islands with strange women, sirens, etc. (not in order). Men that have gone MIA/considered dead would have to have faced pirates if they were trying to get back home overseas, enemy’s capturing them, being shipwrecked, etc.
An personal motivate and outside force that drives the action of a leader or hero in the text “The Odyssey” is Odysseus. Odysseus motive in the text to safely return to his kingdom, back to his wife Penelope, his son Telemachus after his twenty year journey home after the trojan war. As an audience we know that his family and kingdom is his motives because when Odysseus was trapped in the Cyclopes island, where Calypso fell for Odysseus and wanted him to make him her immortal husband and also give him eternal youth. But Odysseus refuses this offer of Calypso because he is determined to return back to his kingdom sinces his happiness lies with his wife and son. This is shown when Calypso says that her godly beauty is greater than Penelope's,
Odysseus’s journey home would have been impossible without his determination. He travels from island to island, all across the Mediterranean, to reach his home. Firstly, perseverance was a hugely important key trait in Odysseus since being able to succeed he was pushed to defeat those obstacles, which is what Odysseus shows on page 1234. It says, "Rough years then lie between you and your homecoming, alone and old, the one survivor, all companions lost." This was when Odysseus and his crew reached the violent whirlpool of Scylla.
The novel emphasizes the strategic military intervention of King Ramses, as he forms his armed forces to confront the powerful Hittite forces of the ancient world at the battle of Kadesh. Ancient Egypt and the Hittites are two neighbouring nations constantly at war due to their geographic proximity and relentless desire to expand their empire. The great King Ramses, son of King Seti was a warrior with charming attributes and strong decisions. Although he was not popular like his father, his commitment towards egypt aided him to protect his borders and establish peace. Despite the enemies outside Egypt and within Egypt, he managed to acquire the strength and stability necessary for his armies to advance successfully.
Odysseus and the Journey In a very dark cave with only sheep and cheese lived the big bad one-eyed… CYCLOPS! In the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, the main character Odysseus live in Ithaca but, he has to leave for battle. On his way home he runs into a one eyed monster the Cyclops. He became trapped and needs a way home.
Time brings experience, and experiences bring change. As Odysseus progresses through his 20 year journey of around the Mediterranean, the experiences with the people, monsters, and gods fundamentally change who he is. Odysseus begins with an inflated ego, and filled to the brim with pride. Oblivious to the journey the Fates have in store, he sails homeward bound after a failed raid. However he and his reduced crew are swept out to see and forced to land on the island of the inhospitable Cyclopes, children of Poseidon.
Odysseus was an effective leader in battle, an amazing fighter, and he was the person who helped defeat Troy by using the wooden horse. Although everyone thought this was a heroic action by Odysseus to obtain victory, the gods were not so happy with him, especially Zeus. The gods punished Odysseus by making his journey back home difficult for him and his men. Even though Odysseus was being challenged by gods, he had traits that were of an epic hero. Also, throughout his journey he had friends and companions to help him travel back to Ithaca safely and obtain his kingdom once again.
It is because Gods set up scenarios for Odysseus out of their purposes. However, it is undeniable that Gods were civilised, and they measure the qualities of Odysseus with supreme standards. And the most significant thing that is demonstrated in Odysseus is his loyalty to his homeland and family. He has a strong motivation to return home because he feels he has the responsibility to restore the stability of his homeland. Odysseus’s patience was tested, and his bravery grows.
The Odyssey of Life Challenges happen in everyday life, and because these challenges are so personal to me, I sometimes forget that people have similar challenges or have had challenges like mine in the past. While reading the Odyssey by Homer, I was able to draw from the trials that Odysseus faced and how he overcame some of them. The trials that Odysseus faced and overcame are what made him who he was. In this way, I can see how my challenges in life have shaped me and will continue to shape me as I go through important times in my life.
“Character Development and Analysis of Odysseus in ‘The Odyssey’” Odysseus, the Ithacan king portrayed in Homer’s “The Odyssey”, is a complex and round character that develops further and further as the epic poem progresses. These traits are crucial to the representation and image of the main character of the epic. Not only does “The Odyssey” reveal numerous attributes of Odysseus, but also helps the reader and the audience understand the features of the ancient Greek world. Several specific incidents and events in the epic demonstrate the development of Odysseus’ character and the development of the epic as a whole.
The journey of Odysseus began at the end of the Trojan war, when he tried to make it to Penelope in his home, Ithica. But the gods were not happy with Odysseus, due to his arrogant ways and his lack of faith in the gods. Because of this, his journey home would become a 20 year one. He was moved, of course, a number of times by the gods or by weather, He faced many trials and was stopped at many places. Each place he was brought to ended up being another trial.
The importance of a journey begins with how far you're going or if you're traveling by land or water. Sometimes the destination don't matter when you're in a life risking moment or you're doing something to keep your crew alive. My quoted evidence from three different poems come together to answer one question.
Author Ursula K. LeGuin has said, “It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end”. Her statement implies that striving toward a goal or overcoming obstacles associated with a goal defines us as human beings and is more important than the goal itself. This can be seen in Homer’s epic Odyssey. In the Odyssey, Homer uses Odysseus’s journey to show how one’s journey can affect them as a person. One way Odysseus's journey affected him is by making his overwhelming desire to get home his primary focus.
A short summary of the Aeneid would be, Aeneas’ journey after the fall of Troy to the founding of Rome. It’s not a particularly personal journey, especially in comparison to the Odyssey where Odysseus makes his voyage home to his wife and son. While there is no doubt that Vergil has created a story about Aeneas and his experiences, the end result is about much more than his legacy, it is about the legacy of Rome. In contrast, Odysseus’ story is very narrow, having the greatest effect on those closest to him. Their treks into the Underworld are not much different.
