Archetypes In The Odyssey

An archetype is an image, a descriptive detail, a plot pattern, or a type of character that occurs multiple times in myth, literature, religion, or folk lore. Archetypes often provoke emotion in the reader as they awaken an image, calling illogical responses into play. Many novels, legends, and myth are made up of archetypes which causes similarities in the plots of many novels. For example, the Helper God, the golden place, seasons and metamorphosis are archetypes that make up modern literature and they make up prominent themes found within the novels containing those archetypes. Like these archetypes, the magical weapon archetype, which has only one true owner able to use it to its fullest potential, also is a prominent theme within literature and film creating a large part in the theme. In the Arthurian legend, the Sword in the Stone was said to be the key to the heir as only he would

In the chapter, "The Test of The Great Bow" of The Odyssey, Odysseus's wife, Penelope, makes a competition to see who can string her husband's bow with the man who completes the task first becoming her new husband. Odysseus enters the completion secretly once he reaches Ithaca and wins, which reveals him under his real identity, which was hidden before. In the end, Odysseus reunites with wife and peace in Ithaca is restored. This magical weapon, being the bow here, is known to only be able to be tied by the true owner, who can then successfully complete the task and claim the prize. When the suitors tried to string his bow, no one could do it no matter their strength and experience in hunting, as Odysseus was its true owner. The bow therefore showed to be not just a test of strength and skill, but it also represents Odysseus's right to his wife and ruler of