The Hero's Journey In The Odyssey

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In Homer’s epic The Odyssey, Odysseus does complete the Hero’s Journey since Odysseus departs for home, goes through and overcomes many challenging trials, and then proceeds to return home to his life.

Odysseus does complete the Hero’s Journey because he leaves his everyday life to go on a Journey. Penelope talks to the beggar(Odysseus) and tells him what happened to Odysseus “Odysseus left us years ago when he went off to Troy” (980-981).Odysseus left home to go and fight the Trojan War. This shows he did depart from his everyday life to go on an adventure. Thus, Odysseus departs from his normal life to go on an adventure just as the Hero’s Journey states.

Odysseus does complete the Hero’s Journey because he overcomes the many trials or challenges to get home.Just as Odysseus is escaping the island from Polyphemus, Polyphemus grabs a hilltop and throws it at them “The blind [Polyphemus]… broke a hilltop and heaved it after us” (419-420).The size and strength of Polyphemus shows how dangerous he can be when he is angered even when blinded. He could easily kill any of Odysseus’s men or Odysseus himself effortlessly. This was a challenge for Odysseus which is why it is one of his trials.Once Odysseus gets home, he learns of the many suitors in his home trying to court his wife “How can two men do battle with a houseful of men in their prime?” (930-931). There are
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As they are reunited, Penelope and Odysseus embrace each other”[Penelope’s] gaze upon [Odysseus]” (1415). In the quote, Penelope and Odysseus have finally been reunited after so long. His return shows the completion of the Hero’s Journey. “Greathearted Odysseus, home at last”(1334). This quote shows that Odysseus got home to his life. This also shows that Odysseus returned home to his everyday life. Therefore, Odysseus does return home after he finishes his adventure just like in the Hero’s