The Odyssey – Heroes Not Of Our Time

When most people think of a hero, one thinks of a tall, muscular, and handsome being that could do no wrong. However, in the Odyssey, and even in real life, not all heroes are so perfect. Odysseus, is often rude, disrespectful, and not always the most attractive male. However, he is still a hero. Throughout the poem “The Odyssey”, Odysseus proves that not all heroes are perfect and that every hero is a little bit human. The hero’s journey is when a hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of wonders and dangerous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the powers, transformation in body and wisdom. There are many different journeys hero’s go through each individual hero has there different challenges and motivations to venture out of there normal world. Heroes come in different shapes and forms there is no certain way a hero needs to look. In Spiderman, Cinderella, and The Odyssey, each of the protagonists experiences personal development and growth of courage through the call to adventure, supreme ordeal, and return with the boon phases of the hero’s journey.

The hero’s journey is in a variety of works and all share the hero’s journey. In the odyssey “Must fight the trojan war” was said by Odysseus on page 301. This means that even facing death he will still fight in this war. Also, how he leaves behind his wife, son and normal life to receive the call to adventure. This relates to so many marines who leave their whole lives behind to fight in a great war. In the “CINDERELLA” lines 5-6 state “the king hosted a ball, to which all ladies of the land, were invited so that the Prince may choose a wife.” This means that Cinderella will have to choose from disobeying her stepsisters and go to the ball or stay home. This matters because Cinderella is going to be challenged if she does decide to go to this ball. Also, she will be out of her normal life and on a mysterious journey of her own. This is how many teens go to parties (balls) their parents refuse yet they manage their way out. Many heroes have their own journeys and different calls to their adventures as for Odysseus it was fighting as a leader in a big war and for Cinderella, it was to go to a ball hosted by a king.

In the hero’s journey, the second most important phase in the journey is the supreme ordeal which every hero phases. In “Cinderella” in paragraph 10 lines 3-4 “but the prince ignored her rag dress and allowed her to try. Her foot fit perfectly.”This means that Cinderella only has this last obstacle to face from living without her cruel stepsisters. This matters because it changes cinderella from a maid to a princess. In the Odyssey states “Six of the suitors attempt an attack on Odysseus, but Athena deflects their arrows. Odysseus and his men seize this opportunity to launch their own attack, and the suitors begin to fall”. This means that Odysseus is now in his last battle from receiving back his home and passing his last trial with the prize of taking back his normal life. This matters because it shows how Athena has been helping him come home. Even though these heroes have completely opposite lives yet they all share the hero’s journey with Odysseus fighting for his normal life and Cinderella living the life she had dreamt about. This can relate to how everyone in their life must pass obstacles to reach what they most want in life.

The last part of every hero’s journey is to return with the boon when the hero has finally passed their last trial and coming back home with something new. On the Odyssey states “Their secret! as she heard 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”. This means that Odysseus has now came home from defeating the suitors and now has passed Penelopy’s test and having his throne back with the love of his family back. This matters because has now passed every trial and obstacle to get his normal life back with more intelligence and bravery. In Spiderman’s story paragraph 10 line 3 states “Peter has now returned from his journey with a different perspective”. This means that Peter has learned many things in his journey of his own. This matters because peter has now came back with knowledge, love for himself and a new perspective. Even though these very different heroes and journeys, in the end, they all learned so much knowledge from their experiences.

Three very different heroes have gone through very different journeys that have all ended in learning so much knowledge and perspective in which they see their lives with the transformations they have gone through. Which were call to adventure, supreme ordeal, and return with the boon theses three heroes have gone through hardships, challenges, and transformations. Everyone will go through many heroes’ journeys through their lives it’s how one transforms and what knowledge one gains.