Evaluating Odysseus as an Archetypal Hero

Today, in Honors English I, we took a look at a writing prompt requiring a college level response. What follows is my response to the prompt as an example of the complexity we are looking for.

Prompt

Taking into consideration the archetype of the “hero,” evaluate Odysseus in Homer’s The Odyssey. Does Odysseus fit the mold of the “traditional” hero? How does he compare to more modern heroes in the films and literature to which you have been exposed?

Response

Not only is Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, a traditional hero, he is the template from which the modern hero is cut.

The characteristics of a hero are pretty basic. The archetype is defined by 1) being born, or from royalty, 2) having special weapons, 3) suffering a traumatic event, and 4) requiring some sort of supernatural help on his/her quest. Odysseus fulfills all of these elements:

He is royal. Son of Laertes, he is King of Ithaca. His identity as king plays a prime role in The Odyssey. In the story of the Cyclops, it is Odysseus’s decision to share his identity after blinding and humiliating the Cyclops that puts our hero in the predicament keeping him separated from home for an extra 10 years after the Trojan War. In addition, Odysseus’s lineage is of great import in the epic’s climax, as the revelation of his identity shocks and frightens the suitors vying for Penelope’s hand in marriage. Revealing his identity to the interlopers looking to take his throne is quite the parallel to the story of the Cyclops. Odysseus is humbled by his trials and ordeal, making his role as King all the more powerful and mighty.

Perhaps having his remarkable bow with him on the high seas would have eased Odysseus's “deep heart,” but unfortunately he did not. This makes his bow seem all the more special. In the climatic moments of The Odyssey, Odysseus and the suitors are challenged by Penelope to test their strength by being able to bend Odysseus’s great bow and launch an arrow through 12 ax handles. Every suitor tries the bow and cannot bend it, until Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, picks up the weapon, examines it thoroughly, and then proceeds to bend the bow and launch an arrow cleanly through the ax handles. This moment reveals the truth of his identity, and also turns the bow and arrow into symbols of truth and justice in Odysseus’s world.

Suffering trauma is essential to a hero. For a character to be royal and not suffer seems a bit unfair, right? Regardless, Odysseus’s trauma is the crux of his journey: he’s trapped at sea, separated from both his family and homeland. No matter how hard he works to return, he is forced by the gods to endure heartbreak, loss, and the deaths of his trusty men while facing some of literature’s most frightening creatures. The prologue informs us early on that he weathered many bleak days in his deep heart. Now, ironically, Odysseus is also the cause of his own suffering. His weakness – another essential heroic trait – manifests itself in the story of the Cyclops. Odysseus is too proud to allow himself victory over the giant one-eyed monster without having to announce to the Cyclops, the gods, and the world who he is. This need to “rub it in” is why Odysseus must suffer, so that he may learn humility.

Lastly, Odysseus is defined by his supernatural helpers. He is aided at various times by Athena, goddess of wisdom, who inspires him both in the Cyclops cave, but also in the Land of the Dead, and again back home against the suitors. But he is also provided help by the sorceress, Circe, who shows him the way to the Land of the Dead, and later by Calypso, another goddess whose help leads him to Aeolus and the Phaecians, who provide him with the tools necessary to finally make his way home. These helpers reveal that even a true hero cannot do everything alone, and need a support structure to completely fulfill their potential and destiny.

The hero archetype exists because, regardless of the time period or culture from which the hero emerges, the traits are universal. Odysseus is the nth degree great great grandfather to the likes of Harry Potter, Neo, Spiderman, Daniel LaRusso, and Clark Kent. While eras have changed and society’s needs evolved, the hero has remained constant, a central figure reminding us of our potential for individual greatness; a symbol of order in the midst of chaos, showing us that we have the ability to overcome any of life’s challenges, tests, and ordeals. Like Odysseus and his kin, we all must die to ourselves and be resurrected as a more powerful force, able to return to our ordinary worlds and bring about the changes necessary to make our lives – and the lives of those we love – better than they were before.

Works Cited

Homer. "The Odyssey." Prentice Hall Literature. Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes.Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002. 981-1046. Print.

Schwab, Gustav. Odysseus Slays the Suitors. Digital image. NBC News. NBC, 23 June 2008. Web. 27 Aug. 2013.