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The Role Of Archetype In The Odyssey

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In the epic poem, the Odyssey, our hero Odysseus goes on an incredible journey enriched with power, monsters, storms and various other drama and adventure. One popular archetype, the journey, is commonly used to symbolize the trials we tend to all face in life. The name of the book fits it justly because "The Odyssey" translates to "the journey". The challenges he faces throughout the story appear to represent life lessons anyone can take to heart.

Patience is a virtue that has to be learned, typically through suffering. Odysseus had to patiently suffer through twenty long years of struggling to return back to his family, that solely reinforced his patience because he knew he would get back some day. “I’m sure no other woman could be so cold and keep her husband at a distance, now he has come home after twenty years and all those terrible dangers!”. This extreme adventure shows the immense amount of love and loyalty he feels for his wife and family and the circumstances he is willing to travel through to get back to them. After this journey of twenty years, his …show more content…

This establishes a BLANK of strength and confidence that provides him with safety and respect in the end. Within the land of Polyphemus, Odysseus and his men are tempted by wine and cheese to trespass into an unknown cave. The indweller of that cave, Polyphemus the cyclops, returns to see them stealing his food and entering his home. He welcomes them initially, but then soon turns hostile. He devours two of Odysseus's men on the spot and imprisons Odysseus and the rest in his cave for future meals. While the remainder of men are frightened, Odysseus begins thinking up how to flee. He successfully outsmarts the cyclops and escapes. This shows that in times of horror and grief, to remain calm and remember the enemy may appear stronger, however, a mind has the strength of a million

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