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A hero is not only someone who succeeds a great feat or journey, being a hero is much more than that. By overcoming difficult obstacles in one’s inner self and their surroundings, one is created into an epic hero. Hence, the journeys, traveled by two epic heroes in books Life of Pi and The Odyssey, show similarities as well as differences in various incidents throughout the books. Protagonists, Pi and Odysseus, embark on journeys that strengthen their character and prove them to be great leaders and heroes. The guidance received—whether from Greek, Hindu, Christian, or Islamic gods—is truly ideal in the two heroes’ successes. Facing hardships that test their lives both physically and mentally, putting forth all efforts to fight temptations, …show more content…
and bearing a constant emotional toll throughout both journeys, both Pi and Odysseus conquer these hardships. Pi and Odysseus face countless obstacles throughout their journeys, but by overcoming these obstacles, these two characters become epic heroes who ultimately prevail. First, it can be seen that the two books, Life of Pi and The Odyssey can be compared regarding who guide and give the characters advice throughout their journeys. In Life of Pi, Pi is guided by the god he worships; he prays to his god to give him strength to survive. One instance in which Pi is praying to his god, he states, “…so long as God is with me, I will not die” (148). The names of Pi’s gods (Jesus, Mary, Muhammad, and Vishnu) are mentioned rather frequently throughout the novel. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is guided on his journey by the Greek gods and other figures. The gods who mainly help Odysseus are Athena and Zeus. Circe also guides Odysseus in some parts of his journey. In these two books the gods and the main characters’ beliefs are a central importance. Although, Pi’s relationship with his god and how his god guides him is more abstract than how Odysseus interacts with the beings who guide him. Also, in each of the main characters’ journeys they have to fight temptation.
In Life of Pi, Pi has to overcome the temptation to stay at the Meer cat island. He knows he could survive there as long as he wanted to, but knows he must not think these thoughts for he must return to the life he once knew. In Pi’s tempted state he says, “The thought of leaving the island had not crossed my mind once since I had arrived. It had been many weeks now…and they would stretch on. I was certain about that” (280), but Soon after he realizes how wrong he is. In The Odyssey, Odysseus has to overpower his urges and that of his crewmates to force everyone to leave the Land of the Lotus-eaters. Odysseus knows that if he and his crew eat the lotus they will be trapped on the island forever so he says, “Any crewmen who ate the lotus, the honey sweet fruit, lost all desire to send a message back, much less return, their only wish to linger there with the Lotus-eaters, grazing on lotus, all memory of the journey home dissolved forever” (214). Circe warns Odysseus of this and that he must fight the temptation. There are also two other instances however that Odysseus and his crew potentially struggle with temptation. It is in these instances that Odysseus has to lead his crew and muster all his strength to make it out alive. The first instance is that of the Sirens. Odysseus was warned that if he and his crew hear the songs of the Sirens they will be unable to resist sailing to their island. The second instance in which Odysseus and his crew are faced with temptations is when the Cattle of the Son God is present for the taking. Though Odysseus’ crew are too weak and give in to the temptation due to their starvation, Odysseus does not eat the cattle despite
circumstances. Both protagonists also encounter terrible beasts on their journeys. Odysseus encounters Polymetheus in Book 9 and cleverly defeats him. As explained in Book 9, Odysseus comes up with a plan to blind the Cyclops in order to escape and avoid being Cyclops dinner. However, by blinding Polymetheus who is the dear son of Poseidon, Odysseus and his crew have to face the consequences of the Sea God’s wrath. In comparison, the great beast that Pi encounters is Richard Parker, the Siberian tiger. In order for Pi to survive he has to learn to tame the tiger which comes at a cost. By living with the tiger on his life raft Pi is forced to feed it which means less food for Pi. Noting this, Pi states, “Of whatever food I caught, Richard Parker took the lion’s share, so to speak” (224). Similarly, both characters decide against killing the beast which would result badly. The reasons of the protagonists for not killing their beasts is very different, however. In life of Pi, Pi decides against killing Richard Parker because of his beliefs and his longing for a companion. He says, “Jesus, Mary, Muhammad, and Vishnu, how good to see you, Richard Parker! Don’t give up please. Come to the lifeboat” (97). On the contrary, Odysseus decides not to kill the Cyclops out of fear and his lack of strength over the monstrosity. If he were to try and kill Polymetheus it would anger the beast even more and Odysseus and his crew would no doubt be killed. Instead, Odysseus comes up with a plan in Book 9 that is bound to be affective in their escape. Another point of comparison is the fact that both protagonists take a trip to the “Land of the Dead.” In life of Pi, Pi encounters a carnivorous island covered completely in algae in which he states, “The island was carnivorous. This explained the disappearance of the fish in the pond. The island attracted saltwater fish into its subterranean tunnels—how, I don’t know; perhaps fish ate the algae as gluttonously as I did” (281). How the island burns his feet, seeing the pools of dead fish, and how he later discovers a fruit with a human tooth inside it—all examples of carnivorous island activity. In Book 11 of The Odyssey, Odysseus travels to the “Land of the Dead” and visits Tiresias a blind, Thebian prophet. He give Odysseus a prophecy which is as follows: his journey is going to be filled with suffering and hardships, but he and his crew will make it home if Odysseus has the power to fight the temptation of eating the Cattle of the Sun God. Warning of the wrath of Helios, Tiresias says, “...but harm them in anyway, and I can see it now, your ship destroyed, your men destroyed as well. And even if you escape, you’ll come home late and come a broken man—all shipmates lost, alone in a stranger’s ship” (253). Similarly, both protagonists travel to some sort of “Land of the Dead” only to find out some bone chilling news about their journey. On the contrary Pi does not encounter a prophet to tell him how his journey will turn out; rather, he has an inner realization in which he understands the terminal effect of his decision to stay on the man eating island or not. In conclusion, Pi and Odysseus survive these difficult journeys with the help of gods and their will to persist. There are many similarities and differences between these two heroes and their journeys. The two characters endure confrontations with great beasts and even a few temptations along the way which proves these epic heroes’ great strength. The two epic journeys Pi and Odysseus embark on strengthen them as characters and test their overall power and strength. By facing countless hardships and having the power to rise above the obstacles of their journeys, these two epic heroes ultimately prevail.
Odysseus and Ullysseus Everett McGill are similar characters because of their perseverance, cleverness, and their leadership abilities.
Opposed to that of common thought, superman is not the only type of character that fits the heroic persona. Although “superheroes” typically come to mind when one thinks of a hero, there are many other ordinary people capable of extraordinary things. A hero is a person who takes the initiative to set out on a journey of internal growth. During this symbolic journey, one truly finds himself and betters the lives of other mentally and physically. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Odysseus takes the path of heroism, resulting in the reborn spirit of a selfless, modest hero. During the process, Odysseus is faced with many challenges that he must overcome in order to earn the noble title. Odysseus proves himself to be a well-deserving hero because he is intelligent with his decisions, he displays cleverness, and he rids himself of hubris.
One of Odysseus's biggest challenges was to resist temptation. The first temptation Odysseus and his men encountered was the sweet lotos plant, "They fell in, soon enough, with Lotos Eaters, who showed no will to do us harm, only offering the sweet Lotos to out friends..." (IX. 98-100). Eating the plant did not seem like a bad idea, but resisting was a much wiser option, ."..but those who ate this honeyed plant, the Lotos, never cared to report, nor return: they longed to stay forever, browsing on that native bloom, forgetful of their homeland" (IX. 101-104). If they had eaten the plant, they never would have gotten home. Another great temptation they had to withstand was the Seirênês. The Seirênês would tempt the men to them with their beauty and music, "Square in your ship's path are Seirênês, crying beauty to bewitch men coasting by..." (XII. 101-104). If men did not resist, they would fall into the Seirênês' clutches and die, "Woe to the innocent who hears that sound! He will not see his lady nor his children in joy, crowding about him, home from sea; the Seirênês will sing his mind away on their sweet meadow lolling..." (XII. 50-54). The biggest temptation that Odysseus had to defy was from the sea nymph, Kalypso, "I fed him, loved, him, sang that he should not die or grow old ever, in all the days to come" (V. 1420143). Kalypso wanted to have Odysseus as her husband, but all he could think of was home, "Meanwhile he lives and grieves upon that island in thralldom to the nymph; he cannot stir, cannot fare homeward..." (V. 15-17). Odysseus resisted, and was not completely unfaithful to his wife. If he had not resisted temptation, he would have been on the island of the Lotos Eaters, dead, or without a wife.
This paper is to show that Heracles is the prime example of a hero’s journey through his actions and the struggles that he faced during his life until he was about to die but instead of death, his father, Zeus, saved him and he conquered the mortal realm, to become a god.
The hero is the man who fights for what he loves. A hero is someone who rises above circumstance to take back what is his or hers. A hero is a man who was favored by the gods. All of these qualities and more can be found in both Odysseus and Telemachus. Odysseus and Telemachus both showed many manifestations of a hero throughout the Odyssey. It was a journey of change and growth for both men. Out of this journey they returned with much wisdom and personal gain. Odysseus and Telemachus have truly walked the path of the hero’s journey.
There are numerous heroes throughout “The Odyssey,” but none of them are as significant as Odysseus. “The Odyssey” is a narrative poem written by Homer (around 800 and 600 BCE) to show the numerous adventures and experiences Odysseus goes through. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus a prominent Greek epic hero is on a quest to return back to his home in Ithaca; to his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachus. Just like real life, not all heroes are picture-perfect; they all have imperfections. In this case, Odysseus is sometimes insolent, and discourteous; but he is still considered an epic hero because of the many heroic qualities he endures. Odysseus proves himself to be an outstanding hero in various ways such as showing loyalty, intelligence, bravery, strength, and courage which are all some of the most momentous qualities found in a hero. If a true hero can prove they are a true hero, makes them a true hero.
Throughout the epic, Odysseus is portrayed by his friends and peers as a magnificent man, a godlike figure. But, throughout the journeys of The Odyssey, Odysseus’ true character shows. Heroes are no exception to human nature; all people tend to act differently in public than in private. A commonly accepted definition of a hero is, “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.” Odysseus has not shown the noble characteristics of a hero by acting cowardly, barbaric, selfish and greedy in certain situations; such qualities do not deserve such a title. To be a hero, you must have a noble and courageous purpose. As The Odyssey moves along, Odysseus is revealed not to be a hero through his ignoble acts. Homer uses the character of Odysseus to depict false morality which undermines the concept of his heroism.
In “ The Odyssey ” by homer Odysseus goes on a journey to get home after twenty years the trojan war. The “ Hero’s Journey “ by Joseph Campbell represents the journey the hero's take on their journey as a hole in the story. The main parts of most stories include twelve parts to the hero's journey and some additional points.. The three parts of the hero's journey supernatural aid, test and supreme ordeal , and reward and journey home. These are some of the most important parts of the odyssey.
Archetypes of The Odyssey and the Connections Archetypes bring order to everyday life- without them there would be chaos. Humans use them to predict what may happen, and to empathize with people all around the world. Homer’s The Odyssey has several archetypes. The Odyssey is an epic poem, written down at the time of Ancient Greece.
In Homer’s The Odyssey, the main protagonist, Odysseus, is trying to make his way home to Ithaca, ten years later, after the end of the Trojan War. Odysseus is portrayed as a hero throughout the epic; however, the events surrounding his heroism is with considerable help from the gods and goddess. Being a hero is defined as a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Based on the play, there is evidence to suggest that Odysseus is not a hero as defined but that he relied on the help of the gods and goddess.
On our journeys we all must resist, or give into, temptations that may hinder our ascent to our goal. All people give into temptation at least once in their lives. One time that Odysseus gave into temptation was when he listened to the Sirens’ songs. We don’t always collapse into temptation, like when Odysseus wanted so badly to kill the suitors but forced himself to wait for the right time. Another time Odysseus defied temptation was when he refused to reveal himself to the people but ceased expose himself until he felt it was the right time. Temptation is not the only thing to obstruct our expedition.
Myths have been a great example of the hero’s journey. Many heroes have journeys and trials to face throughout their life. Most of their journeys start out with their origin and end with the return. However, the hero’s role remains identical to every other hero. Most heroes like Gilgamesh has heroic traits because of the stages in the hero's journey. Gilgamesh is a man who can turn into a hero by changing himself, even when he has unusual circumstances surrounding his birth. Gilgamesh is viewed as a hero due to the stages of the hero's journey.
The word “hero” has several definitions. In Greek mythology, a hero was originally a demigod. A hero can be the principle character in a play, movie, novel, or poem. A hero can even simply mean someone who is discerned by outstanding courage, dignity, or power. Even though there a many different types of heroes, they have all been through a journey with many obstacles that they had to overcome. The journey of a hero is one huge cycle, starting at the home of the hero and ending at the same place, the home. There are two very important stages of journey cycle—the road of trials and crisis/salvation. The road of trials stage is basically the obstacles the potential hero had to overcome. The crisis/salvation stage is the disaster that occurred and how the hero was saved from it. Odysseus faced many obstacles, and there were many crises that he underwent. The journey of Odysseus was mythological. He left his homeland of Ithaca to go fight in the Tro...
Ever since the beginning of time men and women have told countless stories of adventure, discovery, and conquest. These stories often divulge the grand adventures of epic heroes. An epic hero is someone with abundant importance whose actions involve perilous journeys and marvelous warrior skills in war or battle (Abram). In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus, the king of the great island of Ithaca, is called to fight alongside the Greeks in the Trojan War. The Greeks defeated the Trojans with the help of clever Odysseus’ Trojan horse. Odysseus qualifies as an epic hero because, like all epic heroes, Odysseus undertakes a long, dangerous journey, demonstrates his extraordinary speaking skills by speaking to countless friends and enemies with confidence, and by encountering divine or supernatural forces and foes.
The Odyssey’s epic hero is truly an epic hero. Odysseus, the epic hero, has the poor quality of hubris. He is arrogant and arrogance had led this hero to misery bec...