Hero's Journey Odyssey

622 Words2 Pages

Although, "The Odyssey," "Naruto Shippuden," and "Harry Potter"—meet the model of the Hero's Journey, they are set in very different settings and narratives. Odysseus, in "The Odyssey," after the Trojan War, must start an adventure of transformation, where tests, allies, and enemies come at him to try and return to Ithica. In "Naruto Shippuden," Naruto Uzumaki goes on a hero's journey to be the strongest ninja and to protect his village by overcoming personal demons and beating external threats through perseverance and growth. In "Harry Potter," the namesake of the story tries to find himself in the wizarding world fraught with challenges, forming alliances and fighting against the dark wizard Voldemort, to find his place as the chosen one. …show more content…

"The Odyssey," written by the ancient Greek poet Homer, serves as the template for the literary model of the Hero's Journey archetype. Odysseus, the protagonist, starts on a transcendent odyssey right after the Trojan War. His journey reflects the stages of the Hero's Journey, as he has to go back to Ithaca; thus, he is called to adventure by gods and desires to go home. As Homer puts it, "Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years on end, after he plundered the stronghold on the proud height of Troy" (Homer, "The Odyssey," Book 1). Throughout his travels he finds allies, such as Athena, and enemies, including the one-eyed monster, the Cyclops Polyphemus, undergoing severe tests of wits, courage, and determination. Crossing the threshold, the hero has to pass through perilous seas and enter the land of supernatural beings. He goes through serious inner metamorphoses, realizing his weaknesses and accepting his

More about Hero's Journey Odyssey

Open Document