Odysseus Archetype Analysis

The epic The Odyssey is about a hero named Odysseus that must go through many life threatening situations in order to return to his loving family. Odysseus undergoes many trials and obstacles in the form of mythological beasts that stand in the way of arriving home. All of the archetypes that show up in Ancient Greek culture are very similar to the ones that appear in modern times. The Odyssey takes place in the twelfth century B.C where its plot setting stretches from the Aegean and surrounding seas to his birthplace of Ithaca. This epic is an example in which its main story is covered by what writers base their characters off of today:archetypes. Homer wrote The Odyssey to get readers excited to learn about the archetypes that relate to the

We can see most of the temptress archetype in the section “The Sirens”. In the section “Father and Son”, Odysseus tells Telemachus “You must test for temptation.” Odysseus reasonably tells his son the he has check everyone for temptations. An example is when Odysseus checks his wife Penelope if she is corrupted. Odysseus also told his son “But you and I alone must learn how far the women are corrupted…” Quoting Julie Harris “Someone/Something who is uncontrollable,” is her definition of an antihero. Harris pretty much said that antihero cannot be controlled at all. Odysseus couldn’t control the sirens beautiful voices, no matter what he just couldn’t. No matter how much he screamed and shrugged they kept singing. Another obstacle the hero faces in his journey is the monsters that try to kill him and his men. A final archetype that the hero faces is the monster archetype. In the section “Monsters & the Hero,” Julie Harris states “For as long as there been heroes, there have have always been forces to act in direct conflict with them.” Ever since there was a hero there have always been someone or something against that hero. The opposing force to Odysseus is Poseidon, god of land and sea, because Poseidon was the one who doomed Odysseus to his fate. Polyphemus told his father Poseidon to “Let him lose all his companions and return under strange soil to bitter days at home,” and Poseidon grants his wish.