Odyssey Hero Journey

It is a human nature to wonder about unknown and try to explain unexplainable. Throughout the times, many cultures created myths that explained creation of the world and humans and enlightened people about natural phenomena. As Morford mentioned, “the word myth comes from the Greek word mythos, which means "word”, "speech”, "tale”, or "story”, and that is essentially what a myth is: a story” (Classical Mythology, 3) Heroes play a big part of the myth in any culture. They are all different, yet each went through similar events in their heroic journey. These events were first noticed and described by Joseph Campbell in “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”. Campbell discovered several basic stages that nearly every Hero goes through no matter what …show more content…
This motif removes the Heroes from their normal environment. Hero must leave his home, family, friends, and his life to begin his quest. Usually there is a discovery, danger, or some event that makes him start his heroic path. This motif occurs in most of the myths. Myth about Odyssey starts by Odyssey summoned by the King Agamemnon to fight in the Trojan War. Another example is a myth about Perseus where he has been commanded by King Polydectes to bring him the head of the Gorgon Medusa. Myth about Jason also has call for adventure motif: King Palias agrees to give Jason the throne back, only if he will bring him the Golden Fleece. Katniss’ “Call of Adventure” stage begins when her younger sister has been randomly selected as a tribute for the Hunger Games. In order to save her, Katniss has to volunteer herself to replace her. This is when her journey begins, and where she has been torn from her normal surrounding. She chooses to leave her home and family and starts her Heroic …show more content…
It “represents the final separation from the Hero's known world and self”. (Wikipedia) The Hero enters the place of danger; the space that is important. Belly of Whale can be found in Odissey: it is an island where he meets with the Cyclopes, Polyphemus, who almost killed him. Jason enters “Belly of Whale” in the Symplegades, The Clashing Rock; very dangerous place where he needs special instructions to navigate in. Another example where “Belly of the Whale” present is a myth about Perseus. For him, it is an island of the Gorgons, where he has to face Medusa. Ketniss enters “Belly of Whale” when she enters arena of the Hunger Games. Katniss is all by herself in the woods with other tributes whose only wish is to kill her. There is a danger in every step she takes, and no one is there to help her. She is now fully absorbed in this new world and must play by its