byTevin Montgomery

The Odyssey

In the Odyssey story of Odysseus as told by Homer our hero is called to face many obstacles and challenges. He must fight with the help of his crew members. In the journey, King Odysseus is transformed into a hero and creates a lasting impression.
Odysseus was called to fight in the Trojan War in Troy. Odysseus knew this was his calling and needed to defend his people. Odysseus had a great threshold and fight long and hard in the war. When the War ended all he wanted was to go home to his wife and child and resume his place as king of Ithaca. The descent home was not an easy one. Odysseus Journey should have taken him about 2 weeks, however he faced many obstacles and challenges along the way. The journey home to his wife and son took him 10 years.
Odysseus landed on the island of the Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon God of the Sea. Polyphemus was not a very nice host to Odysseus and his crew. The Cyclops ate some of the crew members, so Odysseus and his crew repaid him by poking his eye out with a sharp stick. Because Odysseus had such a big ego while sailing away he made sure the Cyclops knew who it was that blinded him. This enraged his father who made Odysseus journey on the sea very difficult. Odysseus should have been a good mentor for his crew, but because of his large ego he made the journey long and hard for all of them. Odysseus and his crew ended up on an island with the Witch Circe. Circe transformed his men into pigs. Odysseus and his crew were stuck on this island for a year before the transformation back to men took place and they were able to escape. Odysseus next challenge was the Siren Finally Odysseus returns home to Ithaca. He arrived disguised as a beggar to find that the young men of the kingdom had taken over his home. They wanted Penelope to give up on Odysseus and remarry. Penelope agreed but on one condition, she would hold a contest and whatever man could string Odysseus bow and shoot threw 12 axes, she would marry. Odysseus still disguised as a beggar stepped up and was the only one who was able to complete the task, which Penelope knew.
about the Siren Women and tied himself the ships mast so he could resist the singing.
Odysseus had faced many challenges so far and was faced with his most difficult challenge in his journey. His journey had now brought him to make a decision of whether he should challenge the Whirlpool Charybdis and be drug into the abyss or take on the six headed sea monster Scylla. Odysseus knew that if he went into the whirlpool he and his entire crew would be lost forever. So he made the decision not to tell his men about Scylla. They crew would not have continued to row that way if they knew six of them would die. Odysseus tried to fight Scylla but there was no hope the monster quickly took six of his men. Odysseus landed on the island Ogygia home of the Goddess Calypso. Calypso loved Odysseus and put him under spell and kept him on the island for 7 years until her father Zeus ordered her to release him. Calypso did not want to release him but did and helped him make a small boat to get off the island.
Finally Odysseus returns home to Ithaca. He arrived disguised as a beggar to find that the young men of the kingdom had taken over his home. They wanted Penelope to give up on Odysseus and remarry. Penelope agreed but on one condition, she would hold a contest and whatever man could string Odysseus bow and shoot threw 12 axes, she would marry. Odysseus still disguised as a beggar stepped up and was the only one who was able to complete the task, which Penelope knew no other man, was capable of.
Homer’s epic poem demonstrates a true Hero’s Journey. Odysseus is called to fight. During his journey he overcomes challenges with help from his crew members. Odysseus proves himself to be and epic warrior. I believe this story even though not true shows that everyone faces challenges and obstacles throughout life and if never give up and you will make it.