Paper #2 and Friday's Reading

REMEMBER to finish the book for Friday's class! We'll have a Discussion Quiz over Books 23 and 24, so bring your book to class. The paper assignment I gave out in class is pasted below--let me know if you have any questions: 

Paper #2: The Hero of Twists and Turns

From The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1956): “the labyrinth is thoroughly known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.”

According to Joseph Campbell, when the hero undertakes the Hero’s Quest (which all heroes of legend undergo), he/she emerges as a true “god,” having slain themselves (their ego), having returned home (both literally and figuratively) and having saved the ‘world’ for the next generation. Arguably, Odysseus has done all of these things, and the story celebrates his victory with the restoration of his household and family, and Ithaca itself.

And yet, the poem leaves us with some nagging questions…

• Does Odysseus find the “gods” within the “monsters”?
• Does Odysseus slay his ego/hubris to be reborn?
• Does he ever take credit for his failures, or share the spotlight with his victories?
• Does he make the world ‘whole’ again? Or is it just a temporary victory?
• Does he actually ‘fail’ at his quest like Gilgamesh? Is his victory somewhat hollow?
• Is his victory the triumph of good/justice over evil/injustice?
• Is he an active agent of his own destiny, or a mere play-thing of the gods?

In this paper, I want you to discuss which Odysseus the text offers us. Granted, we might interpret the text based on our cultural context and biases, but based on  the text alone (the language, events, etc.) are we supposed to read Odysseus as Campbell’s mythic hero, or merely a guy who is too desperate to lose? Which reading does the text most support? Did the Greeks expect us to identify with him and admire him? Or did even the Greeks expect us to recoil from his methods and realize that winning isn’t always reserved for the ‘good’ or the ‘just’? Examine a few passages that helped shape your opinion of Odysseus, and as you do so, ask yourself, how do I know which Odysseus I’m supposed to see? Where are the clues or signs in the poem itself?

To help you examine his ‘twisting’ character, I want you to reference at least TWO outside sources, which could include Peter Jones’ Introduction to the Penguin edition, The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Ramayana, anything by Joseph Campbell (we have his books and videos in our library), articles or books on The Odyssey, or Greek myth. QUOTE useful passages in your paper to respond to and bounce off of, and cite them according to MLA format as follows: As Peter Jones writes in his Introduction to The Odyssey, “Restraint and endurance, deception and disguise: these Odyssean characteristics are shared, of course, by Athene, and willingly embraced by Telemachus when he is reunited with his father” (Penguin xli). This is important because… [always respond to a quote—tell us how you read it or why it’s important to your discussion]

REQUIREMENTS

• At least 4 pages, though you can do more
• At least 2 other primary or secondary sources (not counting The Odyssey)
• Must quote from the book, examining a few key passages (don’t summarize—analyze); cite all sources according to MLA format
• DUE Friday, October 11^th by 5pm [no class that day]