Traditionally, heroes in myths have some of the same elements in the structure of their stories. In each odyssey, a person needs to experience or live through specific actions and ordeals until he becomes whole as a hero. In the epic poem, The Iliad by Homer, the main character Achilles journeys through stages of a Hero’s Journey, as defined by Joseph Campbell, including his dream of relinquishing his role as a warrior, his feud with Agamemnon, and how he resolves the loss of his closest friend until he evolves into a hero.
Initially, two elements that generally occur at the beginning of-of an epic journey are “The World of the Common Day” and “The Refusal of The Call.” During the beginning of the poem, Homer creates a context that his poem …show more content…
The hero Hector's death causes immeasurable pain to his family. At this point, Achilles has passed the “Reward” stage of his journey and continues to destroy Hector's corpse to ease his pain of losing Patroclus. One can see this behavior as a step away from his progress in the Hero’s journey. Eventually, only because the Gods expressed their disappointment at Achilles’ behavior to his mother, does Achilles agree to give Hector's body back to his family. Thetis visits the gods on Mt. Olympus at their behest, and Zeus proposes, “Perhaps in fear of me he will give back Hektor. Then I will send Iris to Priam of the great heart, with an order to ransom his dear son,...”(Book 24, line 116-117). Priam is then led by another goddess to Achilles’ camp to retrieve his son's body. While speaking with each other, Priam brings up the point of thinking of how Achilles’ father would feel if the roles were switched, and the two men begin to cry. Homer writes, “...as Priam sad huddled at the feet of Achilles and wept close for manslaughtering Hektor and Achilles wept not for his own father, now again for Patroklos.” Achilles agrees to hand over Hector's body and in doing so crosses the next level of his journey which is “Resurrection.” Although, Achilles’ fate is prophesied he completes his journey to become a
Initially, two elements that generally occur at the beginning of-of an epic journey are “The World of the Common Day” and “The Refusal of The Call.” During the beginning of the poem, Homer creates a context that his poem …show more content…
The hero Hector's death causes immeasurable pain to his family. At this point, Achilles has passed the “Reward” stage of his journey and continues to destroy Hector's corpse to ease his pain of losing Patroclus. One can see this behavior as a step away from his progress in the Hero’s journey. Eventually, only because the Gods expressed their disappointment at Achilles’ behavior to his mother, does Achilles agree to give Hector's body back to his family. Thetis visits the gods on Mt. Olympus at their behest, and Zeus proposes, “Perhaps in fear of me he will give back Hektor. Then I will send Iris to Priam of the great heart, with an order to ransom his dear son,...”(Book 24, line 116-117). Priam is then led by another goddess to Achilles’ camp to retrieve his son's body. While speaking with each other, Priam brings up the point of thinking of how Achilles’ father would feel if the roles were switched, and the two men begin to cry. Homer writes, “...as Priam sad huddled at the feet of Achilles and wept close for manslaughtering Hektor and Achilles wept not for his own father, now again for Patroklos.” Achilles agrees to hand over Hector's body and in doing so crosses the next level of his journey which is “Resurrection.” Although, Achilles’ fate is prophesied he completes his journey to become a