Heros Journey By: Danni Easterling

Odyssey

Departure (The Road of Trials) Odysseus finds himself at the fork in the road. Circe has given him two choices and he must choose. “one of two courses you may take, and you yourself must weigh them,” (Book 12, 1232), Odysseus must make up his mind his self. He can’t seek vice from others. This is his decision and must think of which one is better for him and his men.

Initiation (Woman as Temptress) Odysseus spends a lot of his time flirting with Goddesses instead of getting home. Calypso for example, he refuse to leave her island because he likes the immortality of it all. She keeps him at her bedside looming the immortality over him,” Can mortals compare with goddesses in grace in form?” (Book 5, 1209). Calypso tries to convince Odysseus that awhile his love Penelope gets old and fragile she stays young and beautiful.

Return (Freedom to Live) Odysseus finally returns home after 20 years. He convinces Penelope that it’s really him. They are both happy to see each, “…his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms, longed for..” (Book 23, 1265). After 20 years of waiting to see each other they are free to live the rest of their lives in one another's embrace and wait for their next adventure to call.

Gladiator

Departure (Call of Adventure) Maximus was almost killed by the King (Cesar) but escaped. But he gets captured and turned into a slave. Now he must fight, fight for his life, “Whatever comes out of these gates, we've got a better chance of survival if we work together. Do you understand? If we stay together we survive. ” (Gladiator, Scott). He listens to his call and tries to keep others a live while keeping himself as well. Maximus embraces his duty to take down the Emperor and to fulfill his duty.

Initiation (Woman as the Temptress) Maximus finds himself in a pickle when he starts swooning for Lucilla. She tries to convince him to run away and to get away so that he can be free of Cesar and the danger that lies ahead. But at the same time she wants him stay, “ No because my father loved you... and because I loved you.” ( Gladiator, Scott). Lucilla plays the guilty card to get Maximus to stay with her.

Return (The Crossing of the Return Threshold) Maximus is weak from fighting Cesar. He keeps going in and out of this world to the beyond. In the middle of fighting Cesar he reaches for a door that is no there but it is in the beyond. Then he falls to his knees and falls. He doesn’t want to go but Lucilla tells him it is time,” Go to them, it’s alright.” (Gladiator, Scott). She is telling him to go to his dead wife and son. To be happy and free without pain anymore. So he goes and enters the door he saw and goes to his family.

Citations. Gladiator. Dir. Riddley Scott. Perf. Russel Crowe. Dreamworks SKG, 2000. Film. "Gladiator (2000) - IMDb." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2012. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172495/> "Holt McDougal Online." Holt McDougal Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2012. <http://my.hrw.com/tabnav/controller.jsp?isbn=9780547385501>.