Student Question
In The Odyssey, how do Odysseus' heroism and quests compare to Wart's in The Once and Future King?
Quick answer:
Odysseus and Wart differ significantly in their heroic journeys. Odysseus is portrayed as a fully-formed epic hero in The Odyssey, known for his bravery, intelligence, and resourcefulness, which he uses to reclaim Ithaca. In contrast, Wart, in The Once and Future King, is depicted as an average, flawed human who undergoes a developmental journey to become King Arthur. His quest focuses on ruling justly and avoiding tyranny, highlighting his humanity and struggles.
This is a very interesting question to think about, because I personally think that there is not that much that is similar between these two characters based on their presentation in these two texts. Of course, both are famed epic heroes whose reputation precedes them. However, it is important to note that while Homer presents Odysseus i the mould of an epic hero, the character of Wart is presented somewhat differently, in a way that seems to undercut his heroic reputation.
The key difference to my mind is the way that The Once and Future King focuses on the genesis and development of King Arthur as an epic hero. Because we see the entire process from start to finish of how the humble and not too bright Wart is transformed into being the legendary King Arthur, the humanity of this character is stressed. This is of course in contrast to...
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the presentation of Odysseus, who starts Homer's epic as a fully-fledged epic hero. In White's classic, the humanity of Wart, as this affectionate but not too complementary nickname suggests, that is stressed.
In the same way, we can equally argue that their quests are different. The biggest challenge that Wart faces is trying to rule justly without the excessive use of power. Wart struggles greatly with this as he tries to learn to preserve peace through not becoming a tyrant and abusing the power that he holds. Odysseus has no such scruples, and uses his power at any stage that pleases him to achieve his goal, which is his safe return and restoration of Ithaca. Both characters are therefore presented as being very different.
How does Odysseus' heroism differ from Wart's in The Once and Future King?
Both of these characters are of course famed for their heroic exploits and bravery, and both of these texts present Wart and Odysseus respectively and living up to their reputation. However, the chief difference is the way that Wart is presented in White's novel not as a fully-fledged epic hero in the same way that Odysseus is presented. What is so fascinating about The Once and Future King is the way that the character of Wart is all-too human in his various failings. Whereas Odysseus is shown to be brave, courageous, intelligent, cunning and resourceful, The Once and Future King presents a picture of the future King Arthur that shows his human side.
Odysseus shows that he starts the action in The Odyssey as a fully-fledged hero who is well equipped and resourced to encounter and triumph over all the various trials and tribulations that he faces. He has great strength, bravery and cunning, and he employs these traits to great effect to ensure his safe arrival back at Ithaca and his return to his beloved Penelope and his son Telemachus. Wart, by contrast, is shown to be just an average honest individual who is not too bright. The focus on the lessons that Merlyn tries to teach him shows that he has to work very hard to grasp the point of Merlyn's teachings, and even after this process of education occurs, Arthur is still shown to struggle as King in his attempts to preserve peace and rule with justice.
Therefore I would argue that the key difference between the presentation of these two characters lies in the way in which Odysseus is presented as the stereotypical epic hero who is already fully-formed and who engages in various heroic deeds. The emphasis in The Once and Future King, on the other hand, is to stress Wart's humanity and his failings, focusing on the way that he is not your average epic hero.