Metaphor: The Never-Ending Journey

[Hao Yu Chen]

One of the extended metaphors found in The Odyssey is the
metaphor of the never-ending journey. Odysseus’ return home certainly
seems that way, as it spans ten years and is hampered by problems at
every turn:
“O misery! Against all hope Zeus let me see land after I won my
way across the vast expanse of water, only to find there is no escape
from the foaming sea, and all my efforts will have been in vain. Off
shore, the pointed reefs; all around, a raging sea; behind, a smooth
sheer cliff; deep water near the shore; no place where a man can touch
bottom and scramble to safety. If I try to land, I may be lifted by a
roller, dashed against the solid rock – and I’d have had my trouble
for nothing. If I swim further down the coast, on the chance of
finding a natural harbour where the waves strike the beach sideways,
I’m afraid another squall will snatch me, and drag me out groaning
into the teeming deep. Or some demon may let loose against me one of
the many monsters that the great Amphitrite breeds in her seas, and I
am well aware that the famed Earthshaker is at odds with me.”
Homer, The Odyssey, Book 5, Lines 408-423, Page 73

Poseidon, the Lord Earthshaker, is determined to exact revenge on
Odysseus for blinding his Cyclops son Polyphemus. He brews monstrous
storms, churning, wild seas, and does anything in his power to prevent
Odysseus from reaching his beloved Ithaca. As the years go by, the
hero grows more depressed and homesick, disheartened by the numerous,
seemingly insurmountable obstacles he needs to overcome:
“Day after day she does her best to banish Ithaca from his memory
with soft, persuasive words; and Odysseus, who would give anything for
the mere sight of the smoke rising up from his own land, can only
yearn for death.”
Homer, The Odyssey, Book 1, Lines 56-59

Even after reaching Ithaca, Odysseus’ journey is still not over.
He must kill the Suitors who court his wife and whose profligate
behaviours threaten to bankrupt his massive wealth. With the help of
his noble son Telemachus, he succeeds, and at last his journey can
conclude. The metaphor of the never-ending journey spans the entirety
of the epic poem, with the numerous complications that arise during
Odysseus' decade-long journey shaping him into a godlike man worthy of
his ultimate return home.

P.S. Please ignore the Metaphor of the Oar discussion, as it is not a
metaphor. Thanks!