Coming home again

Insect Overlord

I've been working on a new poem for the last few days and I'd like to explore an idea. I'm looking for stories dealing with the idea of returning to an idealised home, but the hero not being satisfied with the reality when they get there.

Can anyone point me in the direction of myths and legends (or other cultural references) that might reflect this kind of phenomenon?

I had a quick read of a synopsis of the Odyssey and I don't think Odysseus regretted his return. He gets home after years of effort and sets about kicking ass.

Then there's a famous Irish language short story, "Nóra Mharcuis Bhig", that touches on a similar idea. Nóra leaves the West of Ireland and spends some time in England, convincing her family that she's very successful. The truth is that she turns to prostitution to make her money. She returns home after a few years to a great reception, but soon has to flee again after disgracing herself in the local town.

Cinema Paradiso also deals with a main character who is urged to leave and never come back, but I was hoping to find more ancient stories that might add depth to my idea. Maybe along the lines of Oisín coming home to Ireland after all his years in Tír na nÓg.

Any suggestions?

kneemos

Wouldn't be encouraging poetry as a rule.

verycool

Vietnam vets.

VainHard Bendix

Insect Overlord wrote: »

I had a quick read of a synopsis of the Odyssey and I don't think Odysseus regretted his return. He gets home after years of effort and sets about kicking ass.

Menalaus and Helen are never happy aftewards and their life is sh1t.
In the story the whole war was about bringing her home.

Lyle Lanley

What you're looking for is called The Lion King.

Its all alt right

Maybe like Americans who take pride in their Irish roots and then move here. Like the guy in 'The Field'.

Hammer89

I've got no story or folk tale, but I suffered a bit of post-travelling depression after getting back to Ireland after spending time in the US and Canada. It took me a few weeks to even unpack, probably due to denial. I continued living out of a rucksack, like one might do in a hostel for instance, so although I was physically back in Dublin, my mind was still in North America.

Insect Overlord

VainHard Bendix wrote: »

Menalaus and Helen are never happy aftewards and their life is sh1t.
In the story the whole war was about bringing her home.

That's the kind of angle I was looking for, cheers!

Owryan

Might be too recent, but the men who went to fight in ww1 or ww2 and the reception when they came home.

Your Face

I think Homer beat you to it

Samuel T. Cogley

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Raging_Ninja

There are a number of books about people returning home to the US after serving in Vietnam and Iraq and the feeling of dislocation they feel on return.

The Forever War by Joe Halderman is a good example in a sci-fi setting, which is an allegory for his experiences of returning home from Vietnam and it's like arriving in a world utterly alien to him.

Insect Overlord

Your Face wrote: »

I think Homer beat you to it

I've no intention of re-writing the Iliad, but I'm happy to give Homer the nod if I can work a reference or two into my own piece. :P

Samuel T. Cogley

Your Face wrote: »

I think Homer beat you to it

Which Episode exactly?

Graces7

Going back as an adult to somewhere you were happy as a child or young person is always a mistake. I once moved house to somewhere we as a family had spent long summers by the sea. more than 30 years later...

There was only one person the same and she remembered me and seemed not to have aged a day!

Places change , people move away, new houses go up..