Odyssey and cultural detritus

Went to a reading group on The Odyssey last night. An interesting topic in so many ways. This is an epic poem, probably the oldest in the world, that has developed from an oral tradition where it was recited aloud at festivals by a reciter called a "rhapso" (hence "rhapsody"---and , perhaps, "rap"?). It is more complex than the brutal Iliad but easier to read. The interest in it, aside from its artistic appeal, is what the earliest world writings say about us as a species. Can you tease out cultural influences and get to some basic elements about us? There are common myths in the world. Many cultures have a Noah-type story, a story where the living visit the gates of that culture's hell, stories of the gods interfering with the lives of men. But are these stories the outgrowth of some common seed or infective one culture to another or simply random? And after a while it begins to sound very like Jung, who no one likes anymore. The story is commonly repeated in western literature--most recently in Eastwood's "Unforgiven", a movie I thought was profound but many loathed. The basic question I think it raises is: What kind of epic or cultural classic would this society create? What things or ideas or men/women would this culture identify as classic and basic in our lives? Most of the efforts so far have seemed to be little more than parodies (Willie Loman) or distortions (Crucible) of some unspoken ideal. Well, what are those ideals? What is important to us? What exactly would make us launch a thousand ships? As this economy calls some very strong historical concepts into question, I think there should be some effort to fill the void that these questions create.