Hegel and Odysseus

I'm having trouble understanding Hegel's definition of the individual. I like comparing it to Odysseus. Poseidon didn't kill him because taking away his individuality was much worse of a fate. What made Odysseus what he was was his connection to his homeland. In the opening pages of the book, the gods are conversing about how even though Calypso had seduced his body and mind he still longed to go home. Also, the fact that his crewmen were slowly being killed one encounter after another before he finally arrived alone at Calypso's island took Odysseus ever so slowly away from his people, leaving him more and more isolated as the story went on. Why was it not OK to stay on the island of the lotus eaters? It was an existence (which is to say "not death," since death might be existence but not the type that we know anything substantial about. That's another discussion for another topic) and not that bad of one either. Who cared if they were lazy? Its not like the Greek government was gonna come and put them to work. So what was the big deal?
The big deal was that they were not being "Greek," which as Hegel would put it made them not individuals, and staying on the lotus island was therefore worse than dieing at sea. To the Greeks, which I believe were a HUGE inspiration to Hegel, what made you different (and in their eyes better) than the "barbaros" and the "philistines" was that you were a citizen of Greece which was better than anywhere else. If you were disconnected from your homeland, you were no longer any better than the snappin' headed barbaros to the north and west.
Anyway, if I've got this all wrong please tell me. I'd like to understand Hegel, but its a daunting task (to say the least). If any of you have read or been taught about Hegel and understand at least his description of the individual please reply to this even if its just to agree with me or to tell me I'm on the right track. It would surprise me, but I'm for it.
Thank you, please drive around!