Transcript Odyssey - cloudfront.net

Introduction
to
The
Odyssey
The story of the Odyssey
grew out of Oral Tradition
• Oral traditions explore universal themes such
as:
– The importance of heroism
– The strength of loyalty
– The power of love
– The dangers of greed
They also explore archetypes – recognizable
people, situations, and images across
different cultures and time.
Oral Traditions
• The Hero’s quest – undergoes trials and
tests
• Struggle between protagonist and
antagonist – often good versus evil
• Monster – destroyed by the hero
• Trickster – gets into trouble through his
own actions
• Historical/cultural setting – beliefs and
customs that reflect time and place
How did Oral Traditions Spread?
– Minstrel - both a historian and an entertainer.
– Minstrels borrowed material from legends, epics, and
myths already known by the people.
– There was no written history, so stories were told
repeatedly
– Minstrels traveled from place to place singing of
recent events or of the stories of heroes or gods &
goddesses
– Audiences never tired of the stories.
What is an Epic?
• The oldest literary form or genre
• A long story-poem involving:
- larger-than-life heroes
- a dangerous journey or quest
- the fate of an entire race of people is
often at stake
- a struggle that the culture of the hero
values
- the gods and goddesses often take an
active part in helping or hindering
Conventions of the Epic
• Asks for the aid of a muse – one of the daughters of
Zeus that inspires creativity
• Uses epic similes – long comparisons, often several
sentences
• Elevated language, repetitive
• Often begins in medias res (in the middle of things) –
uses flashbacks to tell story
• uses descriptions and phrases that were familiar to the
audience called epithets, so that the speaker can catch
his breath (e.g.“the great tactician” for Odysseus, and
“the clear-eyed goddess” for Athena).
What is an Epic Hero?
• Larger-than-life character
• Possesses traits that are highly valued by
his society
• Represents a cause larger than himself
• Traits revealed through his dialogue and
actions
Who wrote The Odyssey?
The author was Homer. He was
blind, and he was a minstrel.
He wrote 2 epics
1. The Iliad - a war epic
2. The Odyssey - a journey epic
They were written abut 800 B.C. and
told about events that happened in
1200 B.C.
Homer outshone other minstrels of
his day…
1. Because of his originality of
ideas
2. Because of his expression and
the effect he had on his audience.
The Illiad
• Written between
900-700 B.C.
• Covers the
events of the
Trojan War
The Trojan War (The Illiad)
• Happened around 1200 b.c.
– lasted 10 years
• Legendary cause: romantic
– Helen of Troy
• True cause: economic
– Trading routes
The Gods and The Trojan War
• Gods and goddess
intervened in the war
• Respect for the gods was
essential for survival
• Gods and goddess
wanted the Trojans to win
• Odysseus: responsible
for the fall of Troy 
punished! (Trojan Horse
Idea)
About The Odyssey
• Odyssey = Epic Poem
• It is one of the oldest and
greatest works of literature
• Tells the story of Odysseus’ trip
back home from the Trojan War
• Takes place over 10 years
• Central character is Odysseus,
king of Ithaca
What the heck is an “odyssey,” anyway?!
•
•
•
•
Odyssey
[od-uh-see] –noun
a long series of
wanderings or
adventures, esp.
when filled with
notable experiences,
hardships, etc.
•
From dictionary.com
• GREECE
Setting
• 12th century b.c.
(Bronze Age) why?
• Aegean Sea and Ionian
Islands
• Journey from Troy to
Ithaca
Structure of The Odyssey
•
Begins in media res
•
3rd person
omniscient narrator
•
24 books
•
Non-linear plot
(modern)
• Layout:
1. The Telemachy
2. Odysseus’ wanderings
3. The Homecoming
Main Characters
• Odysseus: A powerful and
cunning warrior
• Penelope: Odysseus’ faithful wife,
smart and clever
• Telemachus: the son of Penelope and
Odysseus, grew up without his father
The Gods
• Athena: the goddess of war and wisdom. She
is Odysseus’s patron saint and watches over him
and his son.
• Poseidon: the god of the sea. He is Odysseus’
main immortal enemy because Oysseus’ men
killed the god’s son.
• Calypso: a minor goddess. She keeps
Odysseus on her island and offers him
immortality.
Other supernatural beings
• Circe: a witch who turns Odysseus’ men into
pigs.
• Scylla and Charybdis: sailors have to sail
through these two monsters, but to stay away
from one you came close to another.
• Polyphemus: a Cyclops that eats some of
Odysseus’ crew
Other important characters
• Antinous: one of Penelope’s suitors. He is very
loud and the opposite of Odysseus.
• Eumaeus: the helpful shepherd who shelters
Odysseus when he returns.
• Laertes: Odysseus’ father. He has been
wasting away while Odysseus was gone, but
regains his health when he returns.
• Argus: Odysseus’ dog. He recognizes
Odysseus upon his return.
Interpretation of The Odyssey
• Can be read as a forerunner of the novel
(emphasis on character and plot)
• Can be read as every human’s struggle to
overcome temptations and obstacles in
their journey through life.
• Taught to Greek youths in order to pass on
cultural values and the beliefs of Greek society
Guidelines for reading an Epic
• Become familiar with character and place names,
but be aware that they may have different spellings
depending on the translator.
• Look for heroic characteristics; a hero is
extraordinary and his adventures are grand!
• Understand that Gods, goddesses, and other
supernatural forces toy with the destiny of humans.
They punish and reward human behavior.
More Guidelines for Reading an
epic
• Look for underlying cultural beliefs and values
– Respect for deities
– Code of hospitality
• Notice EPIC CONVENTIONS:
–
–
–
–
–
Invocation
Lengthy speeches
Repetition
Epithets
Epic similes
"All journeys have secret destinations of
which the traveler is unaware."
— Martin Buber