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By Homer
Background
The Odyssey is a sequel (the second book in a series).
It is the second of Homer’s two great epic poems.
Part one is called The Iliad.
The Iliad
The Iliad is the story of the Trojan War which might
actually have taken place around 1250 B.C.
This poem is a tale of myth and magic, not history.
The gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece are
important characters.
They take sides in the war and help the human
characters.
According to the myth, the war started this way: Paris
was a prince in the city of Troy.
Three goddesses asked him to judge who among them
was the most beautiful.
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, offered Paris a reward
if he chose her.
She said he could have Helen, the most beautiful
woman in the world.
However, Helen was married to Menelaus, the King of
Sparta, a city in Greece.
When Paris visited Sparta, Aphrodite made Helen fall
in love with him.
Helen ran away with Paris.
Menelaus and his brother, Agamemnon, led a Greek
army against Troy to bring her back.
The war that followed is called the Trojan War after the
name Troy.
The Iliad takes place during the last months of the
Trojan War.
Its hero is Achilles, a mighty Greek warrior.
The Iliad ends with the funeral of Hector, a Trojan hero
who is killed by Achilles.
The story tells of many heroes on both sides.
One of the Greek heroes is named Odysseus.
The Odyssey
The Odyssey is named for Odysseus.
Odysseus is the King of Ithaca, and island off the coast
of Greece.
According to the myth, Odysseus did not want to fight
at Troy.
He did not want to leave his wife, Penelope, and his
baby son, Telemachus.
Odysseus had to be tricked into joining the Greek
army.
Once he was involved in the fighting, however, he
proved to be brave and clever.
In fact, Odysseus thought of the trick that finally won
the war for the Greeks.
The Odyssey is mostly about Odysseus’ adventures
after the Trojan War.
In one adventure he makes an enemy of Poseidon, the
Sea God.
Poseidon punishes him by making him wander the
seas, never allowing him to reach home.
Invocation to the Muse
An INVOCATION is a call for help or support.
In ancient times, poets or artists would call upon a
MUSE to help them write or create.
A MUSE is a person or thing that inspires you to
create.
Ancient poets, like Homer, would start their poems
with an invocation to the Muse, or a call to help them
create a great poem.
Epic Poem or Story
An Epic Poem or story is a larger than life story that
contains many adventures or a long journey.
Characteristics of an epic
The setting is vast, covering great nations, the world or
the universe.
The action consists of deeds of great valor or requiring
superhuman courage.
Supernatural forces—gods, angels, demons — interest
themselves in the action. The gods and goddesses of
ancient Greece were very human-like. They played
favorites and took sides with the humans. They also
displayed very human-like qualities such as jealousy,
vanity, vindictiveness, and compassion.
Characteristics of the Epic Hero
EPIC HERO - a larger-than-life hero who embodies the
values of a particular society.
Characteristics:
1. An epic hero is superhuman. He is braver, stronger,
smarter, and cleverer than an ordinary person is.
2. The epic hero is on a quest for something of great
value to him or his people.
3. The villains that try to keep the hero from his quest
are usually uglier, more evil, and more cunning than
anyone we know in ordinary life.
4. The epic hero is often of mixed divine and human
birth and so possesses human weaknesses.
5. The divine world (the gods) interferes with the
human world.
Epithet
A phrase that describes a person and connects to their
name. They are often seen in Homer’s Epic Poems.
Epithets describe physical traits, lineage, or
personality traits.
Example:
Odysseus, son of Laertes
Sparkling-eyed Athena (Homer 7)
List the epithets for the following characters:
The Sun (page 839)
Dawn (page 847)
Helios (page 863)
Poseidon (page 854)
Odysseus (page 854)
Create your own Epithet
Create your own epithet on a piece of paper.
Write your name and create three epithets for yourself
according to the following criteria
A physical trait
A personality trait
Lineage
Illustrate each of the epithets in a way that symbolizes the
phrase within the epithet.
Rubric for Grading the Epithet
Project:
Epithet depicts physical trait
15
Physical traits are illustrated in a symbolic way
10
Epithet depicts personality trait
15
Personality traits are illustrated symbolically
10
Epithet depicts lineage
15
Physical traits are illustrated in a symbolic way
10
Name is creatively written on the paper
10
85 total
Terms used to talk about Epics
Poet opens by stating the theme, invokes the Muse,
and opens the narrative in medias res, giving
necessary exposition later.
Poet includes catalogs of warriors, ships, armies, etc.
Extended formal speeches by the main characters.
Poet makes frequent use of the epic simile.
Epic simile: an elaborate comparison, involved and
ornate. Also called the extended or Homeric simile.
The Greek Virtues
All Greeks were challenged to live by the virtues set by
their culture. Breaking one of the Greek virtues meant
angering the gods. The virtues are:
Loyalty
Hospitality
Respect for the gods and goddesses
Respect for all forms of life
Courage
Themes
Respect for the Gods
Respect for the gods is shown through the numerous descriptions of sacrifices
and offerings. Disrespect for the Gods inevitably leads to disaster; the Gods do
not forget disrespect and are not easily appeased. (Poseidon, Athena, Helios.)
The Importance of Lineage
Almost every time we met someone significant the narration pauses and we
learn of the lineage.
Many "things" we see also have a lineage or history that we are given - note
Odysseus scar and his bow.
Fate
Fate is preordained by a power beyond that of even the gods.
Paradoxically, it does not seem "random." A character's fate is tied up with his
"character."