Transcript Mythology - Greer Middle College

Mythology
Greek gods and goddesses
DAY 1
How Myths Have Influenced Our
Language: HW Review
ATLAS
HERCULES
• MYTH: Titan who held up
the celestial sphere
• MYTH: Son of Zeus;
famous for strength and
adventures/ “Twelve
Labours”
• CULTURE: “Herculean
task”—a task requiring
great effort/strength
• SOURCE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Hhttp://en.wikipedi
a.org/wiki/Hercules_in_
popular_cultureercules;
• CULTURE: Cartography
(the study of maps)
• SOURCE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Atlas_(mythology)
LABYRINTH
• MYTH: Elaborate
structure to hold
Minotaur (half
man/half bull)
MIDAS
• MYTH: King with
ability to touch items
to turn to gold
• CULTURE: Maze/
difficult to navigate
course
• CULTURE: “The
Midas touch” if you
can make $
quickly/easily
• SOURCE:http://en.wi
kipedia.org/wiki/Lab
yrinth
• SOURCE:
http://en.wikipedia.o
rg/wiki/Midas
PAN
• MYTH: God of the
wild (shepherd god);
hindquarters, legs,
and horns of a goat;
fertility; Spring;
music
• CULTURE: Pan pipes;
panic (sudden fright)
• SOURCE:
http://en.wikipedia.o
rg/wiki/Pan_(god)
SISYPHUS
• MYTH: King punished by
having to continuously
push boulder up hill
• CULTURE: Sisyphean=
endless task/labor
• SOURCE:
• http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Sisyphus
TANTALUS
• MYTH: Punished—had
to stand in pool of
water with fruit
eternally eluding his
reach and water
always too far to drink
• CULTURE: “Tantalize”=
experience of
something always
being out of reach
• SOURCE:
http://en.wikipedia.org
/wiki/Tantalus
TITANS
• MYTH: Race of
powerful gods/
immortal giants of
extreme strength &
endurance
• CULTURE: Large
objects have been said
to be “titanic” in size
(i.e. the Titanic);
Tennessee Titans
(football)
• SOURCE:
http://en.wikipedia.org
/wiki/Titan_(mytholog
y)
What is a Myth? (directly from p 1013)
• MYTHS are stories that are nearly always religious. Most
cultures have myths that explain natural phenomena
such as seasonal changes, fire, lightning, drought, floods,
and death. Myths also teach moral lessons, explain
history, and express, as dreams do, the deepest fears and
hopes of the human race.
• MYTHIC CHARACTERS have notable characteristics.
Several myths also feature horrible animals and monsters
with terrifying strength, which are difficult to escape
from or subdue. Characters in myths are often gods or
goddesses, which frequently interact with humans (many
times as if in a game).
Example Myth: Persephone
and the Seasons
• Demeter (goddess of crops)+ Zeus (king of the gods)= child
named Persephone
• Hades (god of underworld) kidnapped Persephone
• Demeter tries to find her—eventually, finds out that Hades took
her and complains to Zeus (Hades’ brother) to make him give her
back
• Zeus refuses, so Demeter decides not to do her job w/crops, so
nothing growsFAMINE
• Zeus eventually makes Hades let Persephone go
• While she was in the underworld, Persephone ate a
pomegranate seed…because of her action, she has to return for
1/3 of the year to the underworld as Hades’ wife
• Demeter mourns Persephone for 1/3 year, so crops don’t grow
• MYTH EXPLAINS THE YEARLY CYCLE OF GROWTH, HARVEST, AND
WINTER
Example Myth 2:
“Pandora’s Box”
Greek Prefixes #1-10
1. a- [an- before a vowel] not, un-, -less; abiotic
2. amphi- both, on both sides, around, about; amphibrach=short on both sides;
amphibious= able to live on both land and water
3. anti- instead, against, in opposition to; antidote something given against
4. bi – two; bicycles have two wheels
5. chron- having to do with time; chronology of an author’s life
6. dyn- power, force; dynamite is an explosive
7. dys- [Greek, dus-] ill, un-, mis-, difficult, bad; dysphoria difficult bearing
8. ec-, ex- [Greek, ek, ex] out, from, off; exegesis act of leading out (critical
explanation)
9. ecto- [Greek, ekto-] on the outside; ectoderm outer skin
10.endo- within, inside, internal; endoscope instrument for observing inside
DAY 2
Odyssey Webquest
• http://www.carlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/GREECE/welcome.ht
ml
DAY 3
TWELVE OLYMPIAN GODS
Hestia
• GODDESS OF THE HEARTH AND HOME
• Roman Name: Vesta
• Hestia never plays a part in any Greek myth.
Even though she wasn't exciting enough to
make it into their stories, the Greeks
honored Hestia with their dinnertime
prayers, asking her to bless their food and
protect their homes. City-states had a
central hearth dedicated to the goddess,
where the fire never went out. She was the
third of the virgin goddesses. To the Romans
she was the patron goddess of the Vestal
Virgins, who in the Temple of Vesta kept the
hearth fire of Rome forever burning. Hestia
is one of three virgin goddess, along with
Athena and Artemis.
Ares
• GOD OF WAR
• ROMAN NAME: MARS
• Ares is the cruelest member of the
Olympians, hated by all (even his mother,
Hera). This god is known for his ruthlessness
when he has the upper-hand and his
cowardice when the tides turn against
him. Even the Greeks disliked this terrible
god. There were no temples to Ares in
ancient Greece. Aphrodite, in one of her
many infidelities, started an affair with Ares,
which was his motivation to fight for the
Trojans in the great war. Martial (having to
do with war) and March are coined from his
Latin name. His bird is the vulture, and his
animal the dog.
Athena
• GODDESS OF WISDOM, REASON, & PURITY
• Roman Name: Minerva
• Athena is Zeus's favorite daughter and is allowed to use his weapons,
including the thunderbolt. She sprang full grown in armor from his
forehead, thus has no mother. She is fierce in battle but only fights justly.
• Her favorite city is Athens. Her tree is the olive tree. Her animal is the
owl.
Artemis
• GODDESS OF THE HUNT
• Roman Name: Diana
• Artemis is daughter of Zeus and
Leto; her twin brother is Apollo.
She is the goddess of wild things
and, like Apollo, hunts with silver
arrows. She is associated with the
moon and the deer.
Aphrodite
• ROMAN NAME: Venus
• Goddess of Love, Desire, and
Beauty
• In addition to her natural
gifts, she has a magic girdle
that compels anyone she
wishes to desire her. There
are two accounts of her
birth. One says she is the
daughter of Zeus and Dione.
The other says that when
Cronus overthrew Uranus
and tossed him into the sea
Aphrodite then arose from
the sea foam of a giant
scallop and walked to shore
on Cyprus. She is the wife of
Hephaestus.
Cupid (Eros) and Psyche
Eros
Psyche
• Son of Aphrodite
• Shoots people with darts
to make them fall in love
• Aphrodite wanted Eros to
make Psyche, a beautiful
princess, fall in love with a
loser, but Eros accidentally
shot himself, so he fell in
love with Pscyhe—she
eventually joins the
Olympians
• Falls in love with Eros
• Aphrodite dislikes her (a
challenge to her beauty),
and makes her perform
difficult tasks to be with
Eros
Cupid (Eros) and Psyche
Hermes
• ROMAN NAME: MERCURY
• MESSENGER OF THE GODS
• SON OF ZEUS
• Hermes, the most mischievous and clever of the gods,
also served as a psychopomp, a guide of dead souls to the
Underworld. One of the youngest gods, Hermes showed
his ability to cause both trouble and delight at an early
age. On the day of his birth, Hermes snuck out from his
cradle and whisked away the cattle of his elder brother
Apollo. A witness soon reported this to Apollo, who came
to Maia, Hermes's mother, demanding the return of his
livestock. Maia insisted that Hermes had been in his
cradle the entire time. Hermes was quickly found out and
forced to return the cattle. But in reparation for his
actions against Apollo, the newborn god created a lyre
from the shell of a turtle. He presented the stringed
instrument to his older brother. His anger melted away,
Apollo presented Hermes with a magical sleep-inducing
staff called the Caduceus.
Once Zeus realized his young son would
cause nothing but trouble if his mind
weren't constantly occupied, he gave him
the job of Olympian Messenger. He was
given a winged cap and sandals to assist
him in his duties. Due to the nature of his
job, Hermes appears most often of all the
gods.
Greek Name
Aphrodite
Apollo
Ares
Artemis
Athena
Demeter
Dionysus
Eros
Hades
Hephaestus
Hera
Hermes
Hestia
Pan
Persephone
Poseidon
Zeus
Roman Name
Venus
Apollo
Mars
Diana
Minerva
Ceres
Bacchus
Cupid
Pluto
Vulcan
Juno
Mercury
Vesta
Pan
Proserpine
Neptune
Jupiter
Divine Realm
Love, beauty, fertility
Archery, music, prophecy, healing, light
War
Hunting, the moon
Wisdom, war
The harvest, grain, corn
Wine, festivity, the theater
Love, sexual desire
The underworld, the dead
Fire, the forge, smithery
Marriage, queen of immortals
Messenger, commerce, science, doctors
The hearth
Wild beasts, the forest
Queen of the underworld
The sea
Thunder, the heavens, king of immortals
PREFIXES #11-17
• exo- outward, external; exosphere= the outermost
part of the atmosphere
• inter – between; interstate= highway connecting states
• mal – bad; malfunction= failure to function properly
• mis –wrong; misunderstanding
• mono- one, alone; no competition exists with
monopolies
• hypo – under, too little; hypoglycemic= low level of
glucose in blood
• hyper- [Greek, huper] above, beyond,
exceedingly; hyperbole= exaggeration
Outline Format for HW
• See website
DAY 4
Introduction to the
Odyssey
A TRULY EPIC EPIC POEM
Background to Odyssey HW
Background
• Homer credited with gathering stories about great war—Illiad and Odyssey
• Historical struggles for control of waterway—Aegean Sea to Sea of Marmara
and Black Sea—as early as 1200 B.C.
• Illiad—10 year war fought outside of Troy (modern day western Turkey)
• War between Troy and alliance of Greek Kings—Illiad credits war to jealousy—Helen
abandoned Menelaus (husband, Greek king) and ran off with prince of Troy (Paris)
• Odyssey tells story of attempt of Greek soldier, Odysseus, to get home after
Trojan war—all Western epic poems follow basic patterns of these poems
Epics and Values
• Epics: long narrative poems that tell of adventures of heroes who embody
values of civilizations
• Greeks taught Greek values to children through poems
• Homer’s epics are heart of epic tradition—later epics include Aeneid, The
Divine Comedy, Mahabharata and Ramayana, etc.
• Illiad—model for epic of war
• Odyssey—model for epic of the long journey—Homer’s most influential story
because of legacy within literature
Background to Odyssey HW
The War-Story Background: Violence and Brutality
• Greek kings under leadership of Agamemnon, brother of Menelaus, during
Trojan War—sent a thousand ships to Troy—Greeks eventually were
victorious—butchered citizens, except those they took as slaves
• Achilles died in battle in final year of war (10 years total)
• Agamemnon murdered by unfaithful wife when he returned home from Troy
• Other homecoming story—Odysseus, who was smart and strong—Odyssey
Odysseus: A Hero in Trouble
• Heroes were special class of aristocrats
• Pain and death, but on top of the world—between ordinary people and gods
• Odysseus is a hero in trouble—we also face world of difficult choices, unfair
authority, hard work
• Tone/Mood= melancholy, cynicism, doubt—people lack respect for the hero
• Odysseus married to faithful Penelope, a strong woman—son was Telemachus
(baby when father left for war)
• Odysseus tried to not have to go to war by pretending to be insane—men
threw baby in front of plow and he turned it aside (proving he was sane)
Background to Odyssey HW
The Wooden-Horse Trick
• Odysseus was a great soldier/commander—thought up wooden-horse trick
that led to downfall of Troy
• Hid Greek soldiers in belly of wooden horse (thought to be peace offering)—
hid ships—at night, the Greeks inside belly opened up gates and let in entire
Greek army to begin final battle of war
The Ancient World and Ours
• Harsh, violent world—“primitive” society—not like Athenian culture to
develop several centuries later
A Search for Their Places in Life
• Theme: central idea= people searching for right relationships with one
another and people around them—want to find proper places in life
• Story begins with Telemachus, son, at 20 years old…threatened by rude,
powerful men wanting to marry his mother
• Father is stranded on island trying to get back home—10 years since he sailed
from Troy, where he had spent 10 years in battle [Book 1 begins with
Odysseus on island with Calypso, where he had been for 7 years]
• Odysseus having a “midlife crisis”—searching for inner peace and natural
balance to life—we are all also searching for real identities/true selves
Background to Odyssey HW
Relationship with the Gods
• Myths: traditional stories, rooted in a particular culture, that usually
explain a belief, ritual, or natural phenomenon
• Essentially religious because concerned with relationship between human
beings and gods
• Homer is religious—gods control all things—Athena, goddess of
wisdom, is always with Odysseus
• God against Odysseus is Poseidon, god of the sea—arrogance and brutishness
• Odysseus can also be cruel/violent
Who was Homer?
• No one knows for sure who Homer was—believed to be a blind
minstrel
• Some scholars think there must be 2 Homers; others think he’s a
legend—too good to be true?
• Model for wandering bards/minstrels later called rhapsodes
• Rhapsodes: “Singers of tales”—historians/entertainers/mythmakers
• No books/written history, so people sang recent events or doings of
gods/goddesses
Background to Odyssey HW
How Were the Epics Told?
• Originally, epics were told aloud by people who couldn’t read/write
• Much repetition in epics because storytellers followed formulas—gave
singer/audience some breathing time so singer could think of what
would come next in story
• Homeric (epic) Similes: extended comparisons
• Compare heroic/epic events to simple, everyday events
• Example: “She brushed it away from his skin as lightly as when a
mother/Brushes a fly away from her child who is lying in sweet sleep.”
• Wouldn’t have enough time to sing all stories, so would shorten them
based on how much time was available
A Live Performance
• Alcinous, in Book 8, particularly wonderful singer—Homer himself?
• Anticipation surrounds rhapsodes/live performances
Homer 8th century B.C. (700s)
• Illiad appears to come first,
followed by the Odyssey
• Impossible to say how much
of the poems are original to
Homer
• No firm evidence has been
found of Homer’s
existence—may not have
been one real individual
• Probably multiple versions of
same stories
“THE ADVENTURES OF
ODYSSEUS”
• Epic poem= long narrative poems that tell of adventures of
heroes who embody values of civilizations
• Epithet- a descriptive term accompanying or in the place of
a name
• Example: “gray-eyed Athena”
• Setting= Mycenaean Bronze Age (1600-1100 BC)—Bronze
armor
• 12,110 lines long—would have taken 20-25 hours to recite
• 24 books, one for each letter of Greek alphabet—Six 4book groups
Homework for Mon/Tues
• Study daily edits #12-16/ prefixes
#11-17/Olympian gods for quiz
• Read “Helen on 86th Street” and
complete activity
MYTHOLOGY PROJECT
•See Handout
DAY 5
Helen HW Review
• Why is Helen McGuire “perfect” for the part of
Helen of Troy?
• What part is Vita, the narrator, in the play?
• What are the parakeets’ names?
• Who is Vita in the horse with?
• Where does Vita’s mom go to school?
HW Review continued
• Who is Argus in the story?
• What does the narrator do every night?
• In what building did the Greeks make sacrifices to
Athena?
• What is Vita’s “sacrifice?”
• Why doesn’t Helen McGuire play the role of Helen?
HW Review continued
• What do you think Vita means when she says, “‘And to say goodbye’” at
the end of the play?
• What are some of Vita’s character traits?
• What do you think is the theme of the story? Why?
• Find and explain one literary allusion (a reference to another known
topic (work of art, piece of literature, person, place, etc.) in a work of
literature) from the story?
• Why do you think the author used the story of Helen of Troy in her
story about a sixth-grade girl?
“HELEN ON EIGHTY-SIXTH
STREET” Vocabulary
1.
Polytheism- (n) the doctrine of or belief in more than one god or in many
gods
2. Supplication- (n) humble prayer, entreaty, or petition.
3. Enunciate- (v) to utter or pronounce in an articulate or particular manner:
He enunciates his words distinctly.
4. Incantation- (n) the chanting or uttering of words purporting to have
magical power.
5. Litany- (n) a ceremonial or liturgical form of prayer.
6. Embody- (v) to give a concrete form to; express, personify, or exemplify in
concrete form: to embody an idea in an allegorical painting.
7. Stifled- (v) to suppress, curb, or withhold: to stifle a yawn.
8. Ramparts- (n) a broad elevation or mound of earth raised as a fortification
around a place and usually capped with a stone.
9. Odyssey- (n) a long series of wanderings or adventures, especially when
filled with notable experiences, hardships, etc.
10. Commune-(n) a small group of persons living together, sharing possessions,
work, income, etc., and often pursuing unconventional lifestyles.
PREFIXES 2 #1-9
1. meta-, met- among, between, change, behind,
later metempsychosis= transmigration of the soul
2. para-, par- beside, beyond, near, incorrectly; paradox=
beyond opinion
3. peri- around, about; peripatetic= walking around
4. pre/pro- before, forward, for; program= something written
for
5. poly – many; polysyllabic= having more than three syllables
6. trans – across, beyond; transcendentalism= being beyond
ordinary experience
7. un – not, unnecessary
8. semi – half, partly; semiautomatic
9. sub – under; submarine is under the water
What is a Political Campaign?
• Definition: An effort which seeks to influence the decision
making within a specific group
• Campaign Message: The “theme” or central idea of the
politician, as demonstrated through his/her campaign.
• Examples:
• Barack Obama, 2012: Forward
• Mitt Romney, 2012: Believe in America
• John McCain, 2008: Country First
What is a Political Campaign? Continued
• Politicians convey their ideas about key messages before an election
• Some key issues in presidential elections may include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Economy (taxes, debt, jobs)
Health Care
Immigration
Education
Foreign Policy
Social Security/ Medicare
Gun Control
Environment/Global Warming
Terrorism
Role of Government
• The issues a politician discusses are relevant to that person’s sphere
of influence (i.e. a person running for sheriff will not discuss foreign
policy, but will instead discuss issues of criminal justice/character)
Campaign Poster Examples
How Do Politicians “Promote”
Themselves?
• ADVERTISING
• Newspapers, radio, TV
•
•
•
•
•
SOCIAL MEDIA/ INTERNET (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
MASS MEETINGS, RALLIES, AND PROTESTS
DEBATES
SPEECHES
WHISTLESTOP TOUR (series of brief appearances in various
towns)
• POLITICAL HOUSE PARTIES
• CAMPAIGN MERCHANDISE (t-shirts, buttons, bumper stickers,
magnets, etc.)
Example of Stump Speeches (see website)
Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman. My name is John Smith, and I am running for a seat in the congress of the
United States.
Our country has come to a crossroad, and now you have the power to change the political landscape of America.
As I have said time and time again, if you elect me to be your face in congress, there are several things I will do to
ensure that your needs are met day in and day out across this land.
First of all, I plan on proposing new legislation that will invest more tax dollars in our public schools, not only to
meet the needs of today, but also to encourage developing minds for the future. Such new funding would be used
to hire and retain good teachers, build and renovate new schools, and give appropriate tax breaks to classroom
teachers. To accomplish this, I am proposing no new taxes increases, but rather a rechanneling of our existing tax
revenue to meet these demands. Now, the incumbent and his staff have been talking about this for years with
little progress. I plan to change all of this legislation now.
Second, economic development is on the minds of most of you, particularly with regard to our downtown area.
For many years, economic prosperity has been neglected by current government leaders, and I plan to change all
of that. I am proposing a city center revitalization project that would promote new businesses, new residential
areas, and new open green areas to bring people back to the heart of our city. Current leaders have allowed the
new city to die, preferring to invest in sport arenas in the outlying areas.
And third, I am proposing the construction of a light rail train system, to be built over the next decade, to meet
the growing demands of better and more efficient transportation for years to come. My opponent and his
administration have lacked the vision of long-term solutions, preferring to take a look and see approach. Such a
short sighted stance fails to consider the needs of future generations . . . our children and our grandchildren. My
generation doesn't want to be remembered for a road we build today, but for a more visionary transportation
system for our future.
And finally, my opponent has cited my inexperience as a reason why you shouldn't vote for me. However, I am not
a career politician who has lost touch with the everyday needs and concerns of day-to-day people. My work as an
educator and business owner has given me a unique perspective on the pains and challenges you face. If elected, I
promise to give my all to my elected position and make sure your issues and concerns are fully addressed at the
local and national level.
Thank you.
NEXT CLASS
• BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK!
DAY 6
Odyssey Vocabulary Part 1
• Contending- (v) to struggle in opposition: to contend with the enemy for control
of the port.
• Formidable-(adj) causing fear, apprehension, or dread: a formidable opponent
• Mustered-(v) to gather, summon, rouse (often fol. by up): He mustered all his
courage.
• Ravage-(v) to work havoc upon; damage or mar by ravages: a face ravaged by
grief
• Profusion-(n) abundance; abundant quantity
• Sage-(n) a profoundly wise person; a person famed for wisdom
• Adversary-(n) a person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; opponent;
enemy; foe
• Stealth-(adj/n) surreptitious; secret; not openly acknowledged: a stealth hiring of
the competitor's CEO; the stealth issue of the presidential race.
• Rancor-(n) bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice
• Abominably- (adj) repugnantly hateful; detestable; loathsome: an abominable
crime.
• Ardor- (n) great warmth of feeling; fervor; passion: She spoke persuasively and
with ardor
• Tumult- (n) violent and noisy commotion or disturbance of a crowd or mob;
uproar: The tumult reached its height during the premier's speech
Elements of Persuasion
• Argument—a collection of evidence assembled to support a
point of view
• Deductive Reasoning—a kind of argument in which one moves
from a general observation to specific examples
• Inductive Reasoning—a kind of argument in which one draws
general conclusions from a specific pattern of observations
• The types of cats I’ve seen have had four legs…therefore, all cats have four
legs.
• Syllogism—a kind of deductive reasoning consisting of a
conclusion derived logically from two propositions
Major premise: All mammals are warm-blooded.
Minor premise: All black dogs are mammals.
Conclusion: Therefore, all black dogs are warm-blooded.
Elements of Persuasion cont’d
• Ethos—the character, or persona, of the writer as perceived by the
reader—convince by gaining the reader’s respect/authority
• Logos (low-gahs)—refers to the logical content of communication,
including the information being presented and the organizational
structure of that information—convince by using reason
• Pathos (pay-thahs)—the anticipated emotional reaction of the
audience to the content of a speech or written work—convince by
engaging the reader’s emotions
• Logic—the process of using reason to come up with new information
based on existing information
• Value—an idea or principle recognized as important, desirable, or
necessary
Elements of Persuasion in
Stump Speeches
• Let’s read the example stump speech together,
stopping in places where the author uses an
emotional appeal (pathos), a logical appeal (logos) or
a character/authority appeal (ethos)
• Get into groups
• 1. Pathos
• 2. Logos
• 3. Ethos
• How can we use elements of persuasion in our own
speeches?
DAY 7
Homework Review
• Who is “the Wayfinder”? What kind of literary element is it?
• Describe one Homeric simile from this section.
• How does Odysseus become free of Calypso’s spell?
• After he leaves her island, what happens to him?
pp 1037-1058: Calypso and the
Cyclops Questions Review
• Who is “the Wayfinder”? What kind of literary element is it?
Hermes—epithet
• Describe one Homeric simile from this section. A man in a distant
field, no hearth fires near, will hide a fresh brand in his bed of
embers to keep a spark alive for the next day; so in the leaves
Odysseus hid himself, while over him Athena showered sleep… (ll
119-123, p 1042)
• How does Odysseus become free of Calypso’s spell? Athena gets
Zeus to demand his release, through Hermes
• After he leaves her island, what happens to him? Poseidon crashes
the raft and Athena and sea nymph help him to island of Scheria,
where he falls asleep
Homework Review Continued
• Whose son is the Cyclops? How does this explain Odysseus’
struggle to get home?
• According to Greek customs, how should the Cyclops treat
Odysseus and his men? How does he treat them?
• What lie does Odysseus tell the Cyclops? Why?
• Why didn’t Odysseus kill the Cyclops when he had the chance?
• Who is the “shepherd with his flock”(line 330)? What literary
element is this?
Homework Review Continued
• Whose son is the Cyclops? How does this explain Odysseus’
struggle to get home? Poseidon’s; Poseidon dislikes Odysseus, so
he gets his son to create an obstacle to his journey
• According to Greek customs, how should the Cyclops treat
Odysseus and his men? How does he treat them? He should give
them food before even asking who they are—he does so first and
then says he doesn’t care how the gods are offended at
unwelcoming people—he then beat and ate two men
• What lie does Odysseus tell the Cyclops? Why? That his ship was
crashed, so that he wouldn’t go against them in that way
• Why didn’t Odysseus kill the Cyclops when he had the chance? He
was afraid that they would die in the cave since they wouldn’t be
able to move the boulder
• Who is the “shepherd with his flock”(line 330)? What literary
element is this? Polyphemus, the Cyclops (epithet)
Homework Review continued
• What name does Odysseus give the Cyclops? How does this
help Odysseus later in the section?
• Describe the irony from line 404.
• How do Odysseus and his men escape?
• Was Odysseus’ taunting of the Cyclops a good idea? Why or
why not?
Homework Review continued
• What name does Odysseus give the Cyclops? How does this help
Odysseus later in the section? Nohbdy; he tells the other Cyclopes
that nobody harmed him, so they don’t come to help him
• Describe the irony from line 404. They make a “wise” reply, but
they don’t truly understand the situation—he’s in pain, yet they let
his answer turn them away
• How do Odysseus and his men escape? They hide under the rams
and get out when the Cyclops lets them out to graze
• Was Odysseus’ taunting of the Cyclops a good idea? Why or why
not? Probably not—Odysseus’ pride might lead to future difficulties
in getting home
Poetic and Literary Elements
• Epic Hero: The central hero of an epic, the epic hero has
larger-than-life powers. Achilles fulfills this role in the Iliad;
Odysseus in the Odyssey. Epic heroes are not perfect, but
are courageous
• Epithet—term or phrase accompanying or in place of name
• "The man of twists and turns" ( Odysseus)
• "wine-dark sea "
• "The bewitching nymph" (Calypso)
• "Son of Cronos" (Zeus)
• "Cool headed" (Telemachus)
• "Lord of the war cry" (Menelaus)
Poetic and Literary Elements (cont’d)
• Imagery: Descriptions appealing to the five senses; helps the
reader experience what he or she reads.
A radiance as strong as the moon came flooding
through the high roofed halls of generous Alcinous.
Walls plated in bronze, crowned with a circling frieze
glazed as blue as lapis ran to left and right
from outer gates to the deepest court recess
and solid gold doors enclosed the palace.
Up from the bronze threshold sliver doorposts rose
with silver lintel above, and golden handles, too.
And dogs of gold and silver were stationed on either side.
• In Media Res- “in the middle” in Latin; technique where author
starts telling story in middle and then goes back via flashback
and fills in the events that happened before
Poetic and Literary Elements (cont’d)
• Simile—comparison using like or as
Weak as the doe that beds down her fawns
in a mighty lion's den - her newborn sucklings then trails off to the mountain spurs and grassy bends
to graze her fill, but back the lion comes to his own lair
and the master deals both fawns a ghastly, bloody death,
just what Odysseus will deal that mob - ghastly death.
• Flashback- when the narrative goes back in the chronology of the story
to a crucial moment.
• Personification—a nonhuman object is given human characteristics.
ex: When "Dawn" arises with her "rose-red fingers".
• Pun - A play on words based on similarity of sound between two words
with different meanings (By giving Nobody as his name, Odysseus
cleverly creates a pun for the unsuspecting Cyclops who shouts the
Nobody is injuring him.)
Hero Cycle
• Archetype—a recurring pattern of
character, symbol, or situation found in
the literature of all cultures
• archetypal hero appears in all religions,
mythologies, and epics of the world.
• All archetypal heroes share certain
characteristics. (Campbell)
Traits of a Hero (Campbell)
• Unusual circumstances of birth; sometimes in danger
or born into royalty
• Leaves family/land &lives with others
• An event, sometimes traumatic, leads to adventure or
quest
• Special weapon only he can wield
• Supernatural help
• Must prove himself many times on adventure
• Journey and Unhealable Wound
• Hero experiences atonement with the father
• When the hero dies, he is rewarded spiritually
Prefixes 2 #1-9
• meta-, met- among, between, change, behind,
later metempsychosis= transmigration of the soul
• para-, par- beside, beyond, near, incorrectly; paradox= beyond
opinion
• peri- around, about; peripatetic= walking around
• pre/pro- before, forward, for; program= something written for
• poly – many; polysyllabic= having more than three syllables
• trans – across, beyond; transcendentalism= being beyond ordinary
experience
• un – not, unnecessary
• semi – half, partly; semiautomatic
• sub – under; submarine is under the water