Transcript Penelope- Yasmin, Marco and James

The Odyssey
Context for “Penelope” - Carol Ann Duffy
Homer’s Odyssey
One of two ancient Greek poems attributed to Homer
The Iliad, it’s prequel, discusses the battles and conflicts occurring throughout the trojan war
while the Odyssey tells the tale of one man’s journey home from Troy.
Therefore, the Odyssey begins where the Iliad leaves off
Composed in about 700 B.C.E by Homer
It is said that the original poem was composed in an oral tradition and meant to be heard, not
read
Critics argue that it was composed by multiple authors
Originally written in poetic dialect of Greek and has now been translated into
many languages
Character Introduction and Setting
Odysseus: Great King of Ithaca who fought in the Trojan war (13th or 12th
century BC) Renowned for his role in “The Odyssey” as he took 10 years to
return from the war after it had ended, travelling through many mythological
lands and meeting many mythological people. (Away for about 20 years total)
Penelope: Wife of Odysseus who spent the whole time waiting for the return of
her husband and fending off suitors who had come to take his place. Known for
stitching the burial shroud of Odysseus’s father, Laeretus and undoing her
work at night to keep the suitors at bay.
Telemachus: Son of Penelope and Odysseus, is tasked by Athena to search
for his father in the first 4 books of the Odyssey and eventually helps
Odysseus reveal himself and kill all of Penelope’s suitors
Story Line Part I
•Odysseus and his fleet leave Troy to go towards Ithaca
•Land on the island of the Lotus eaters
•Land on the island of the Cyclops where Odysseus blinds Polyphemus
•Land on the Aeolian island of Aeolus, the keeper of winds, which gives them a
bag full of wind to only open when arrived in Ithaca. The bag is opened too early
and the winds push them back to Aeolia where Aeolus does not welome them.
•Land on the island of Aeaea, home of Circe where Odysseus stays for a year
•Odysseus then is advised by Circe to go to the Underworld
Continued timeline of the Odyssey
•Odysseus and his crew return to Aeaea, to bury one of his shipmates (who had
died in Aeaea).
•They sail into the Strait of Messina where Scylla and Charbydis reside. Odysseus
chooses to sail close to Scylla rather than the whirlpool of Charybdis, and loses
six men (one for each of Scylla's six heads).
•Odysseus and his crew land on Thrinacia, home of Helios' sacred cattle. Though
Odysseus had warned his crew not to eat Helios' cattle, they ended up eating
some of the cattle while he was away. Helios was angered and asked Zeus to
punish those who had eaten his cattle. Zeus brought about a great storm,
completely destroying Odysseus' ship and killing all his men.
Odysseus, clinging to a piece of his destroyed vessel, was washed away at sea.
He is swept past Scylla and Charybdis, again, and again manages to pass by
safely.
•Odysseus washes ashore on the island Ogygia, home to Calypso. Odysseus
stays with her for seven years.
•After staying with Calypso for seven years, Odysseus built a boat and set sail
once more. Poseidon, seeing Odysseus at sea, brings a violent storm down on
Odysseus and his ship is destroyed. Odysseus washes up on the shore of
Scheria, kingdom of Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians. King Alcinous, Queen Arete
and their daughter Nausicaa are extremely hospitable to Odysseus; providing him
with clothing, food and entertainment. King Alcinous offers Odysseus one of his
ships so that Odysseus can finally return to his homeland and family.
•-After twenty long and hard years, Odysseus returns at last to Ithaca.
Timeline of the Odyssey in Penelope's point of
view
•Penelope was a woman who was married to Odysseus and mother of
Telemachus.
•When Odysseus was called to fight in the Trojan War, Penelope was left behind
and expected to remain faithful to him.
•When Odysseus returns he finds to his satisfaction that Penelope has indeed
remained faithful and has devised a way to repel suitors.
•Penelope vowed that she would choose her suitor once she has completely
finished embroidering a burial shroud for Odysseus’ father. Every night for 3 years
Penelope unpicked and re-stitched the shroud in order to keep her suitors at bay.
•It is because of her faithfulness; Penelope is widely viewed as an icon of martial
fidelity (or connubial).
Bibliography
http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/php/homer/index.php?page=timelines
http://www.poemhunter.com/homer/biography/
http://www.rwaag.org/penelope
The End