Background for the Odyssey

What is an Epic  Definition of an Epic  Use of Iliad and Odyssey within schools  Examples of famous Epic poems:  Rome’s Aeneid  France’s Song of Roland  Italy’s Divine Comedy  Definition of an Epic  Use of Iliad and Odyssey within schools  Examples of famous Epic poems:  Rome’s Aeneid  France’s Song of Roland  Italy’s Divine Comedy

What is an Epic  Primary model for the Iliad  Primary model for the Odyssey  Stories that follow the model provided by the Odyssey  Fairy tales  Huckleberry Finn  Moby-Dick  The Hobbit  Primary model for the Iliad  Primary model for the Odyssey  Stories that follow the model provided by the Odyssey  Fairy tales  Huckleberry Finn  Moby-Dick  The Hobbit

The War-Story Background  Action of the Iliad  Original reason for Greeks to attack Troy  Avenge the insult suffered by Menelaus, king of Sparta  Menelaus’ wife Helen ran off with Paris  Odysseus is known for his brains and brawn  Action of the Iliad  Original reason for Greeks to attack Troy  Avenge the insult suffered by Menelaus, king of Sparta  Menelaus’ wife Helen ran off with Paris  Odysseus is known for his brains and brawn

The Odyssey’s Hero  Definition of hero from Homer’s day  Relating to the hero in the Odyssey  Odysseus seems lost in a world filled with difficult decisions  Odysseus has to cope with unfair authority figures  Odysseus must work very hard to get what he wants  Definition of hero from Homer’s day  Relating to the hero in the Odyssey  Odysseus seems lost in a world filled with difficult decisions  Odysseus has to cope with unfair authority figures  Odysseus must work very hard to get what he wants

The Odyssey’s Hero  Before the great war Odysseus married Penelope and they had one son named Telemachus.  Story of Odysseus after he is called to war by Agamemnon and Menelaus  Before the great war Odysseus married Penelope and they had one son named Telemachus.  Story of Odysseus after he is called to war by Agamemnon and Menelaus

The Wooden-Horse Trick  Odysseus was behind the wooden-horse trick.  Story of the wooden-horse  Odysseus was behind the wooden-horse trick.  Story of the wooden-horse

The Gods in the Odyssey  Most myths are essentially religious because they are concerned with the relationship between human beings and the unknown or spiritual realm.  Athena is the goddess of wisdom. Throughout the entire epic, she is by Odysseus’ side helping him overcome difficulties in his adventure.  Most myths are essentially religious because they are concerned with the relationship between human beings and the unknown or spiritual realm.  Athena is the goddess of wisdom. Throughout the entire epic, she is by Odysseus’ side helping him overcome difficulties in his adventure.

The Gods in the Odyssey  In Homer’s stories a god can be an alter ego, a spiritual or psychological reflection of a hero’s best qualities.  Poseidon  In Homer’s stories a god can be an alter ego, a spiritual or psychological reflection of a hero’s best qualities.  Poseidon

Homer  Unknown exactly who Homer was  Like Shakespeare in that some are unsure Homer ever existed  Later Greeks believed him to be a blind minstrel from the island of Chios  Unknown exactly who Homer was  Like Shakespeare in that some are unsure Homer ever existed  Later Greeks believed him to be a blind minstrel from the island of Chios

How Were Epics Told?  Homeric Epics were told orally to large audiences  Repetition  Homeric or Heroic Simile  It would take several days to tell a story like the Odyssey. The storytellers would choose suspenseful places to stop the story so audiences would return.  Homeric Epics were told orally to large audiences  Repetition  Homeric or Heroic Simile  It would take several days to tell a story like the Odyssey. The storytellers would choose suspenseful places to stop the story so audiences would return.