The Odyssey A Survival Guide

Homer  Arguably Greece’s most famous poet or singing minstrel  Know one knows for sure who Homer really was:  Many believe he was blind  Some believe he was actually a woman  Others believe he never existed

Epic Poems  The epic poems The Iliad & The Odyssey were created around 800 B.C.  These epics were meant to be sung, and a single performance could last for days.  As in most ancient Greek literature, the gods play a major role in the lives of mortals, such as Odysseus

The Iliad  Tells the tale of the Greek hero Odysseus and the Trojan War  The war between the Greeks and the Trojans lasted for 10 years  Famously, Odysseus came up with the idea of the Trojan Horse

The Odyssey: Overview  Tells the tale of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, trying to return home after the Trojan War  Odysseus is eager to return home to his wife, Penelope, and his only son, Telemachus  His journey takes 10 years  Athena is especially fond of Odysseus, and helps him along the way  Poseidon is his enemy and thwarts him at any opportunity (you’ll learn why later)

The Odyssey: Overview  Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, a large group of men known as the “suitors” are trying to marry Penelope, assuming Odysseus is dead  The suitors essentially live in Odysseus’ house, eating and drinking his fortune away  Penelope refuses to believe her husband is dead, and finds excuses not to remarry

The Odyssey The Odyssey can be divided into 4 parts: 1. Telemachus’ journey (Telemachy) 2. The Homecoming 3. The Wandering (flashback section) 4. Back home in Ithaca

1. Telemachus’ Journey: Books 1-4  The first 4 books tell the story of Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, lamenting the absence of his father and loathing the presence the suitors in his home.  Athena visits Telemachus and convinces him to go in search of information about his father.  Telemachus travels to Pylos and Sparta, where he learns that his father is alive but held captive by the nymph Calypso

2. The Homecoming: Books 5-8  In Book 5, we finally meet Odysseus, who is held captive on Calypso’s island  Hermes convinces Calypso to release Odysseus; he is finally able to embark on his journey back to Ithaca  Thanks to Poseidon, Odysseus becomes shipwrecked on the island of Scheria, the kingdom of the Phaeacians

3. The Wandering: Books 9-12  In stories told to the Phaeacians, Odysseus reveals the trials and tribulations in the last 10 years, from leaving Troy to becoming Calypso’s captive  These trials include famous tales of the Cyclops, the Sirens, the witch Circe, a six- headed monster, and more

4. Back Home in Ithaca: Books  The Phaecians return Odysseus to Ithaca  Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, makes plans to exact revenge on the suitors and take back his home and family