Returns HUM 2051: Civilization I Fall 2013 Dr. Perdigao September 13-16, 2013

Narrative Strands Book XIII—“Ithaca at Last” Ithaca now unfamiliar: “Man of misery, whose land have I lit on now? / What are they here—violent, savage, lawless? / or friendly to strangers, god-fearing men?” (360) Punishment to Phaeacians Athena: “We’re both old hands at the arts of intrigue” (362) “Clearly I might have died the same ignoble death / as Agamemnon, bled white in my own house too, / if you had never revealed this to me now, / goddess, point by point. / Come, weave us a scheme so I can pay them back!” (364) Eumaeus Eurycleia

Narrative Strands Odysseus’ response to the journey to the underworld: “What good can come of grief?” (328); as model for the story House in ruins: Order Meeting with Achilles, offered choice between short, glorious life or long life—here switches opinion (340, 553) The whole warrior code that informed The Iliad is called into question Odysseus: Agamemnon—underworld, parallels Caution about reentry, subtlety, cunning Difference between murder and survival Telling of story: Demodocus, Odysseus, Sirens

Dualisms, Dichotomies Order/disorder Courtesy/discourtesy (who respects strangers: gods: humans—all rites, rituals between worlds) Restraint/rage Civilized/barbaric Father/son Odysseus/Agamemnon

Patterns and Parallels Agamemnon/Odysseus parallel: Elpenor (rites to bodies); suitors (no propriety in house) Agamemnon appears at end to praise Penelope’s loyalty in a revision of that story and shift from tragedy: comedy (ends with physical union, marriage) Final symbol—bed—pillar at center of house; olive tree (center of Greek culture) Book XXIV—deus ex machina: Athena appears, resolves all conflict, example of gods’ intervention that we did not see in The Iliad (visible here); now a call for peace

Deus ex Endings Telemachus as version of father—parallel to Orestes (454, L117; 455, 144). Odysseus shakes head, sign that Telemachus is able to perform like father, assertion Telemachus is almost grown “Purify” house, purging and cleansing Poem ends with sexual reunion—common pattern—establishment of order at home (western literary tradition) Retelling of entire Odyssey (story within the story) (481, L355) Last book—“Peace”—reunion with father, impossibility for Priam

O Brother, Where Art Thou? “Sing to me, Muse” Sheriff, in pursuit Baptism Radio station, “soggy Bottom Boys” “Man of Constant Sorrow” “twists and turns” Depression-era struggles Sirens Cyclops

O Brother, Where Art Thou? Penny Homer Menelaus “Keep on the Sunny Side” vs. “Man of Constant Sorrow” Fire, water “He’s a suitor” Paterfamilias Loyalty, disloyalty Ulysses as drifter

O Brother, Where Art Thou? “typical womanly behavior”—Sirens In disguise to perform “I’m just a stranger” Oak tree out front, “ancestral manse” “Twists and turns” deposits him there, eluded fate and the sheriff “not the law,” law as “human institution” Prayer Water—salvation, baptism Prophecy fulfilled

O Brother, Where Art Thou? “All’s well that ends well”