1. Odyssey Epic Literary Terms
English I Pre-AP

2. Epics
Long narrative poems that tell of the adventures of heroes who embody the values of their civilization.

3. Epic Conventions
The work begins in medias res (in the middle of things)
Odysseus’s story begins in the middle of his journey

4. Epic Conventions The poem will open with an invocation of the muse.
“Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns / driven time and again off course, once he had / plundered the hallowed heights of Troy.”

5. Epic Conventions
Main character is a physically impressive hero of national or historical importance.
Odysseus fought for ten years in the Trojan War and devised the idea of the Trojan horse.

6. Epic Conventions
Setting is vast in scope, including much of the physical world and, at times, the land of the dead.
Odysseus’ travels take him throughout the Mediterranean World.

7. Epic Conventions
The action consists of deeds of great valor or requiring superhuman courage.
In The Odyssey, Odysseus must overcome many challenges.

8. Epic Conventions There is evidence of supernatural forces at work.
In the Odyssey, the hero encounters gods, goddesses, sorceresses, monsters, giants, and the list goes on.

9. Epic Conventions The author uses a style of sustained elevation.
When the sun had left the splendid sea and risen up into an all-bronze heaven, giving light to gods and mortal men and grain to farmers’ fields, the ship and crew reached Pylos, a well-built city ruled by Nestor.

10. Epic Conventions
Epics will be rooted in a specific culture and society.
The Odyssey, for example, is heavily rooted in Greek society and culture.

11. Epic Heroes
embody the important morals, values, and virtues of the society of which they are a product.

12. Epic Hero Characteristics
The epic hero is a larger than life person who embodies the highest ideals of his culture.

13. Epic Hero Characteristics
The epic hero is clever and wise, but capable of error.
The epic hero is superior in degree to other men and his environment.

14. Epic Hero Characteristics
Epic hero experiences typical human emotions, yet is able to master and control these human traits to a greater degree than a typical person

15. Epic Hero Characteristics
Not a superman with magical powers but a regular human whose aspirations and accomplishments set him/her apart

16. Epic Hero Characteristics
The epic hero overcomes great obstacles/opponents but maintains his/her humanity

17. Epic Hero Characteristics
The epic hero is especially skilled both with and without weapons.
Ordinary laws of nature are sometimes suspended for the epic hero.

18. Epic Hero Characteristics
The epic hero usually undertakes a quest/journey to achieve something of great value to themselves or society

19. Epic Hero Characteristics
Epic heroes live on after death meaning they are forever remembered by those who live after them…achieving a type of immortality. As such, the epic hero strives for honor and fame.

20. Epic Hero Characteristics
It is often necessary for the epic hero to connect/make contact with “lesser” humans in order to succeed

21. Epithet
a descriptive label/phrase applied to a person or thing that emphasizes a particular quality or attribute of what is being described; often repeated throughout the text
ex. Odysseus is frequently referred to as “the man of twists and turns.”

22. Epic Simile
a long, elaborate simile that goes on for a number of lines; often compares heroic or epic events to understandable and everyday things
Ex. She brushed [the arrow] away from his skin as lightly as when a mother / Brushes a fly away from her child who is lying in sweet sleep.

23. Narrative Drift
an interruption in the narration to elaborate on what aspect of what is being talked about
ex. If Homer mentions a gift of wine, he will digress and describe both the history of the gift and the history of the giver.

24. Alliteration
The repetition of initial consonant sounds. Can be as few as two sounds in close proximity.
Ex: “A great fire blazed on the hearth and the smell of cedar cleanly split and sweetwood burning bright wafted a cloud of fragrance down the island” (Od ).

25. Greek Cultural Concepts
Nostos: Greek word meaning “return song” or “homecoming song”
Kleos: Greek word meaning “song of glory”
Odysseus MUST achieve nostos in order to have his kleos. As such, we can term the Odyssey to be Odysseus’s nostos – his homecoming song, the story of his return home. The story herein is not just of a physical homecoming, however, but a story of the journey and homecoming of the soul.
Hubris: excessive pride
Look for how this affects the characters in our story!

26. Greek Cultural Concepts
Arete: Greek word meaning “possessing an excellent ability at something.”
Named for the Greek goddess of virtue, excellence, goodness and valor.

27. Greek Cultural Concepts
Nemesis: source of harm or ruin; unbeatable foe.
Named after the goddess of indignation against, and retribution for, evil deeds and undeserved good fortune.
She was a personification of the resentment aroused in men by those who committed crimes with apparent impunity, or who had inordinate good fortune.
Nemesis directed human affairs in such a way as to maintain equilibrium.
Her name means she who distributes or deals out.
Happiness and unhappiness were measured out by her, care being taken that happiness was not too frequent or too excessive. If this happened, Nemesis could bring about losses and suffering.