1. Intro into The Odyssey English I

2. What is a hero? “When the first Superman movie came out, I was frequently asked what is a hero?”....My answer was that a hero is someone who commits action without considering the consequences...Now my definition is completely different. I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” - Christopher Reeve

3. What is a hero? “A hero is simply someone who rises about his own human weaknesses for an hour, a day, a year, to do something stirring.” - Betty Deramus “Heroes take journeys, confront dragons, and discover the treasure of their true selves.” - Carol Pearson “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

4. What is a hero? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVX-cUJGdxs

5. What is a hero? Hero: A man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

6. What is a hero? Epic Hero: Larger-than-life central character in an epic. Epic: A long narrative poem about important events about the history or folklore of a nation or culture.

7. Through adventurous deeds, the epic hero demonstrates traits that are valued by society in which the epic originates.

8. The Odyssey is an epic poem. Odysseus is an epic hero

9. “Now by the gods, I drove my big hand spike deep in the embers, charring it again, and cheered my men along with battle talk to keep their courage up; no quitting now.”

10. The Odyssey: Background How might this person be an epic hero?

11. The Odyssey: Background http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6DJcgm3wNY

12. The Odyssey: Background Many epics begin in media res (“in the middle of things”), meaning that much of the important action in the story occurred before the point at which the poem begins. Therefore, the epic hero’s adventures are often recounted in a flashback.

13. The Odyssey: Background Other characteristics of epic poems: An invocation to the muse. A concern with the fate of a nation or people Correspondinly large scale The intervention of supernatural figures interested in the outcome Extended Similes (Called “Epic Similes”)

14. The Odyssey: Background Extensive battle scenes A few stock episodes, including a visit to the underworld.

15. The Odyssey: Similes A simile is a figure of speech in which two unlike things or concepts are show to be similar, for poetic purposes, often through the use of the words “like” or “as.”

16. The Odyssey: Similes For example: Her hair is alike sunshine or her breath is as rank as an old gym sock.

17. The Odyssey: Similes An epic simile sometimes extends the comparison to expansive proportions.

18. The Odyssey: Epithets Homer’s poetics include noticeable devices that may seem odd to a modern reader. One is his extensive use of epithets.

19. The Odyssey: Epithets An epithet is a term or phrase used to characterize the nature of a character, an object, or an event. An epithet that has become cliche’ because of its excessive use in earlier translations of The Odyssey is “rosy-fingered Dawn.”

20. The Odyssey: Epithets Morning’s first light is compared to rosy fingers spreading across the land.

21. The Odyssey: Epithets Repetition is common with epithets.

22. The Odyssey: Reading Skill Historical and Cultural Context: The backdrop of a details of the time and place in which the work is set or which it is written. These details include specific events, beliefs, and customs.

23. The Odyssey: Reading Skill Think of examples in entertainment with historical and cultural context.

24. The Odyssey: Background The Trojan War: The Odyssey describes the experiences of the Greek hero Odysseus as he makes his way home after the Trojan War. According to legend, the Trojan War was sparked when Paris ran off with Helen. A Greek force attacked Troy (Modern Day Turkey) to recapture her. They were victorious after 10 years.

25. The Odyssey: Homer Homer is the legendary poet credited with writing the Iliad and the Odyssey. He was alive around 800 B.C. Homer’s stories have been the basis for many Hollywood movies, including Troy.

26. The Odyssey: Homer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayeefzyPQtE

27. The Odyssey: Homer Exit Slip (This is worth 20 points) Reading/Writing Connection: In the Odyssey, Homer describes a journey filled with amazing adventures. Write a paragraph that tells of a journey you have taken or imagined. Describe something challenging or amazing that occurred. Use at least three of these words: coincide, eliminate, encounter, highlight, interact.