1. Into the Underworld HUM 2051: Civilization I Fall 2009 Dr. Perdigao September 4-14, 2009

2. Storylines Storytellers Book IV: Agamemnon’s story told by Menelaus, Odysseus’s own story retold—models of memory, storytelling within the epic Demodocus “It goes against my grain to repeat a tale told once, and told so clearly” (355). At the end of Book XII, it returns to bard’s story—from Odysseus as storyteller from bard’s accounts, back to Calypso and homecoming Weavers Penelope, Calypso, Circe Circe weaving at loom—enchanting web (like web of deceit in Agamemnon ) (320)

3. Centering the Journey Circe (Book X) Aeaea Hermes’ guidance Aeolus Bag of Wind Laestrygoians, Antiphates Eurylochus tries to report what happens to crew (320-321), then cautious about staying; Odysseus impervious to Circe’s charms: “You have a mind in you no magic can enchant!” (322, 365) Guides to/in the underworld Circe, Tiresias Circe tells him what he’ll undergo next, descent into the underworld (326) Elpenor (329-330) Burial—sign of courtesy and propriety (Clytaemnestra does not show Agamamenon); “remember me” (330, 78)

4. Deconstructing the Descent From Elpenor’s death to the underworld Book XI: Descent into underworld—hero tires in task and is at moment of exhaustion Figurative death in descent Consults wisdom figures, Tiresias, family members As a result of confrontation with wisdom figures, goes through rebirth in return with new strength, to go back to the quest Pattern of whole poem in Divine Comedy

5. Cast of Characters in the Underworld Tiresias Odysseus’s mother Anticleia Women: wives of heroes Agamemnon (338-340) Achilles (340-342) Ajax (342) Tityus Tantalus Sisyphus Heracles, as ghost Desires to see first golden age—Theseus, Jason and the Argonauts

6. Framing the Hero Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with One Thousand Faces as story of ritual death, rebirth: separation: initiation: return Rites of passage— “monomyth” “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won. The hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” (30)

7. Stages of Descent I. Departure: call to adventure, refusal of the call, supernatural aid II. Initiation: round of trials, meeting with the goddess, woman as temptress III. Return: refusal of the return, the magic flight, crossing of return threshold, master of two worlds, freedom to live

8. Framing the Narrative Sirens Version of Pandora story, excess, control, like Sirens—desire to hear (curiosity) but control applied—also in Book X with the sack of wind, then story of flood with six nights, seventh day of rest As bards themselves, enchanting with story (349) Narrating The Iliad ? Clashing Rocks, Scylla and Charybdis Six-headed monster, whirlpool “between a rock and a hard place” (354) Helios Sun cattle—hospitality, respect (reverses Sirens episode with his control)

9. 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

10. Narrative Strands “What good can come of grief?” (328) 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 Courtesy and hospitality—way people respond to strangers (courtesy/discourtesy) “civilization” Telling of story: Demodocus, Odysseus, Sirens

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

12. 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 (Greek culture, that center) 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

13. 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