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The Iliad. Agenda: Information about Text Homer Mythological Background. Important Names, Dates and Terminology. 8 th century BCE 1184 BCE Homer Description The Homeric Question Epic Oral Tradition. Important Themes, Motifs and Narratological Elements. CHOICE and PERSUASION
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The Iliad • Agenda: Information about • Text • Homer • Mythological Background
Important Names, Dates and Terminology • 8th century BCE • 1184 BCE • Homer • Description • The Homeric Question • Epic • Oral Tradition
Important Themes, Motifs and Narratological Elements • CHOICE and PERSUASION • THE HEROIC CODE • LEADERSHIP • TRIANGULAR RELATIONSHIPS • SIMILES • THE GODS
Do NOT Reduce the Iliad to either: • PRIDE Or • FATE
Characteristics of Homeric Text: • Beginning in medias res • Cinematic presentation of events and of warfare • Look for sense imagery in the text • Use of SIMILES • Use of PARALLELISM when discussing events, characters and gods
Homeric Cycle • Series of texts about Troy • Some tell the same stories as the Homeric epics • Many tell entirely different stories • What still exists contains only a part of the entire story of the Trojan War
Mythological Stories You Need to Know • Helen and the Suitors • Wedding of Peleus and Thetis • Hecuba’s Dream of the Burning City • Judgment of Paris • Assembling the Suitors • Sacrifice of Iphigenia
Helen and the Suitors • Helen: daughter of Tyndareus • Clytemnestra: daughter of Tyndareus; twin of Helen; (later) wife of Agamenon • Penelope: niece to Tyndareus Suitors • Agamemnon: king of Argos; son of Atreus; brother of Menelaus • Menelaus: brother of Agamemnon • Odysseus: king of Ithaka; (later) husband of Penelope • Ajax: son of Telemon; great warrior
Hecuba’s Dream of the Burning City Priam = Hecuba __________________|___________________ SONS: DAUGHTERS Hektor (m. Andromache) Cassandra Paris (m. Helen) Polyxena Deiphobus Creusa Polydorus 47 other daughters 46 more sons
Wedding of Peleus and Thetis • Thetis: water nymph, daughter of Nereus • Peleus: mortal man, son of Aeacus, King of Aegina • Thetis and Peleus are the parents of Achilles
Wedding of Peleus and Thetis (cont.) OLYMPIAN GODS • Aphrodite: goddess of love • Apollo: god of healing, music, prophecy • Ares: god of war • Artemis: goddess of the hunt • Athena: goddess of wisdom, strategy • Demeter: goddess of the Harvest • Hephaistos: god of fire and metal craft; son of Hera and Zeus; crippled because he was thrown by Zeus • Hera: wife of Zeus • Hermes: messenger god • Poseidon: god of the sea • Zeus: king of the gods; (very unfaithful) husband to Hera
Wedding of Peleus and Thetis (cont.) • ERIS: Goddess of Discord, not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis • Golden apple inscribed “To the Fairest”
Assembling the Suitors • Agamemnon • Menelaus • Odysseus • Ajax • Achilles – the most difficult to find
Gaining a Strong Wind Agamemnon = Clytemnestra ______________|_____________ | | | Iphigeneia Electra Orestes
Key Aspects of the Epic’s Opening • Emphasis on the 1st word • Invocation of the Muse Questions • What events are set into motion in the opening 2 pages? • Who is who? • What are the key words? • Are any of the themes mentioned earlier present in this segment of text?
For Next Class • You are instructed to wrote a response to something you find difficult in the text. • Pick a passage of no more than 20 lines that you find important and/or difficult and write about it. We will use these student-chosen passages as the basis for discussion next class.