Greek Literature “We are all Athenians”

Greek Literature“We are all Athenians” “We are all Athenians…for the ideas of ancient Greece have permeated our whole culture.” Why are Americans all Greek? + =

Roman Degrees of Separation: It’s a small world after all…. • The Roman Empire invades Greece. • The Roman Empire adopts Greek government and religious practices. • The Roman Empire conquers the wild unsettled lands of Great Britain. • The Roman Empire collapses leaving Great Britain to become its own Empire. • Modern day British government is modeled after Roman Government which in turn was modeled after ancient Greek government practices. • The Unites States system of government is modeled after that of Great Britain, therefore truly, like the previous statement declares, Americans are Athenians or Greeks.

Greece in relationship to EuropeWhy did the Romans invade? Because Greece was there….

The Principal Gods She was the Titan that was the mother of the chief rivers of the world known to the Greeks. Uranus Gaea The Ocean that encircles the world: A Titan Coeus Phoebe: The Moon Helios: The Sun Oceanus Tethys Cronus Rhea Titan of Intelligence TWINS Hestia Hades Poseidon Hera Zeus Demeter Leto Zeus Prometheus Epimetheus Gave Fire to Mankind, created the first human out of clay Holds the world on his shoulders Goddess of Youth Athena Persephone Apollo Artemis Maia Zeus Dione Hercules Hebe Eris Ares Hephaestus Castor Pollux TWINS Son of Zeus with Alchameny Twin sons of Zeus with Queen Leda of Sparta, a mortal. Goddess Discord Often said to be Hera’s son only. Hermes Aphrodite God of Light and Truth, often confused with Helios, the Sun Titan Strife Pan Eros: Cupid Dionysus God of Unreasonable fear or “panic” Son of Zeus with Seleme, a mortal. Iris- Goddess of the Rainbow The Muses: 9 Sisters that inspire the arts The Graces: 3 Sisters- the embodiment of beauty Atlas Eros:Cupid

The Purpose of The Greek Gods Helios- Titan- The Sun Apollo- God of light and truth Hermes/ Mercury- Messenger of the Gods Hera/Juno- goddess of marriage and childbirth Hephaestus/ Vulcan- Blacksmith of the gods Poseidon/ Neptune- God of the sea Artemis/ Diana- Goddess of the hunt Eros / Cupid- God of love Cronos - Grandfather of the Gods, Titan of time Hades / Pluto- God of the Underworld Aphrodite / Venus- Goddess of love and beauty Hebe - Goddess of youth Ares / Mars- God of war Atlas- Titian who is condemned to hold the world on his shoulders for all time. Zeus / Jupiter- King of the gods Persephone - Queen of the underworld Athena / Minerva- Goddess of war strategy and wisdom Prometheus - Titan who created mankind Demeter / Ceres Goddess of the harvest and nature

Myth- a fictional tale that explains the actions of the gods or the causes of natural phenomena. (a hurricane meant that the god of the Sea was angry with the costal peoples) They contain little historical truth and involve supernatural elements. The Iliad is not a Myth. The Iliad is an Epic Poem written and preformed by the Greek Poet Homer based on the historical event: The Trojan War.

The Epic Hero CycleThis will not be the last time you see this The Epic Hero Cycle is a series of requirements necessary for a character to be defined as an Epic hero.

1. The main character is a hero, who is often possessed of supernatural abilities or qualities. 2. The hero is charged with a quest. 3. The hero is tested, often to prove the worthiness of himself and his quest. 4. The presence of numerous mythical beings, magical and helpful animals, and human helpers and companions. 5. The hero’s travels take him to a supernatural world, often one that normal human beings are barred from entering. 6. The cycle must reach a low point where the hero nearly gives up his quest or appears defeated. 7. The hero experiences a resurrection. 8. Restitution. Often this takes the form of the hero regaining his rightful place on the throne.

The Ultimate Epic Hero • Even though Achilles has what the modern world considers an unhappy ending, he is not considered a tragic hero for he does not meet all the requirements. • To an ancient Greek audience, Achilles is victorious by the end of the poem. • Achilles is an Epic Hero

In Media Res – Latin for in the middle of things. Authors could do this because the audience would already be familiar with the characters and events. Stock Epithets- Stock descriptive words or phrases that accompany the character’s name making it easier for both the author and the audience to keep track of multiple characters. Examples: Resourceful Odysseus, Hera of the White Arms, Hector of the Shining Helm

Divine Causality is the idea that the Gods cause human successes or failures by way of direct interference by working through human inclination. Example: Athena stopping Achilles from fighting Agamemnon

Oedipus the King It’s not so good to be the King….

Sophocles 406BC • Greek Playwright- Father of Tragedy • Wrote the Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus the King, Antigone, and Oedipus at Colonus • Greatest contribution to Greek Drama was the creation of the GREEK CHORUS

Greek Chorus • A group of players that offers a variety of background and summary information to help the audience follow the performance of a Greek drama • Comments on main themes, and also represents the general populace in any particular story. • Expressed to the audience what the main characters could not say, such as their fears or secrets. • The chorus usually communicated in song form, but sometimes spoke their lines in unison.

Sigmund Freud 1856-1939 • Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist • Founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology • Specialized in the unconscious mind • Defined sexual desire as the primary motivational energy of human life. • Named his theory of male attachment to the matron figure: The Oedipus Complex

The Oedipus Complex • Refers to a stage of psychosexual development in childhood where children of both sexes regard their father as an adversary and competitor for the exclusive love of their mother. • The name derives from the Greek myth of Oedipus, who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. • This is commonly refered to in varrying degrees as the Mama’s Boy” syndrome.

Dramatic Irony • When the words and actions of the characters of a work of literature have a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters. • This is the result of the reader having a greater knowledge than the characters themselves. • It’s when the audience knows more about what’s going on than the characters do.

Oedipus is a Tragic Hero Definition of Tragedy: The imitation of an action that is serious and also as having magnitude, complete in itself. It incorporates incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions. Definition of theTragic Hero: Has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. He is trapped in a situation where he can not win. He has some sort of Tragic Flaw, and this causes his fall from greatness. Even though he is a fallen hero, he still wins a moral victory, and his spirit lives on. Therefore the audience identifies with him and is sad when he falls.

Requirements for a Tragic Hero: • Born into Nobility-the tragic effect will be stronger if the hero is “better than we” or the common man. • Endowed with a Tragic Flaw • Doomed to make a serious error in judgment. • Realize they have made an irreversible mistake. • Faces and accepts death/punishment with honor • Meets a tragic end • The audience is affected by pity and/or fear

The Tragic Flaw One common form of a tragic flaw- especially in that of the Greek tragedies- is “hubris” or “pride” or overwhelming self-confidence which leads the protagonist to disregard a divine warning or to violate an important law. The Tragic Flaw of Oedipus is Arrogance or Pride.

Map of Modern GreeceIt’s all still there…. • Oedipus was King of Corinth • Athens was where Sophocles lived • Mt Olympus was the seat of the gods! • Sparta is where the film 300 took place (no, we are not watching it) • The coast of Turkey is where the Trojan War was waged for over a decade…

Greek Literature “We are all Athenians”