The Odyssey By Homer

1. The Odyssey By Homer Background Information

2. What is an odyssey? A journey through life (universal) = man trying to achieve personal land of peace and joy; therefore, we must test ourselves and overcome obstacles.

3. Genre • The Odyssey was • composed to be recited • to the accompaniment • of a lyre to a listening • audience, not written to • be read out or by them. • • It is an epic poem. • (We will go over these characteristics later.)

4. Time Frame • • The Odyssey was composed • by a Greek named Homer • living in Ionia (coast of Turkey) • probably during the late 8th • century BC. • • We do not know much about • the author, Homer. • – Homer is also traditionally thought to be the author of The Iliad, an epic poem about Achilles which takes place during the Trojan war. • – We don’t really know if he wrote this poem, but we attribute it to him because of its stylistic similarities to The Odyssey.

5. Time Frame • • The Odyssey is 12,110 lines long and would have taken 20-25 hours to recite all at once! • – You’ll be glad to know that we will be reading a shorter version… • It is divided into 24 books, one for each letter of the Greek alphabet.

6. It all began with the Trojan War…

7. The Quarrel… • Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite argued over who was the most beautiful goddess. • They asked Paris, a Trojan prince, to decide for them. • When Paris picked Aphrodite, she promised him that Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, would fall in love with him.

8. The Trojan War • Paris stole Helen from her home in Sparta and took her back to Troy. • Helen was married to King Menelaus, so this action began the Trojan War.

9. The Trojan War The Trojan War lasted for 10 years. Finally, Sparta came up with a completely brilliant plan….

10. The Trojan War • The Spartans pretended to flee from Troy and hid their ships. • • Then, they built a • large, hollow horse • and hid most of the • Spartan army inside.

11. Beware of Spartans bearing gifts… • They pushed the horse up to the gates of Troy and waited inside. • The Trojans were busy celebrating because they thought they had won. They took the horse as a gift from the defeated Spartans and brought it inside the city walls. • When they Trojans went to sleep, the Spartan army jumped out of the horse and attacked the city.

12. Trojan Heroes • Hector- leader of the Trojan army; killed by Achilles • Aeneas- son of Aphrodite and a mortal; one of the only people to escape the fall of Troy

13. Greek (Spartan) Heroes • Achilles - Greatest Greek warrior. Homer wrote the Iliad about this Greek hero. His mother, Thetis, tried to make him immortal by dipping him in the river Styx. She dipped everything but his ankle and when an arrow pierced it, he died. • Odysseus - King of Ithaca; came up with the idea of the Trojan horse; after the war was over, it took him 10 years to return home.

14. Father of Telemachus Husband of Penelope Odysseus There is a 20 year gap between the time he left for the Trojan War and his return home King of Ithaca

15. Once upon a time… • When The Odyssey begins, Odysseus has been away from home for more than 10 years. • For 10 years he fought the Trojan war and for 10 more he will try to return home. • Everyone in his hometown thinks he is dead. • Many men are trying to seduce his wife, Penelope. • She says that when she is finished making a burial shawl, she will marry a one of the men. However, each night she undoes the work so she will have more time to wait on Odysseus.

16. The Gods in The Odyssey • To the ancient Greeks, the gods were real, controlled everything, & interacted with human affairs. • The Ancient Greeks believed in many different gods and goddesses. The Greeks believed that these gods and goddesses controlled everything in their lives. There was a god for many aspects of life. It was important to please the gods; happy gods helped you, but unhappy gods punished you.

17. The Greeks believed that the most important gods and goddesses lived at the top of Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in northern Greece.

18. Zeus Zeus is the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and of the gods who reside there.

19. Athena Athena is the goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. She is also Zeus’s daughter. She frequently helps Odysseus, who was well-known for his clever mind.

20. Hermes the messenger of the gods In addition to being the god of invention, commerce, and cunning, Hermes is also Zeus’s son. Hermes helps Odysseus several times in The Odyssey.

21. Some goddesses both help and hinder Odysseus during his journey home. Circe, a goddess and enchantress will use her magic to toy with Odysseus. The sea goddess Calypso delays Odysseus’s return home because of her desire for companionship.

22. Poseidon Poseidon is the god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses. Poseidon is also the father of the one-eyed cyclopes. Odysseus’s excessive pride angers Poseidon.

23. Helios/Apollo As the god of the Sun, Helios rides a chariot drawn by horses through the sky, bringing light to the earth. Odysseus angers Helios whenhis men ignore Helios’s warnings.

24. Odysseus & the Gods • Homer used both Athena and Poseidon as alter-egos for Odysseus: good vs. evil • Odysseus is known for his cleverness but can also be stubborn and arrogant.

25. Important Literary Terms • Epic • Epic Hero • Epic Simile • Epithet

26. Epic • An epic is a long narrative poem that tells about the adventures of a hero who reflects the ideals and values of a nation or race. • The epic portrays the past, but it is an imaginary past.

27. Characteristics of an Epic • Beginning of an Epic • The author begins by stating the theme and uses someone who is all knowing and wise to help him in his undertaking. • The story starts in the middle of the action, in media res, and at a critical point; the events that happened before the narrative's opening are introduced later on.

28. Characteristics of an Epic • The Setting • The setting of the epic is vast in scope, sometimes worldwide and even beyond. • The Hero • A figure of great national or international importance. • The Action • The action of the epic involves heroic deeds in battle, such as a long hard journey or a war.

29. Characteristics of an Epic • The Supernatural • The gods or other supernatural/fantastical beings take an interest and an active part in the great deeds performed in the epic. • Point of View • Often the point of view is in third person (standing outside looking in through the window) with little comment or opinion. Usually the author is objective (looks at both sides of an issue) in his presentation of the situation and characters.

30. Epic Hero • An epic hero is a larger-than-life figure, usually male, who embodies the ideals of a nation or race. • Epic heroes take part in long, dangerous adventures and accomplish great deeds that require courage and superhuman strength.

31. Epic Simile • A simile is a comparison of two things using like or as. • An EPIC SIMILE is a longer, more detailed simile that can go on for several lines. • Example: “And Odysseus let the bright molten tears run down his cheeks, weeping [like] the way a wife mourns for her lord on the lost field where he has gone down fighting the day of wrath that came upon his children . . .”

32. Epithet • An epithet is a brief descriptive phrase that helps to characterize a person or thing. • Example: “Son of Laertes and the gods of old, Odysseus, master mariner and soldier. . .” • Epithets were used to give story telling a musical effect.