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Homer’s Oral Tradition The Iliad and the Trojan War

Homer’s Oral Tradition The Iliad and the Trojan War. English 112. Homer. Legendary, blind minstrel (poet, singer) credited with the Iliad and the Odyssey Estimated he lived 450 BC Other than being blind, not much is known about Homer Homer used oral tradition to share his stories.

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Homer’s Oral Tradition The Iliad and the Trojan War

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  1. Homer’s Oral Tradition The Iliad and the Trojan War English 112

  2. Homer Legendary, blind minstrel (poet, singer) credited with the Iliad and the Odyssey Estimated he lived 450 BC Other than being blind, not much is known about Homer Homer used oral tradition to share his stories

  3. Oral Tradition The passing of stories, poems and sayings by word of mouth Tales included stories of love, ambitions, friendship These are myths, folk tales, legends and epics Express values, ideals and behaviors held important by the culture

  4. UNIVERSAL THEMES Oral tradition has universal themes These themes are insights into life that are true for many different times and cultures. For example: The importance of heroism The strength of loyalty The power of love The dangers of greed

  5. The Iliad wwp.greenwichmeantime.com • The Iliad starts nine years into the Trojan War • The Trojan War took place in Troy which is in the northwest corner of what we now call the Republic of Turkey • Many things had to happen to get this big war under way

  6. The Start of it All… Three generations of misery and bloodshed started because a wedding planner failed to invite an important goddess…

  7. Peleus and Thetis’ Wedding • Peleus was a mortal man. • Thetis was a sea nymph and the daughter of Zeus. • He saw Thetis, fell in love with her, and tried to kidnap her. • She managed to fight him off with a snake until he eventually won her over.

  8. The Big Affair – Peleus and Thetis’ Wedding • With Zeus’ consent, all the famous mortals, gods, and goddess attended • Eris, the goddess of strife was not invited • Eris was insulted and snuck into the wedding reception…

  9. A Golden Apple • Eris tossed a golden apple onto the dance floor. • On the apple were the words, “To the fairest.” • The golden apple was a serious party killer. Who was the most beautiful? To the fairest Deadwhitemales.net

  10. Who is the fairest of them all? The competition was between: • Athena – Zeus’ daughter and a real daddy’s girl • Hera – Zeus’ wife and Queen of the Gods • Aphrodite – The Goddess of Love They asked Zeus, as the King of the Gods, to award the prize, but he was no fool…

  11. The Judgment of Paris www.mythencyclopedia.com • Zeus gave the task to Paris, son of Priam, the King of Troy. • Zeus knew that Troy was fated to be destroyed because of an old run-in with Apollo and Poseidon. • Paris was the “torch to set the whole city on fire.”

  12. Paris’ Ill-fated Choice • Athena offered him victory in war • Hera offered him power over nations • Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful woman in the world What would you choose? homepage.mac.com

  13. Helen of Troy • Paris accepted Aphrodite’s offer • He then learned that the most beautiful girl in the world was ALREADY MARRIED • She was Helen, daughter of Leda and Zeus • She was married to Menelaus, king of Sparta www.search.com

  14. Helen is alluded to as “the face that could launch a thousand ships”.

  15. The Kidnapping of Helen • Paris already had a wife named Oenone who warned him not to go through with the kidnapping • He didn’t listen • He sailed off to Sparta to be guest at the palace of Menelaus www.mlahanas.com

  16. The Kidnapping of Helen • Troy was already doomed before this whole incident • Zeus was the “Protector of Hospitality” • Kidnapping your host’s wife isn’t exactly hospitable • If Troy wasn’t in trouble before, they certainly were now! www.waltm.net

  17. Troy in Trouble • When Menelaus discovered that his wife was kidnapped, he ran to his big brother Agamemnon who agreed to get help wage war to get Helen back library.thinkquest.org

  18. Clever Odysseus! • Odysseus tried to get out of joining Agamemnon and Menelaus in their fight for Helen by pretending to be crazy. • Thetis (whose wedding started all this) tried to get her son Achilles out of fighting, too. • She dressed him as a woman, but he was discovered and went to war users.adelphia.net

  19. Now the War Can Begin!

  20. The Trojan War lasted 10 years • There were many battles with each side winning and losing, creating a stalemate.

  21. The Greeks win the war • The end of the war came with one final plan. • The Greeks, mainly Odysseus, devised a new ruse - a giant hollow wooden horse, an animal that was sacred to the Trojans.

  22. The Greeks surprise attack the Trojans • It was filled with Greek warriors led by Odysseus. • The rest of the Greek army appeared to leave • The Trojans accepted the horse as a peace offering • They thought they had won the war and celebrated

  23. The end of Troy • While the Trojans were in a drunken stupor, the Greeks emerged • They opened the gates for fellow soldiers • The city was utterly destroyed--every single man and boy killed (including infants), every woman and girl enslaved, all its wealth pillaged, and the city itself reduced to rubble.

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