Do Now

1. Do Now What is a hero? What qualities do heroes share? Who are some of your heroes?

2. The Odyssey Homer

3. Background • The Iliad and The Odyssey are two of the oldest epic poems in Western literature. • The Odyssey is valued for its form, content, powerful language, and compelling story. • The Iliad focuses on the 10 year Trojan War between the Greeks and Trojans. • Consists of a series of loosely related incidents based on historical fact • The Odyssey is about one soldier’s homecoming 19 years after the end of the Trojan War. • In contrast to The Iliad, The Odyssey has a unified plotline with many supernatural elements.

4. Homer • There is some debate over whether Homer is the true author of The Odyssey. • There was a blind poet who lived around the eighth century B.C., but there is some dispute whether this man actually wrote The Iliad and The Odyssey. • Troy existed in what is modern day Turkey. • A Trojan War did take place in the early 1100s B.C., a few hundred years before Homer’s lifetime. • Homer took a lot of traditional material – developed by bards over many centuries – and cast it in a unique form.

5. Literary Terms • Epic • An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero • Usually include: • The invocation of the muse • Epithets • Any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality. • Alexander the Great, Richard the Lion-Hearted • A word, phrase, or expression used as a term of abuse or contempt (i.e. racial epithet). • A vast setting • Supernatural forces

6. Literary Terms • In media res • “In the middle of things” • Many epics begin in this way.

7. Literary Terms • Homeric epithet • An adjectival phrase so often repeated in connection with a person or thing that it almost becomes a part of the name, like “stout Hermes.” • Homeric simile • An epic simile • Usually an elaborate comparison that extends through a number of lines.

8. Hospitality • Xenia – hospitality • Zeus was considered the god of travelers and being inhospitable was considered a disrespectful action against him. • Greeks had to be hospitable to everyone for fear that a god or goddess was mingling among them and being rude could cause his/her wrath. • There must be respect from guest to host, host to guest, and a parting gift from host to guest. • This idea is an important part of The Iliad and The Odyssey. • Paris violated this in The Iliad by taking Helen of Troy. • Many people in The Odyssey are hospitable to Odysseus.

9. Themes Revenge and sacrifice Compassion Masculinity and pride The role of a virtuous and faithful wife The duty of servants

10. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

11. Homework Read Book I and answer the corresponding questions.

12. Do Now What is a myth? Are myths based on actual happenings?

13. Book I Examine the epithets that are associated with various characters: “clever,” “fine fellow” Odysseus; “fine old gentleman” Laërtês; “the wise and faithful wife” Penelopeia; “the usual good mannered” Telemachos. What function do these epithets serve other than as formulaic constructions used in the oral poetic medium? How are these epithets appropriate to the characters associated with them? When are they not appropriate?

14. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

15. Homework Read Book II and answer the corresponding questions.

16. Do Now What is the relationship of gods to mortals? Why do they sometimes make life hard for mortals?

17. Book II Examine the arguments made by each speaker at the Ithacan assembly. How do the characters’ speeches reflect their individual personalities? Analyze both what the characters say and the manner and mood in which they say it. How do the styles and rhetorical strategies employed by the various speakers compare and contrast with one another? How are these similarities and differences significant? What conclusions can you draw about the speakers’ characters traits as depicted in their speech?

18. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

19. Homework Read Book III and answer the corresponding questions.

20. Do Now What are some examples of stories that are passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation before they were actually written down?

21. Book III Examine Nestor’s personality and character. What distinguishes him from other characters who serve as storytellers during the course of the narrative? What distinguishing features mark his speech? What is the general impression of Nestor’s character in The Odyssey? What means does Homer employ in order to achieve this impression?

22. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

23. Homework Read Book IV and answer the corresponding questions.

24. Do Now Have you ever seen a storyteller in action – or told a story to a group yourself? What is hard about it? What did you like about it?

25. Book IV Scholars have dubbed the first four books of The Odyssey as the “Telemachy,” for the books deal almost exclusively with the journeys of Telemachos. In what ways are these books an appropriate introduction to Homer’s work? In what ways are the books an inappropriate introduction? Note the many references to Odysseus in these books. What picture do you have of him before he is even physically in the story? Is your view of him negative or positive?

26. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

27. Homework Read Book V and answer the corresponding questions.

28. Do Now What are some memory devices a storyteller might use? How does the storyteller keep the audience’s attention?

29. Book V Examine several of the epic similes found in this and other books of The Odyssey. Identify each element in the simile and its relation to elements (characters, events, objects, etc.) in the narrative. What emotions, moods, and other factors can you elicit from the epic simile that were not present in the direct description of the element itself? Are these new feelings appropriate to the events that surround the simile? Does the simile enhance the narrative or distract from it? Does this part of the story remind you of any other stories you know?

30. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

31. Homework Read Book VI and answer the corresponding questions.

32. Do Now Why do people go on long journeys? What are the benefits? What are the problems that can accompany a long trip?

33. Book VI Compare the various comic aspects of Book VI with parallel passages in the poem of a more serious nature. Look, for example, at Odysseus’s decision making, Athena’s enhancement of beauty, and epic similes. How is the mocking of previous conventions more effective than simply inventing new narrative techniques for comic action?

34. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

35. Homework Read Book VII and answer the corresponding questions.

36. Do Now How important is your pride? Does it ever cause you problems? What about the pride of family or friends? Has it ever caused a fight?

37. Book VII Examine the many scenes of hospitality in The Odyssey. How are they similar? How do they differ? What is significant about these differences? What commentary does each episode offer concerning the responsibilities of guest and host, such as gift giving, nourishment, etc.? What is the relationship between the motif of hospitality and the distasteful situation occurring in Odysseus’s home during his absence?

38. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

39. Homework Read Book VIII and answer the corresponding questions.

40. Do Now Have you ever had to sacrifice something significant? Or perhaps sacrificed something that seemed insignificant but ended up really affecting you? What happened that you had to make this sacrifice? How did you feel afterwards?

41. Book VIII Examine the character of Demodocos in Book VIII. What information does Homer relate to us concerning his profession? How did you think professional bards/minstrels were able to survive? Note Penelopeia’s attempt to silence Phemios in Book I. What is significant about Telemachos’s defense of Phemios’s behavior, and how does this defense relate to Demodocos in Book VIII?

42. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

43. Homework Read Book IX and answer the corresponding questions.

44. Do Now Many stories examine the male ego through their characters. How is the male ego portrayed in the story so far? Have you experienced many “macho” men in your life? Do you consider yourself, your dad, your brothers, etc. to be this certain stereotype?

45. Book IX Book IX is the first section told by Odysseus himself to the Phaiacians. What are the differences between Odysseus’s narrative technique and that of the main narrator of The Odyssey? What are the similarities between the two? Explain the significance of your findings. Does Odysseus’s depiction of himself coincide with that of the main narrator? Explain the significance of your findings.

46. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.

47. Homework Read Book X and answer the corresponding questions.

48. Do Now Last night for homework, you examined the loyalty of Odysseus’s crew. Have you ever felt like you were owed some sort of loyalty and it was not given to you, be it from a friend, family member, co-worker, etc.? What were the circumstances? Why couldn’t the person be as loyal to you as you would have liked? Or was there no good reason for his/her disloyalty?

49. Book X The loyalty of Odysseus’s crew is constantly in flux. Sometimes they follow him unswervingly, and other times they refuse to obey him and even conspire against him. Examine these critical moments throughout Odysseus’s narrative. How significant are the crew’s actions in the plot’s overall progression? What message are both Odysseus and Homer himself trying to drive home to their audience by means of these many examples of loyalty and disloyalty?

50. Classwork Complete classwork worksheet.