The Odyssey Lecture Notes
Author Info. ● Homer ● Lived between 600 & 900 BC ● Wrote The Odyssey around 700 BC ● Was said to be blind
The Odyssey ● Epic Poem – long, narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
Characteristics of Epic Poetry ● Includes traits of the “oral character” ● Stirs “warrior spirit”: assuring fame, supplying models of behavior ● Educational rather than historical ● Characters transformed into “ideal heroes” and deeds conform to mythological patterns – Union between moral and divine – Fight a dragon – Die young in fabulous circumstances
Review Time What is an epic poem?
What is a myth? ● A story ● Told/written to answer questions like: “Where did we come from? Why are we here?” ● Has characters with superhuman powers ● Used to explain natural phenomenon
Oral Tradition ● Poems/Myths often told by traveling, singing poets for entertainment purposes ● As stories evolved, they changed, often becoming more spectacular and dramatic – i.e.: heroes grew stronger, monsters more fierce, etc.
Review Time Why did stories/poems change each time they were told?
The Odyssey ● Did not derive from one mind ● Collection of looming story, spread from town to town ● 1 st version written on stretched goatskins, the only medium at the time
Allegory ● Form of imaginative literature that encourages readers to look for meaning
Allusions ● Reference to a person, place, event, artistic work or universal theme that the author expects the reader to recognize
Review Time What is an allegory? What is allusion?
Examples of Allusions in The Odyssey ● Ithaca – an end goal ● Lestrygonians – represents self-destructive tendencies ● Cyclopes – arrogance ● Poseidon – anger, revenge ● Odysseus – ideal/perfect hero; all that happens in the poem “must” happen
Odysseus – the perfect hero ● His crew must die so he can be the only one to live ● He must be gone 20 years so he will be tested to the limits ● He must have perfect, faithful wife and son behind him ● Ithaca must be ignored during his absence, creating a story there without him
Odysseus continued... ● All suitors must die at his hand to glorify reclaiming what is his ● He must have faithful servants to return to ● He must beat Poseidon in their “game” at sea to justify his bragging throughout the story
Characters ● Penelope – loyal and virtuous wife of the hero ● Telemachus – loyal son of Odysseus ● Odysseus' Crew – only there to serve Odysseus ● Goddesses – there to serve and fall in love with Odysseus ● Monsters, Suitors & Other Dangers – there to prove Odysseus can conquer all
Final Review Question What makes Odysseus an epic hero?