The Odyssey Homer Homer

The Epic An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. The Odyssey, like the Iliad, is an epic poem (Greek epos = verse). It was composed to be recited to the accompaniment of a lyre to a listening audience, not written to be read out. It is characteristic of oral poetry in its constant repetitions.

Composition The Odyssey was composed by a Greek living in Ionia (w. coast of Turkey) probably during the late 8th century BC. It is unknown how or when it came to be written down, who Homer was or whether he was also the poet of the Iliad, as is traditionally thought. Both Iliad and Odyssey are set in the Mycenaean Bronze Age (c. 1600-1100 BC). Iron became the predominant metal in the Greek world, but Homeric armour, etc. is always of bronze.

Composition The Odyssey is 12,110 lines long and would have taken 20-25 hours to recite – so possibly intended in serial form. It is divided into 24 books, one for each letter of the Greek alphabet . The Odyssey falls into six four-book groups, a possible clue to its recitation units. Only by the 6th century was there a written text of the Odyssey.

Background of the Story Odysseus, King of Ithaca, had gone off to the Trojan War twenty years previously, when the Odyssey begins. The war lasted for ten of these years; the remaining time has been spent by Odysseus in trying to return home. In his absence, various suitors for his wife's hand have recently been constantly hanging about in his palace, no one knowing whether he will return. Book 1 opens prior to his return, when Odysseus himself is with the nymph Calypso on her island where he has been for seven years.

Odysseus King of Ithaca Wife: Penelope Children: Telemachus (son) Parents: Laërtes (father) and Anticlea (mother) Odysseus is renowned for his cleverness and resourcefulness. He is most famous for the ten eventful years he took to return home after the ten-year Trojan War and his famous Trojan Horse trick.

Penelope Penelope is the wife of the main character, Odysseus Children: Telemachus (son); born just before Odysseus was called to fight in the Trojan War She waits twenty years for the final return of her husband, during which she has a hard time snubbing marriage proposals from 108 suitors.

Telemachus Son of Odysseus and Penelope Telemachus spends the first four books trying to gain knowledge of his father, Odysseus, whom he has never met.

Athena Father: Zeus The goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and the womanly arts Athena assists Odysseus and Telemachus with divine powers throughout the epic She often appears in disguise as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus.

Poseidon The god of the sea As the suitors are Odysseus’s mortal antagonists, Poseidon is his divine antagonist. He despises Odysseus, and constantly hampers his journey home.

Zeus King of gods and men Mediates the disputes of the gods on Mount Olympus. He sometimes helps Odysseus or permits Athena to do the same.

Antinous The most arrogant of Penelope’s suitors. He leads the campaign to have Telemachus killed. Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically.

Polyphemus (The Cyclops) Father: Poseidon One of the Cyclopes (uncivilized, one-eyed giants) whose island Odysseus comes to soon after leaving Troy. He imprisons Odysseus and his crew. He eats some of them.

Other Characters Eumaeus - The loyal shepherd who, along with the cowherd Philoetius, helps Odysseus reclaim his throne after his return to Ithaca. Calypso -  The beautiful nymph who falls in love with Odysseus when he lands on her island- home of Ogygia. Calypso holds him prisoner there for seven years. Circe -  The beautiful witch-goddess who transforms Odysseus’s crew into swine when he lands on her island.

Other Characters Tiresias -  A Theban prophet who inhabits the underworld. Tiresias meets Odysseus when Odysseus journeys to the underworld. He shows Odysseus how to get back to Ithaca. Alcinous -  King of the Phaeacians. He hears the story of Odysseus’s wanderings and provides him with safe passage back to Ithaca.