The Odyssey Bkgd: one man’s journey home Greek Mythology The Odyssey Bkgd: one man’s journey home

The Odyssey Epic poem – a long narrative poem about the deeds of a hero Written by the blind? poet Homer (850-800 BC) Homer, the first to combine isolated tales into a whole epic poem Passed down orally (told person to person) Poetic lines accompanied by instruments to aid memory

Characteristics of the Epic Begins “in media res” (in the middle) Begins w/ invocation (appeal) to the muse-- asking the muse for inspiration to tell his tale References to the supernatural (gods/goddesses) Epic similes and hyperbole (extreme exaggeration) Repetitive phrases, speeches, incidents, and use of flashbacks Stock Epithets – descriptive word/phrase used to regularly describe an object or person Ex. wine-dark sea, caped crusader, breaker of horses, raider of cities

The Epic Hero larger-than-life man faithful to his friends, his family, and his gods capable of great deeds of strength and courage seems to have “super” powers, but does not regarded as a national hero goes on a quest or journey which tests his endurance, courage, and cunning

Homer’s Epics Bkgd: Iliad and The Odyssey Based on the Trojan War (1200 BC) – 10 year war 100,000 Greeks sailed to Asia Minor to conquer Troy All based on revenge b/c Paris kidnapped Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world Iliad is the first / Odyssey is the sequel Odyssey = Journey

Trojan War Map

Before The Odyssey Odysseus Helped build the wooden “Trojan” horse filled w/ Greek warriors Crept out at night and sacked Troy

The Odyssey (con’t) Gods took sides w/ the Greeks and Trojans Made Odysseus journey home long and difficult (10 years to get home) Poseidon The Odyssey describes Odysseus journey home

The Odyssey (con’t) Odysseus wanted to return home to Ithaca to his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus He had to survive storms, temptations, and enemies at home

The Odyssey (con’t) More popular than The Iliad Universal story of a national hero Homer’s illustrates the character of the hero – flawed yet heroic We use the word today to describe our journey, our odyssey We all spend years trying to reach our goals and we all must endure tests, temptations, and obstacles

What is a myth? Highly imaginative tales that attempt to explain the mysteries of life Every culture has them Think what your parents may have told you as to why it rains as a child OR Tooth Fairy

The Olympians

Zeus Son of Chronus Reigns over the heavens (Mt. Olympus) Oak; Eagle; Lighting Bolt King of gods; fathered many characters in mythology

Zeus

Hera Zeus’s sister and wife; reigns over Mt. Olympus Cow/peacock Jealous protector of marriage and punished the women Zeus fell in love with

Poseidon Son of Chronus; brother of Zeus God of the Seas and Waters Trident; horses or bulls “The Earthshaker” and controls storms

Ares God of War Son of Zeus and Hera Bloodthirsty and merciless

Hestia Goddess of Home Powerful Protector

Hades Son of Chronus; brother of Zeus and Poseidon Invisibility helmet God of the Underworld/ Dead and Wealth

Athena Daughter of Zeus Olive; owl; Athens Goddess of Wisdom and War Sprang from Zeus’s head and his favorite

Artemis Goddess of the Moon/ Hunt Sister to Apollo

Hermes Messenger of the Gods Appears in more myths than any other character

Aphrodite Goddess of Love and Beauty Sprang from the ocean foam

Hephaestus God of Fire/Forge Son of Zeus and Hera Kind, unlike his brother

Apollo Son of Zeus and Leto Crow and dolphin God of Light/Sun, Music and Archery Master musician

Sources Graphics in this presentation were taken from the following web sites: http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/search.html http://www.pantheon.org/ http://www.messagenet.com/myths/ http://mythman.com/ http://web.uvic.ca/grs/bowman/myth/index.html http://www.paleothea.com/ http://www.entrenet.com/%7Egroedmed/greekm/myth.html This presentation is for educational purposes only; it has not been and should not be sold or used as a vehicle to make money.