The Odyssey Background

THE EPIC A. Characteristics 1. Long - (11,300 lines) 2. Narrative - tells a story 3. Episodic - Told as a series of stories 4. Poetic - Rhyme, repetition A. Characteristics 1. Long - (11,300 lines) 2. Narrative - tells a story 3. Episodic - Told as a series of stories 4. Poetic - Rhyme, repetition

THE EPIC B. Epic Hero 1. Legendary 2. Universal 3. Helped or hindered by Gods 4. Flawed B. Epic Hero 1. Legendary 2. Universal 3. Helped or hindered by Gods 4. Flawed

THE EPIC C. Examples 1. Iliad- Greek 2. Odyssey- Greek 3. Beowulf- English 4. Aeneid - Roman 5. Gilgamesh - Sumerian 6. Mwindo Epic- African C. Examples 1. Iliad- Greek 2. Odyssey- Greek 3. Beowulf- English 4. Aeneid - Roman 5. Gilgamesh - Sumerian 6. Mwindo Epic- African

ORAL TRADITION A. Memorized and recited by traveling minstrels B. Stories modified to suit audience C. Repetition and rhyme made easier to memorize D. Invocation (prayer) to gods asking for help in telling stories A. Memorized and recited by traveling minstrels B. Stories modified to suit audience C. Repetition and rhyme made easier to memorize D. Invocation (prayer) to gods asking for help in telling stories

HOMER A. Collected, organized, and wrote down Iliad and Odyssey B. Minstrel (blind) C. Lived 800 B.C. D. Greek E. Influence 1.Basis for Greek education 2.Referred by Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, Euripides and many other authors since A. Collected, organized, and wrote down Iliad and Odyssey B. Minstrel (blind) C. Lived 800 B.C. D. Greek E. Influence 1.Basis for Greek education 2.Referred by Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, Euripides and many other authors since

HISTORY A. Setting 1. Time 1200 B.C. 2. Place: The Mediterranean a. Troy- Western Turkey b. Sparta- Greece A. Setting 1. Time 1200 B.C. 2. Place: The Mediterranean a. Troy- Western Turkey b. Sparta- Greece

THE ILIAD Story of the Trojan War 1.Paris, Prince of Troy, kidnaps Helen, Queen of Sparta 2.Spartans sail to Troy to get her back 3.War lasted 10 years 4.The walls of Troy were impenetrable 5.Gods on Mt. Olympus took sides, prolonging the war 1.Paris, Prince of Troy, kidnaps Helen, Queen of Sparta 2.Spartans sail to Troy to get her back 3.War lasted 10 years 4.The walls of Troy were impenetrable 5.Gods on Mt. Olympus took sides, prolonging the war

THE ILIAD Story of the Trojan War 6. Odysseus devised a plan to end the war 7. The Trojan horse wheeled up to the city with men inside 8. Trojans bring it in, thinking it's a gift of surrender 9. At night men sneak out, open the gates of the city, and the rest of the Spartans enter the city 10. The trick angers some of the gods. They punish Odysseus by making him wander the seas 6. Odysseus devised a plan to end the war 7. The Trojan horse wheeled up to the city with men inside 8. Trojans bring it in, thinking it's a gift of surrender 9. At night men sneak out, open the gates of the city, and the rest of the Spartans enter the city 10. The trick angers some of the gods. They punish Odysseus by making him wander the seas

THE ODYSSEY - Characters THE MORTALS Odysseus - King of Ithaca, Greek Warrior Penelope - Odysseus’s wife Telemachus - Odysseus’s son Laertes - Odysseus’s father Anticleia - Odysseus’s mother Antinious - main suitor Euryacleia - Odysseus’s nurse Euryamaeus - the goat herder THE MORTALS Odysseus - King of Ithaca, Greek Warrior Penelope - Odysseus’s wife Telemachus - Odysseus’s son Laertes - Odysseus’s father Anticleia - Odysseus’s mother Antinious - main suitor Euryacleia - Odysseus’s nurse Euryamaeus - the goat herder

THE ODYSSEY - Characters THE GODS & GODDESSES Zeus - Head god Athena - daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom Hermes - messenger god Poseidon - Zeus’s brother, God of the Sea Helios - god of the Sun Aeolus - god of the Wind Hades - Zeus’s brother, God of the Underworld Muses - 9 daughters of Zeus, represent the Arts THE GODS & GODDESSES Zeus - Head god Athena - daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom Hermes - messenger god Poseidon - Zeus’s brother, God of the Sea Helios - god of the Sun Aeolus - god of the Wind Hades - Zeus’s brother, God of the Underworld Muses - 9 daughters of Zeus, represent the Arts

THE ODYSSEY - Characters THE SUPERNATURAL CREATURES Polyphemus - Poseidon’s son, Cyclops Calypso - Goddess nymph Circe - a witch Sirens - singing sea-nymphs Scylla - Six-headed sea monster Charybdis- Monster whirlpool Tiresias - deceased prophet THE SUPERNATURAL CREATURES Polyphemus - Poseidon’s son, Cyclops Calypso - Goddess nymph Circe - a witch Sirens - singing sea-nymphs Scylla - Six-headed sea monster Charybdis- Monster whirlpool Tiresias - deceased prophet

THE ODYSSEY - an overview 1. Odysseus’s 10-year journey home 2. Telemachus comes of age & wants to find his father 3. Penelope’s suitors attempts to win her 4. Odysseus’s return and revenge against suitors 1. Odysseus’s 10-year journey home 2. Telemachus comes of age & wants to find his father 3. Penelope’s suitors attempts to win her 4. Odysseus’s return and revenge against suitors

THE ODYSSEY - the written work books or episodes all together 2. Told in an overlapping timeline 3. Some books deal with life on Ithaca 4. Some deal with Odysseus’s adventures in the past 5. Still others deal with Odysseus in the “present” books or episodes all together 2. Told in an overlapping timeline 3. Some books deal with life on Ithaca 4. Some deal with Odysseus’s adventures in the past 5. Still others deal with Odysseus in the “present”

THE ODYSSEY - the timeline