EPIC POETRY Homer and The Odyssey

What do we mean by “Epic”? Epics reveal powerful qualities, such as heroism, majesty, and bravery. They tell stories of great horror, great tragedy, great triumph, or any combination of the three. They have a dignified style and a subject that is important to a large group of readers. Examples: Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey, John Milton’s Paradise Lost, and Dante’s Divine Comedy

The Destination or The Journey? Think of books, movies, or TV shows that depict a journey of some sort – whether it’s a quest to find a long lost family member, a struggle to make it safely back home, or a mission to fulfill an important dream. Which seems more important to the story, the destination the character strives to reach or the journey itself?

Homer’s World The Illiad and the Odyssey were composed in Greece around 750-725 B.C. by a blind poet named Homer. They are the greatest masterpieces of the epic form, narrative poetry about a hero’s adventures. They were first told orally and weren’t actually written down until generations later. Three important elements of the plot of each epic are the Trojan War, the heroism of Odysseus, and the interference of the gods.

The Trojan War Occurred sometime around 1200 B.C. Began after Paris, a Trojan prince, kidnapped the beautiful Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta Menelaus recruited kings and soldiers from all over Greece to help him avenge his honor and recover his wife. The Greeks held Troy under siege for ten years.

The Illiad takes place during the 10th year of the war. Achilles quarrels with Menelaus’ brother Agamemnon Paris’ brother Hector is killed To break the 10 year stalemate, Odysseus thought of a scheme to make the Trojans think the Greeks had given up. The Trojan Horse

Odysseus The Odyssey takes place after the Trojan war. Covers Odysseus’ journey home from war, the monsters who try to kill him, and the women who try to keep him from getting home to his wife, Penelope. Odysseus’ special gift is his “craft” or “guile”: the ingenious tricks he uses to get himself out of difficult situations.

Intervention of the Gods and Goddesses Greeks believed that their gods not only took an active interest in human affairs but also behaved in recognizably human ways, often engaging in their own trivial quarrels and petty jealousies. ex. Athens, the goddess of war, supported the Greeks while Aphrodite, the goddess of love, supported Paris and the Trojans.

Odysseus has Athena on his side. He displeased the gods on the side of Troy. He angers several more gods on his journey home. As a result, he is forced to suffer many hardships on his way home. The Odyssey, with its strange lands and creatures were similar to our stories of aliens and other galaxies.

Important Gods in the Odyssey Eros: God of love (Also known as Cupid) Aphrodite: Goddess of love (Eros’ mother) Apollo: God of music, poetry, and prophesy Athena: Goddess of war, wisdom, and cleverness Muses: Daughters of Zeus, viewed as sources of divine intervention

The Epic Epic Hero: a larger-than-life figure who undertakes great journeys and performs deeds remarkable in strength and cunning Epic: a long, narrative poem that recounts the adventures of an epic hero

Possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence Is helped and harmed by interfering gods Embodies ideals and values that a culture considers admirable Emerges victorious from perilous situations The Epic Hero

The Epic Plot Involves a long journey full of complications, such as: Strange creatures Divine intervention Large-scale events Treacherous weather

The Epic Setting Includes fantastic or exotic lands Involves more than one nation

Archetypes Archetypes are characters, situations, and images that are recognizable in many times and cultures: Sea monster Wicked temptress Buried treasure Suitor’s contest Epic hero Loyal servant

Epic Themes Epic themes reflect universal concerns: Courage The fate of a nation A homecoming Beauty Loyalty Life and death

Epic Vocabulary Epic Similes Epithets Allusions

Epic Similes Simile: a comparison between two unlike things using the word “like” or “as” Epic simile: a simile developed at great length that goes on for several lines Ex. “His rage held hard in leash, submitted to his mind, while he himself rocked, rolling from side to side, as a cook turns a sausage, big with blood and fat, at a scorching blaze, without a pause, to broil it quick: so he rolled left and right…”

Epithets A brief descriptive phrase used to characterize a particular person or thing. Used when a poet needed to fill out a line. He’d use an epithet with the right meter and number of syllables. Ex. This epithet characterizes Zeus: “Are you not moved by this, Lord of Olympus? Had you no pleasure from Odysseus’ offerings”

Allusions A reference to a famous person, place, or event. To help his audience picture what he described, a poet may have made an allusion to something they already knew. Ex. When Odysseus’ son first sees the palace of Menelaus, he says “This is the way the court of Zeus must be.” Every Greek would have understood this allusion to the ruler of the gods.