The Odyssey Introduction

About the Author

Homer Very little is known about the Greek poet Homer His estimated date of birth is around 850 BC He is believed to have been blind Creator of epic poems (long, narrative poem often revolving around heroic deeds) The Iliad and The Odyssey

Homer Mystery Some scholars believe that Homer was not one person, but rather a group of writers The group theory comes from the fact that stories of that time period were passed down orally and not written down (oral tradition) Homer may have been the one to compile and memorize the stories to be passed down It remains a mystery to this day

Power of Memory Looking at the concept of oral tradition, pretend I made you memorize this entire 12,000 line poem to pass along verbally to a friend… Now picture on top of those 12,000 lines I made you memorize that you need to also memorize the 18,000 lines of The Iliad… The concept of oral tradition and relying on memory to keep this epic poem in tact over thousands of years until it was recorded is something to take pause for and to appreciate. We don’t have to worry about this today! Disclaimer: No, you are not going to have to memorize those epic poems.

About the Epic Poem

Summary “Odysseus sails for his home in Ithaca after the Trojan War. The journey of this larger- than-life hero takes a superhuman effort, for the god Poseidon has other plans than homecoming. He throws many natural obstacles and dangerous enemies in Odysseus’ path. Through steadfast courage, cleverness, and honor for the gods, the general succeeds in returning to his wife, son, and kingdom after a twenty- year absence” (Glencoe Literature 803).

Why Read Homer’s The Odyssey? At approximately 2800 years old, it’s one of the earliest works of literature. It is so deep-rooted in our culture and literature that it is necessary to be familiar with it. It’s one of the greatest adventure stories ever written. It’s got cyclops, sirens, six-headed sea monsters, Calypso, and other fantastic mythological creatures.

The Iliad War-Story Background

Intro In order to fully understand The Odyssey, you need some background on what went on in The Iliad Odysseus, the main character of The Odyssey, appears in The Iliad, so that is technically where his journey begins We need to know his role in the Trojan War and what was happening during the Trojan War to understand the remainder of his journey in The Odyssey

Trojan War The Iliad revolves around the Trojan War Legendary event believed to have taken place (if it did) around 1200 BC Takes place over 10 years War against the city of Troy (Trojans) by the Greeks after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus

Important People Helen: wife of Menelaus; Paris’ lover; said to be the most beautiful woman in the world (“face that launched a thousand ships”) Paris: king of Troy (in modern-day Turkey); Helen’s lover Menelaus: husband of Helen; King of Sparta (in Greece) Achilles: hero of the Trojan War; fought on Greece’s side; central character of The Iliad

The Trojan Horse The war being at a stalemate, Odysseus devised a crafty plan for the Greeks to become victorious… The Greeks sent all the ships away for it to appear the Greeks were giving up (they really just sailed into hiding) As a peace offering, the Greeks left a wooden horse at the gates of Troy The Trojans were jubilant at the end of this 10 year war and dragged the massive horse through the gates and into the city

The Trojan Horse The Trojans celebrated their apparent victory and got drunk In the dead of night while most were intoxicated, the Greeks popped out of the trap door at the horse’s belly and slaughtered Troy and set it on fire, finally ending the war Odysseus deemed a hero, he set off on his journey home from the war, which is where The Odyssey picks up; his journey home, however, becomes more troublesome than the war

Mythological Creatures Background

Apollo/Helios- god of sunlight, music, poetry, medicine, law, and tending to flocks

Athena- daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare who helps her chosen heroes

Calypso- immortal sea nymph who held Odysseus captive for many years

Charybdis- dangerous whirlpool personified as a female monster

Circe- enchantress who lives on the island of Aeaea

Lotus Eaters- inhabitants of a land visited by Odysseus and his crew

Polyphemus- a Cyclops (one-eyed giant) and son of Poseidon

Poseidon- god of the sea and earthquakes

Scylla- six-headed female sea monster

Sirens- sea nymphs who sing songs that lure men to their death

Zeus- king of the gods

The Hero’s Journey (Monomyth)

The Monomyth Concept created by Joseph Campbell It is a template of a hero going on a journey, encountering obstacles, and returning home a changed person This concept can be applied to many pieces of literature, as well as movies and TV shows

The 7 Steps Call to Adventure Threshold into the Unknown (gets helper/mentor) Challenges and Temptations Abyss (death and rebirth=revelation) Transformation Atonement (amends) Return (back to known)