1. Cornell Notes: What are the key terms and concepts in The Odyssey?
Homer
Epic
The Iliad
The Odyssey
In Medias Res
Myth
Gods and Goddesses
The Trojan War
Odysseus’ Trick
The Hero’s Journey
Summary:

2. Homer’s The Odyssey
Background Notes

3. Who is Homer?

4. No, not Homer Simpson…

5. An Ancient blind poet
The “bard” who composed the Iliad and the Odyssey between 900 and 700 B.C.

6. Homer did not compose each epic all at once: he told them in a series of short episodes that could be recited in an evening.
Editors, not Homer himself, organized the epics in 24 books.

7. What exactly is an Epic?

8. What is an epic?
An epic is a story-poem about a great hero who performs daring deeds that require superhuman courage
Told orally, not written, recited from memory by minstrels (traveling entertainers)
In Greek epics the gods either help or hinder the hero, like in The Odyssey, Poseidon hinders Odysseus while Athena helps him

9. Characteristics of an Epic
A physically impressive hero (usually famous)
A quest or journey
A vast setting involving much of the known physical world
Descent of the hero into the underworld
Supernatural Forces
Glorification of the hero at the end

10. Famous Epics from Around the World
Iliad and Odyssey Greece
Gilgamesh Sumeria
Aeneid Rome
Song of Roland France
Divine Comedy Italy
Mahabharata, Ramayana India
Sundiata Mali

11. Heroes During Homer’s Time
Heroes were a special class of aristocrats, in between gods and ordinary human beings.
No matter what pain they may have experienced, they always displayed CONFIDENCE .

12. 2 Epic Poems written in 725B.C. by Homer, a blind poet
The Illiad
First written record of Greece
describes the events of 51 days during the last year of the war when Achilles kills Hector
The Odyssey
Describes the 10-year journey of Odysseus as he tries to go home to Ithaca after the Trojan War
He and his men face monsters, giants, cannibals, temptation, and death
**50 years gap between the actual war & when the story was written down

13. The Iliad Setting: 10th year of the Trojan War Greeks vs. Trojans
Theme: War
Important Characters:
Helen, the “face that launched a thousand ships.”
Menelaus, Helen’s Greek Husband
Paris, the prince of Troy
Climax: Trojan Horse (Odysseus’s idea)

14. The Odyssey Setting: 10 years after the end of the Trojan War
Theme: A Long Journey
A Hero In trouble:
Odysseus, a Greek soldier trying to find his way home to Ithaca
People of Ithaca have forgotten about him
His war-hero status is not important anymore

15. “In Medias Res” Means: “In the middle of a sequence of events”
The Odyssey does not begin at the beginning; it starts with Telemachus at 20 years old trying to figure out what to do about his missing dad.

16. SETTING: TIME & PLACE= GREECE 1250 B.C

17. What is a myth?
A myth is an explanation of something in nature; how everything in the universe came into existence (men, animals, trees, the sun, earthquakes, etc) and all that happens
Myths are early science but also entertainment
Greek mythology is made up of stories aboutS gods and goddesses

18. Gods & Goddesses the universe created the gods
the gods lived on Mount Olympus
Zeus= controlled weather & sky
Athena= goddess of wisdom
Helen= most beautiful woman
Poseidon= god of the sea
Charybdis= devourer of land
Polyphemus= chief monster of the Cyclopes
Aeolus= keeper of winds
Hades= ruler of the underworld
Morpheus= god of sleep and dreams

19. The Trojan War: What started it?
took place from about B.C.
Archaeological remains provide evidence that there was a war but cause unknown
Scholars believe the war began over control of the trade route between the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea between the Trojans and Greeks
Ancient mythology states that the war began over a single woman, Helen, queen of Sparta

20. King Peleus marries sea nymph Thetis
All gods on Olympus invited except ERIS, the evil goddess of Discord
Apple - “For The Fairest”
Hera (Queen of Gods), Athena, (Goddess of Wisdom/War),
Aphrodite (Goddess of Love) all claim apple
Paris, Prince of Troy, will be the judge
For the Fairest

21. The Bribe Hera - POWER Athena - WISDOM
Aphrodite - MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN (Helen)
Paris chooses Aphrodite

22. Helen is Abducted!
Helen- beautiful daughter of King of Sparta (in Greece)
Helen has many suitors- they swear oath to protect Helen and her new husband
Father chooses Menelaus- makes him King of Sparta also
Paris abducts Helen
1000 ships, including Odysseus & Achilles, leave for Troy

23. The Gods Take Sides TROJANS (Paris, Hector) GREEKS
Aphrodite
Ares, God of War
Apollo
Artemis
Zeus (favored, but stayed neutral to please Hera)
GREEKS
(Achilles, Odysseus)
Hera
Athena
Poseidon, God of the Sea

24. The Bloody Battle lasted for 10 long years Hand to hand combat
Periods of temporary truce to bury the dead
No fighting after sunset
Gods took sides

25. The Clever Odysseus Greeks build a gigantic hollow horse & hide inside
Sinon chosen to tell a tale of the Greeks leaving
Priest Laocoon tried to warn Trojans “I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts”
Poseidon sent serpent to kill Laocoon

26. Surprise Attack Trojans thought they had won
Sinon tells them horse is an offering to Athena - big so Trojans wouldn’t take it
Trojans fall for it and drag horse into city gates to temple of Athena

27. Troy is in Flames! In middle of night Greeks leave horse and attack
Troy is in flames before Trojans know what has happened
King of Troy dead
Women and Children become slaves
Helen is returned to Menelaus

28. Odysseus, King of Ithaca, angers the Gods
Trojans were slaughtered and city sacked and burned
Greeks violated Trojan temples
Greeks did not offer sacrifices to the gods to thank them for their victory
Odysseus, creator of Horse, will suffer the most

29. The Hero’s Journey Call to Adventure - Trojan War
Wise and Helpful Guides - various gods
Dangerous Trials - Sea perils, temptations
Meeting the Monster - Cyclops, Scylla and Charybdis
Enchanted Forest - Land of the Dead
The Sacrifice - His men
The Hero’s Return - Victory in Ithaca