1. The Odyssey

2. Who was Homer? Believed to have written The Iliad and The Odyssey
The Odyssey was composed around 1200 B.C.
Believed to be a blind poet.

3. Epic
A long narrative poem in elevated style that depicts characters going through adventures
Epics include:
Epic Hero: a figure of historical and legendary significance
Action: deeds of great valor requiring superhuman strength
Mortals and immortals
Visits to the underworld
Concern with the idea of fate
Extended formal speeches by the main character
Beginnings with an invocation of the Muses

4. How is an epic different from other works of literature?
Passed through oral tradition and songs
Improvised/changed often to add flair
Characters are “larger than life”
Relates to culture’s history
OTHER
Written
Constant and unchanging
Characters are ordinary

5. Modern Epics
The Matrix
Star Wars
The Hobbit

6. Trojan War

7. What does The Trojan War have to do with The Odyssey ?
Framework for the story
Odysseus fought in the war
The Odyssey is the tale of his return journey to Ithaca

8. Odysseus Hero of The Odyssey Husband of Penelope; Father of Telemachus
Great, but reluctant soldier in the war
Archetypical hero

9. What is an Archetype?
Archetypes are patterns that are copied. They are symbols/characters that appear over again in myths and literature.
They survive because they portray characters, conflicts, and events that are timeless.
They help the reader to understand the theme of the work.
Some classic examples of archetypes are:
the hero, the damsel in distress, the battle between good and evil, the long journey

10. Lit Terms Major terms you should know before we begin reading:
Allusion – a reference to another work/event
In Media Res – “in the middle of things”
Conflict (external/internal)
Foreshadow
Flashback
Theme
Irony – when the opposite of what is expected occurs
Epic Simile – an extended comparison
Epithets – short descriptions (two-three words)