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Published byDelilah Cooper Modified over 9 years ago
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Homer’s The Odyssey Background Notes
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Who is Homer?
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No, not Homer Simpson…
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An Ancient blind poet The “bard” who composed the Iliad and the Odyssey between 900 and 700 B.C.
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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.
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What exactly is an Epic?
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The Epic… A long narrative poem that tells the adventures of a hero Used to teach virtues of a civilization
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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
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Famous Epics from Around the World Iliad and OdysseyGreece GilgameshSumeria AeneidRome Song of RolandFrance Divine ComedyItaly Mahabharata, RamayanaIndia SundiataMali
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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.
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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)
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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
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“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.
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