2. The epic A long, narrative poem that tells the story about the adventures of gods or heroes. The central character of an epic, called the epic hero, is a figure of great, sometimes larger-than-life stature. The hero may be a character from legend or history and generally possesses character traits valued by the society in which the epic originates.

3. Of Epic Proportions Modern epics Classic Epics Raiders of the Lost Ark Batman Star Wars Harry Potter Beowulf The Odyssey The Iliad

4. Hero in a myth A character who performs amazing feats in a tale involving supernatural beings and fantastic events. He is often aided by magical elements such as help from the gods/goddesses or predictions and prophesies by oracles Must exhibit admirable qualities such as courage, loyalty and fairness

5. The Odyssey is written by Homer (800 BC) Also wrote the Iliad, another epic poem

6. Background for The Odyssey Describes what happened to the Greek hero, Odysseus, in the aftermath of the Trojan War. Trojan War sparked when Paris was promised the love of Helen by Aphrodite after he chose her as the most beautiful goddess. Problem: Helen was already married to Menelaus of Sparta. To recapture Helen, a Greek force attacked Troy and dragged on for 10 years. It ended when the Greeks pretended to depart, leaving behind a wooden horse. That night the Greeks crept out and conquered the city.

7. The Odyssey Classic adventure story Combines realistic elements of historical events with wildly imagined scenes of fantastical places and creatures Odysseus is a model of courage, daring and intellect He pursues his goal (quest) of returning home after many years at war in the face of many obstacles He has human traits and failings that make him seem like a real person He enjoys life, is too curious for his own good, is too foolishly arrogant at times & is clever to the point of being tricky

8. Symbolic because: Represents the individual’s journey through life and the search for self- knowledge!

10. Odysseus’s Journey: The Lotus-eaters The Cyclops Aeolia Laestrygonians (cannibals) Aenea (goddess Circe) Land of the Dead (Hades) Aenea (Circe prophesies to him) The Sirens (lure sailors to destruction) The Wandering Rocks (destructive sea rocks)

11. Journey continued Scylla (sea monster) Charybdis (whirlpool) Cattle of the Sun God See map on p. 891 of your textbook