Homer

The Odyssey

Meet HomerHomer was a blind Greek

poet that lived on the

Greek Island of Chios. It

is believed that Homer

wrote both the Iliad and

the Odyssey.  Homer

was a minstrel (or bard)

which is an entertainer

that told stories or sang

songs. The details of

Homer's life are a

mystery; some scholars

believe that no such

man ever existed, and

that the works credited

to him were actually told

and gathered by many

people over many

centuries.

It’s a long narrative poemThe speaker is a narrator, telling a storyThe theme or subject of the tale is importantThe setting is huge. It may be a sea, a region, the

world or a universe.The main character is most likely a heroThe action includes extraordinary or super-human

deeds.Gods or supernatural beings take a part, or an

interest, in the actionThe purpose of an epic is to not only entertain but

also to teach and inspire the listener or reader with examples of how people can strive and succeed against great odds.

What is an Epic?

The Twelve Olympian Gods Aphrodite- the goddess of love and

beauty Apollo- god of the arts(esp. poetry and

music), archery, and divination Ares- god of war Artemis- goddess of the hunt and

protector of children Athena- goddess of wisdom, war and

crafts; patron of Athens Demeter-goddess of agriculture and

fertility Dionysos- god of wine, mysteries, and

the theatre Hephaistos- god of smiths and metal

workers Hera- goddess of marriage; consort of

Zeus Posedion- god of the sea and

earthquakes Zeus- god of the sky; ruler of Olympus

Some Greek Heroes Achillis- was the greek hero during

the trojan war. Legends say that he was invulnerable in all of his body except his heel. Achillis is the central character and the greatest warrior in Homer’s epic poem Lliad.

Theseus-legendary founder-king of Athens.

Odysseus-legendary Greek king of Ithaca. The hero in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey.

Perseus- hero who killed Medusa Jason- famous leader of the

Agronauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece

Hercules- one of the most famous Greek Heros. According to one myth he founded the Olympic games. He is believed to ward off evil.

Some Greek MonstersScylla: six-

headed female sea monster

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

Cyclops: race of one-eyed giants

Medusa: her hair turned into snakes and was said she could turn men into stone .

In the tenth year of the Trojan War, the Greeks tricked the enemy into bringing a colossal wooden horse within the walls of Troy. The Trojans had no idea that Greek soldiers were hidden inside, under the command of Odysseus. That night they emerged and opened the city gates to the Greek army. Troy was destroyed. Now it was time for Odysseus and the other Greeks to return to their kingdoms across the sea. Here begins the tale of the Odyssey.

Leading up to the Odyssey

Who’s Who in The OdysseyThe Greeks Odysseus- a Hero of the Trojan War Penelope- Odysseus’s Wife Telemachus- Odysseus’s teenage son Eurylochus- A captain in Odysseus’s crew

Monsters and Witches Cyclops- A one-eyed giant (son of Poseidon) Circe- enchantress who lives on the island of Aeaea Scylla- a human eating six-headed female sea monster

Gods and Goddesses Poseidon- God of the Sea Calypso- A goddess who loves Odysseus Hermes- Messenger of the gods Athena- Goddess of wisdom

Think about a time you faced a

challenge. Write about how you dealt with the challenge

and what its outcome was.