Who is Homer?

What is the “original story pattern” for a heroic adventure?

(you’ll need to take some notes)

Who is Homer?

What is the “original story pattern” for a heroic adventure?

(you’ll need to take some notes)

Who is Homer?Who is Homer?•Greek Poet

•During 700’s BC, Homer “composed” two great epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey.

•Epic – long poem describing heroes and great events.

•Modern tributes to Homer:

• James Joyce – Ulysses

• Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

• Cold Mountain

The Homeric AgeThe Homeric AgeThe Homeric AgeThe Homeric Age Why was it called

“The Homeric Age”?

Hero Mythology

Why was it called “The Homeric Age”?

Hero Mythology

The Odyssey

What is an Epic?A long narrative poem about a

legendary hero.

Homerpoetthought to be blind, but

describes events as a seeing person

lived between 900 and 700 B.C.E.

HomerWrote the Iliad and the OdysseyBoth are epic stories about the

war between the Trojans and the Greeks (which occurred around 1200 B.C.E.)

IliadStory of the last year of the Trojan War (it lasted

10 years)Troy was defeated when Odysseus and his men

were able to get inside the cityConcealed within the hollow body of an

enormous horse, they secretly opened the gates to the rest of the Greek forces.

Troy was destroyed.

The Trojan Horse

The OdysseyOdysseus and his men journey home

after winning the Trojan WarTakes 10 years to get back home to

Ithaca, his kingdom Archetypal story: It is about humans

on the journey of life overcoming temptations along the way

Characters – family or close friends

Odysseus (Ulysses)Penelope – wifeTelemachus - sonLaertes – father of OdysseusTiresias – advisor and prophetEumaeus – loyal servant who knew

Odysseus from childhood

Characters – gods or monsters

Circe - goddess, enchantress, turned men into swine

Scylla - monster with six heads, each with three rows of teeth, who carries off a sailor in each mouth

Charybdis – Three times a day, this enormous whirlpool monster destroys ships

Sirens – beautiful women whose songs lured sailors to steer their ships onto rocks where they crashed (and the men drowned)

Characters - godsHyperion - the sun (distinct from

Apollo, the sun god)Zeus - leader of the godsHermes – messenger of the godsPersephone – daughter of Demeter &

wife of HadesCalypso – sea goddess who fell in love

with Odysseus

Characters - godsApollo – god of music, poetry, medicinePoseidon – “earth shaker” – the god of

the seas and earthquakesAthena – goddess of wisdom, skillcraft,

and warfareCronus – father of Zeus, he was a Titan

(forebears of the gods)Polyphemus – one of the Cyclops and a

son of Poseidon

Characters - mortalsAgamemnon – king of all the Greek

forcesAntinous – leader of the suitorsAmphinomus &Eurymachus – suitorsPerimedes & Eurylochus –

crewmembersEurynome – housekeeper to Penelope