The Odyssey BackgroundThe Odyssey Background
THE EPICTHE EPIC
A. Characteristics1. Long - (11,300 lines)2. Narrative - tells a story3. Episodic - Told as a
series of stories4. Poetic - Rhyme,
repetition
A. Characteristics1. Long - (11,300 lines)2. Narrative - tells a story3. Episodic - Told as a
series of stories4. Poetic - Rhyme,
repetition
THE EPICTHE EPIC
B. Epic Hero1. Legendary2. Universal3. Helped or hindered by
Gods4. Flawed
B. Epic Hero1. Legendary2. Universal3. Helped or hindered by
Gods4. Flawed
THE EPICTHE EPIC
C. Examples1. Iliad- Greek2. Odyssey- Greek3. Beowulf- English4. Aeneid - Roman5. Gilgamesh - Sumerian6. Mwindo Epic- African
C. Examples1. Iliad- Greek2. Odyssey- Greek3. Beowulf- English4. Aeneid - Roman5. Gilgamesh - Sumerian6. Mwindo Epic- African
ORAL TRADITIONORAL TRADITION
A.Memorized and recited by traveling minstrels
B.Stories modified to suit audience
C.Repetition and rhyme made easier to memorize
D.Invocation (prayer) to gods asking for help in telling stories
A.Memorized and recited by traveling minstrels
B.Stories modified to suit audience
C.Repetition and rhyme made easier to memorize
D.Invocation (prayer) to gods asking for help in telling stories
HOMERHOMER
A. Collected, organized, and wrote down Iliad and Odyssey
B. Minstrel (blind)C. Lived 800 B.C.D. GreekE. Influence
1. Basis for Greek education 2. Referred by Plato, Aristotle,
Sophocles, Euripides and many other authors since
A. Collected, organized, and wrote down Iliad and Odyssey
B. Minstrel (blind)C. Lived 800 B.C.D. GreekE. Influence
1. Basis for Greek education 2. Referred by Plato, Aristotle,
Sophocles, Euripides and many other authors since
HISTORYHISTORY
A. Setting1. Time 1200 B.C.2. Place: The Mediterranean
a. Troy- Western Turkeyb. Sparta- Greece
A. Setting1. Time 1200 B.C.2. Place: The Mediterranean
a. Troy- Western Turkeyb. Sparta- Greece
THE ILIADStory of the Trojan WarTHE ILIADStory of the Trojan War
1. Paris, Prince of Troy, kidnaps Helen, Queen of Sparta
2. Spartans sail to Troy to get her back
3. War lasted 10 years4. The walls of Troy were
impenetrable5. Gods on Mt. Olympus took sides,
prolonging the war
1. Paris, Prince of Troy, kidnaps Helen, Queen of Sparta
2. Spartans sail to Troy to get her back
3. War lasted 10 years4. The walls of Troy were
impenetrable5. Gods on Mt. Olympus took sides,
prolonging the war
THE ILIADStory of the Trojan WarTHE ILIADStory of the Trojan War6. Odysseus devised a plan to end the war7. The Trojan horse wheeled up to the
city with men inside8. Trojans bring it in, thinking it's a
gift of surrender9. At night men sneak out, open the gates
of the city, and the rest of the Spartans enter the city
10.The trick angers some of the gods. They punish Odysseus by making him wander the seas
6. Odysseus devised a plan to end the war7. The Trojan horse wheeled up to the
city with men inside8. Trojans bring it in, thinking it's a
gift of surrender9. At night men sneak out, open the gates
of the city, and the rest of the Spartans enter the city
10.The trick angers some of the gods. They punish Odysseus by making him wander the seas
THE ODYSSEY - CharactersTHE ODYSSEY - Characters
THE MORTALSOdysseus - King of Ithaca, Greek Warrior
Penelope - Odysseus’s wife
Telemachus - Odysseus’s son
Laertes - Odysseus’s father
Anticleia - Odysseus’s mother
Antinious - main suitor
Euryacleia - Odysseus’s nurse
Euryamaeus - the goat herder
THE MORTALSOdysseus - King of Ithaca, Greek Warrior
Penelope - Odysseus’s wife
Telemachus - Odysseus’s son
Laertes - Odysseus’s father
Anticleia - Odysseus’s mother
Antinious - main suitor
Euryacleia - Odysseus’s nurse
Euryamaeus - the goat herder
THE ODYSSEY - CharactersTHE ODYSSEY - Characters
THE GODS & GODDESSESZeus - Head god
Athena - daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom
Hermes - messenger god
Poseidon - Zeus’s brother, God of the Sea
Helios - god of the Sun
Aeolus - god of the Wind
Hades - Zeus’s brother, God of the Underworld
Muses - 9 daughters of Zeus, represent the Arts
THE GODS & GODDESSESZeus - Head god
Athena - daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom
Hermes - messenger god
Poseidon - Zeus’s brother, God of the Sea
Helios - god of the Sun
Aeolus - god of the Wind
Hades - Zeus’s brother, God of the Underworld
Muses - 9 daughters of Zeus, represent the Arts
THE ODYSSEY - CharactersTHE ODYSSEY - Characters
THE SUPERNATURAL CREATURESPolyphemus - Poseidon’s son, CyclopsCalypso - Goddess nymphCirce - a witchSirens - singing sea-nymphsScylla - Six-headed sea monsterCharybdis- Monster whirlpoolTiresias - deceased prophet
THE SUPERNATURAL CREATURESPolyphemus - Poseidon’s son, CyclopsCalypso - Goddess nymphCirce - a witchSirens - singing sea-nymphsScylla - Six-headed sea monsterCharybdis- Monster whirlpoolTiresias - deceased prophet
THE ODYSSEY - an overviewTHE ODYSSEY - an overview
1. Odysseus’s 10-year journey home
2. Telemachus comes of age & wants to find his father
3. Penelope’s suitors attempts to win her
4. Odysseus’s return and revenge against suitors
1. Odysseus’s 10-year journey home
2. Telemachus comes of age & wants to find his father
3. Penelope’s suitors attempts to win her
4. Odysseus’s return and revenge against suitors
THE ODYSSEY - the written workTHE ODYSSEY - the written work
1. 24 books or episodes all together2. Told in an overlapping timeline3. Some books deal with life on
Ithaca4. Some deal with Odysseus’s
adventures in the past5. Still others deal with Odysseus
in the “present”
1. 24 books or episodes all together2. Told in an overlapping timeline3. Some books deal with life on
Ithaca4. Some deal with Odysseus’s
adventures in the past5. Still others deal with Odysseus
in the “present”
THE ODYSSEY - the timelineTHE ODYSSEY - the timeline