Greek Mythology Characteristics and Odyssey

NotesPeriods 3 and 5

What is a myth? Review

• describes the actions of gods or heroes or explains the origins of elements of nature

• A story of unknown authorship that people told long ago in an attempt to answer serious questions about how important things began and occurred

•There are 8 Characteristics of Myth

Characteristic 1: Attempt to Explain

•Myths are used to attempt to explain natural phenomena

•Show man's early desire to try and understand the universe

• Examples: • Apollo drove the sun around the earth with his

Chariot• Winter came when Persephone was forced into

the Underworld for part of the year

Characteristic 2: Gods

•Many natural phenomena had to explained with a large number of characters

• Examples: • Poseidon = Ruler of the Sea• Zeus = Ruler of the Heavens • Hades= Ruler of the Underworld

Characteristic 3: Superhuman

• The gods/ goddesses and other heroes are superhuman beings

• can perform great feats that normal mortals couldn't do

• Examples:• Jason won the Golden Fleece by successfully

performing impossible tasks• Atlas held up the world

Characteristic 4: Emotions

•In Myth, gods have human emotions

•Examples: •Pandora = curious •Hera = jealous•Eros (aka Cupid) = mischievous

Characteristic 5: Magic •Myths contain some sort of magic elements

•Magic PACs:• Powers• Actions• Creatures

• Examples: • Daphne was turned into a tree• Athena was born from Zeus' head

• Literally his "Brain Child"

• Centaur =half human half horse

Characteristic 6: Disguises

•Gods in mythology appear in disguises

•Examples: • Zeus transformed himself into a bird to court Hera

• Hera appeared as a crone (an old woman) to Jason.

Characteristic 7: Moralistic •Good is rewarded & Evil is punished

•Right versus Wrong•Examples:

• Baucis & Philemon were rewarded for their generosity to Zeus (right)

• Prometheus was horribly punished for stealing fire from the gods (wrong)

Characteristic 8: Violence

•Mythology contains violence• Example: Prometheus' liver was eaten by vultures

• Zeus sliced his father Cronus into a thousand pieces to become king of the gods

Review of Characteristics

1. Attempt to Explain

2. Has Gods

3. Superhuman Beings

4. Have Human Emotions

5. Has Magic (PACs)

6. Gods Disguise Themselves

7. Moralistic (Right vs. Wrong)

8. Violent

The Odyssey •Possibly one of the greatest

masterpieces of the epic form • Originally told orally • Poems given credit to Homer

•3 important elements of the plot of The Odyssey include:• The Trojan War• The Heroism of Odysseus • Interference of the Greek Gods

• *One of the Characteristics of Myth*

The Trojan War•Legendary war

•Oldest accounts of the war are in The Odyssey & also The Iliad

•Start of war• Paris, a Trojan Prince, kidnapped Helen from

her husband Menelaus• Menelaus= King of Sparta

•Greeks held Troy under siege = 10 years

Trojan War Continued

•Odysseus = the ruler of Ithaca •Came up with the idea of the Trojan Horse•What is a Trojan Horse?

•This event ended the war!

The Heroic Story of Odysseus •The Odyssey talks about Odysseus’

adventures as he makes his way home from Troy. • His journey home he deals with

different kinds of enemies• The Iliad = military enemies• The Odyssey = Monsters & creatures

•He’s trying to get back to his wife and son• Wife= Penelope • Son= Telemachus

The Intervention of the Gods & Goddesses •One of our 8 characteristics of

myth: Gods and Goddesses

•Greeks also believed that • Deities were involved in human

affairs BUT ALSO

• Engage in their own affairs and trivial quarrels.

Trojan War GodInvolvement Example• Athena, Goddess of War & practical

wisdom • Sided with the Greeks because she’s

good at strategizing

• Aphrodite, the goddess of love • Sided with Paris and the Trojans

because Paris loved Helen

•Many of the other gods favored with the Trojans• Many other gods will make him suffer

later as a result

Aphrodite

Athena

• Definition: a long narrative poem

• Tells the story of an Epic Hero

• Elements of an Epic include PATHS

What is an Epic?

Epic PATHSPlot, Archetypes, Themes, Hero, Settings

• Plot:• Creatures• Gods involved • Large-scale events• Weird Weather

• Archetypes• Definition:

Characters, situations, and images that are recognizable in many times and cultures• Sea Monster/Dragon/Snake

• Themes of: • Courage • Beauty • Loyalty

• Hero: • usually has incredible strength• Helped or harmed by gods• Embodies ideals of society

• Setting: • Fantastical or exotic lands• Involves more than one place or nation