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