The Odyssey

Pre-Reading Notes

Mythology
A myth is a traditional story from a particular culture.
Usually explains a belief of that culture, a ritual of the
culture, or a mysterious natural phenomenon.
A myth deals with humans and the unknown, or humans
and gods.
Tells us how the world began and how humans and
animals were created along with certain customs and
gestures.
Emphasized the weakness of humans: cruelty, greed and
pride; showed human feelings.
Greek Mythology
No revelations of spiritual teachings; Pre-Christian era
Polytheistic: belief of worship of more than one god; a
combination of many tribes/myths.
Cities devoted to one or many Gods: built temples and had
priests to protect, festivals, oracles.

Epic

A long narrative story in poem form.

Has a hero.
Is the story of the heros travels and his fights with monsters.
Typically begins with an invocation or prayer to a god or gods
Were originally sung, often to a harp.
Contain information about the culture that created them:
religion, dress, homes, weapons and war, roles of men and
women, values and moral standards.
Contain clues to what the people who created them feared or did
not understand: natural disasters, death, heavens, storms, etc.
Used in schools to teach Greek virtues:
Values: honor, bravery, hospitality, intelligence, respect for the gods,
loyalty to home and family
Faults: disrespect for the gods, lack of hospitality, excessive pride
(hubris)

Illiad = epic of war

Odyssey = epic of journey
Contains long, formal speeches by many characters

For example

Lord of the Rings

The Hobbit
Harry Potter
Indiana Jones
Star Wars
Tangled

Epic Hero
Possess larger than life qualities, possibly
supernatural powers.
Is a natural leader of men.
Is appealing to the opposite sex, but rarely has an
extended relationship.
Defeats monsters and/or fights gods.
Has good on his or her side
Ares, the God of War, rode alongside the Trojans
during The Trojan War to aid them.

Epic Hero
Often stands alone in battle and is a skilled
fighter.
Is smarter than everyone else, generally a
problem solver.
Has a weakness that often destroys him or her
leads to death this is called hamartia.
Achilles was shot and killed in his vulnerable heel
that was not dipped in the river Styx.

Makes long journeys, always on the move, travels

to find adventure.

The Odyssey
Sequel to the Illiad
The Illiad focuses on the days toward the end of the
Trojan War.
The Odyssey focuses on one of the soldiers
(Odysseus) who fought in the Trojan War

Neither were originally written down, only recited

orally.
The Trojan War lasted ten years; Odysseuss
journey lasted nine.

Odysseus
Came up with the wooden-horse trick that led to
Troys collapse in the Trojan War.
Is a clever and skilled fighter.
Married to Penelope and has one son, Telemachus.

Homer
The author of Illiad
and Odyssey
Blind bard
Singer from the island
Chios
Was a singer of tales
All
historians/entertainers
of Homers time did
not write their
stories/facts down

Epithets

Brief descriptive phrases

Characterize a person or thing
Sometimes set off by commas
Used to help the rhapsode and listener better
remember details
For example:
Now I will avow that men call me Odysseus, Sacker
of Cities, Laertes son, a Prince of Achaeans, said
the Wanderer.
Muse, daughter of Zeus

Game of Thrones uses these often:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXpHvhjUzAI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFYPuJhyRKk