An introduction to The Odyssey

1. An introduction to The Odyssey

2. TIMELINE 1600 - 1100 BCE Heroic Age Flourishing of the Greek Empire --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1193 BCE City of Troy is destroyed --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1100 – 750 BCE Dark Age --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 750 – 500 BCE Renaissance of Greek Empire Time of Homer and Hesiod --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 500 – 400 BCE Rise and Fall of Athens Golden Age of Greece Persian and Peloponnesian Wars --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 400 – 300 BCE Macedonian Invasion End of Greek Empire

3. Overview of the Age of Heroes • The Greek Empire dates back to around 1600 BCE. • From 1600-1100 BCE, the empire flourished. • However, it went into a dark age that lasted until around 750 BCE.

4. The Age of Heroes • The city of Troy (see map) was destroyed around 1193 BCE, likely by Greeks seeking trade routes through the Dardanelles. • The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer’s immortal epic poems, are about the Trojan War. • The epics are part of the historical credo of ancient Greece because they tell of a time when the Greek city-states were unified and powerful politically.

5. The Age of Heroes • In The Odyssey, Greeks are referred to as: • Achaeans • Argives • Danaans • Myceneans • These names represent the different cities or island states of the Greek empire. • Troy is referred to as Ilium, one of the names of this ancient city.

6. The Ideals of the Heroic Age • The Heroic Age is a semi-mythical time in the Greek civilization from 1400 to 1100 BCE. • While Homer did not live during the Heroic Age, he wrote about it extensively. • According to Greek traditions, humans during this time lived in closer contact with the gods. • This was the time of the Trojan War (1193 BCE) • Democratic ideals flourished under the mythical king of Athens, Theseus.

7. The Ideals of the Heroic Age • In ancient Greece, men were judged by arete, not by birth and could achieve a higher social status by thoughts and deeds. • Three major “sins” in Greece were: • Blasphemy against or disrespect towards the gods • Treachery or betrayal of a host or guest • Shedding or spilling the blood of relatives

8. The Author Homer

10. The Author • Nearly 3,000 years after they were composed, The Iliad and The Odyssey remain two of the most widely read stories ever told, but next to nothing is known about their author. • What is known is that he was an accomplished Greek bard that was blind and probably lived in the late 8th and early 7th centuries BCE. • His work was inspired by a long tradition of unwritten, oral poetry.

11. What is an Epic Poem? • An epic poem is a long poem that deals with the origins of a people or nation or religious beliefs. • Epic poems are presented in a structured format. The Iliad and The Odyssey are composed in dactylic hexameter. • Gods or supernatural beings play a role in epic poetry. • In epic poetry, mortals or heroes fight against great odds and ultimately triumph, although for humans, death is always lurking in the distance. • Epic poetry usually contains an detailed scenes of violence and gore. • The setting of an epic poem is global.

12. What is an Epic Poem? • Epic poems are narrated in objective, third person point of view. • In an epic poem, the story or narrative starts in medias res, or, in the middle of things, with an invocation to the gods or Muses. • Epic poems pose an epic question that addresses a crucial theme of human life.

13. What is a myth? • A myth is a traditional story whose author is unknown. It has its roots in the folk-beliefs of cultures and uses the supernatural to attempt to explain nature, man and the gods. • Myths teach us that we are responsible for our own fate. • These stories are passed down by word-of-mouth, also called oral tradition.

14. Why do we read myths? • Myths explore and challenge ideas of the human condition • Myths provide a glimpse into other cultures and their values • In our culture today, do we experience heroism, love, jealousy, war, tragedy, and triumph? • Think about the news and current events…can you think of something that involved one of the above named elements?

15. What do all epics and myths have in common? A HERO! • A man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits and favored by the gods, with a noble purpose (will risk and sacrifice own life) • A tragic hero suffers as a result of a tragic flaw – a vice as a result of internal conflict

16. The Gods & Goddesses

17. The Titans • The Titans, also known as the elder gods, ruled the earth before the Olympians overthrew them. • The ruler of the Titans was Cronus who was de-throned by his son Zeus. • Most of the Titans fought with Cronus against Zeus and were punished by being banished to Tartarus. • During their rule the Titans were associated with the various planets.

18. The Olympians • The Olympians are a group of twelve gods who ruled after the overthrow of the Titans. • All the Olympians are related in some way. They are named after their dwelling place Mount Olympus.

19. Ahhh…to be Immortal • Each story has gods, goddesses, and monsters. • The gods are immortal. Immortals are beings who can not die. • These gods are much like real people; they forgot stuff, they became jealous, they can be kind or ruthless.

20. ZEUS • King of the gods • God of the sky • weapon = thunderbolt • god of justice and punisher of evil-doers

21. Aphrodite • goddess of love; most beautiful of all goddesses • Sometimes worshipped as a war goddess and the goddess of sailors • She was the essential cause of the Trojan War. During the war and after she sided with the Trojans, not the Greeks. She and Poseidon kept Odysseus from going home.

23. Hera • Zeus’ wife • Supreme goddess

24. Ares – “The Bad Boy” • Zeus & Hera’s son • god of war • tall, vain, cruel

25. Hades • god of the underworld • Zeus’ brother • unpitying and horrible

26. Apollo • god of music, light and archery • drives the sun like a chariot across the sky

27. Hermes • V.I.G. – Very Important God • Messenger for the gods • Most clever of all gods • In The Odyssey, Hermes saves Odysseus from the island of Calypso. • In several stories, it is Hermes’ job to deliver weapons and saving items to heroes.

28. Poseidon • a.k.a. Neptune; God of the sea, earthquakes and horses • Although he is one of the supreme gods of Mount Olympus, he spends most of his time in his watery domain • Zeus’ and Hades’ brother – the three divided up creation; Zeus is the ruler of the sky, Poseidon is the ruler of all water and Hades is the ruler of the underworld

29. Poseidon contd. • In The Odyssey, Poseidon wanted to punish Odysseus for blinding how son. He could not kill Odysseus because he was favored by the other gods, so Poseidon doomed Odysseus to wander the seas unable to get home.

30. Athena • V.I.G. – Very Important Goddess • goddess of wisdom, war and the arts • Zeus’ favorite daughter; sprang full grown in armor from his forehead (no mother); allowed to use Zeus’ weapons, including his thunderbolt • Athena LOVES Odysseus; he is her favorite mortal – remember summer reading…

31. Artemis • Apollo’s twin • goddess of the hunt

32. god of fire youngest of The Olympians god of wine HephaestusDionysus

33. goddess of the rainbow half-human/half-god, son of Zeus slays Medusa Iris Perseus

34. DEMETER Persephone’s mother; goddess of the harvest Persephone is the queen of the underworld; Zeus’ daughter GAEA goddess of the earth and all living things Mother Earth Mothers

35. Cyclops one-eyed monster associated with metal working and weapon building represents chaos and evil father = Neptune one of the major reasons Odysseus can’t get home Sirens type of nymph; beautiful half-woman, half-bird lure sailors to their death with their song that makes people forget everything and die from hunger seductive, sensual, mesmerizing but deadly Where have you seen a siren before??? Important Monsters

36. The Odyssey and The Iliad • These two epic poems tell the tales around the Trojan War. • The Trojan War is believed to have taken place in ancient Troy, around 1200 BCE. • The ruins of this ancient city in Asia Minor (Turkey) were discovered in the early part of the 20th century. • The Iliad is the tale of the war itself, and The Odyssey is the story of one Greek hero, Odysseus, as he tries to sail back home to Ithaca.

37. Possible Routes of Odysseus' Travels

38. The Trojan War • It all begins with a beauty contest… • On the side of Trojans: Aphrodite, Ares, Artemis, Apollo, Zeus • On the side of Greeks: Athena, Hera, Poseidon

39. The Trojan War You will learn all about the war and events leading up to Odysseus’ journey in The Odyssey from The Iliad PowerPoint presentation you will view for homework.

40. The Epic

41. The Odyssey The epic is divided into two parts: • Part One: The Voyage Home (Books 1-12) • 1-4: Epic question; Voyage of Telemachus • 5-8: Odysseus in Ogygia • 9-12: Court of Phaeacia. Odysseus narrates the story of his voyage from Troy to Ogygia

42. The Odyssey • Part Two: Odysseus Regains His Kingdom (Books 13-24) • 13-16: Touching reunion scenes with Eumaeus and Telemachus, who arrive home just after Odysseus • 17-20: Penelope learns of his arrival and is put into a sleep. His Nurse recognizes him. His dog barks at him. • 20-24: Retribution and Reconciliation

43. The Odyssey • At the beginning of The Odyssey, it is almost 20 years after Odysseus left home to go fight the Trojans, a task he did not want. • He is stuck on the island of Ogygia, with the beautiful enchantress and sea goddess, Calypso, who promises him immortality if he stays with her.

44. The Odyssey • The poem starts with an argument between Athena and Zeus, and the epic question is proposed: • Why is it that Odysseus chooses a human life of mortality and suffering? • The gods are so moved by the depth of his human love for Penelope, they decide to let him go home to Ithaca.

45. The Odyssey • In the meantime, Odysseus’ son Telemachus is now grown, and suitors for his mother’s hand are a huge and dangerous nuisance. • He heads out on his own voyage to Sparta, to see if Menelaus and the notorious Helen can tell him news of his father. (Books 1-4) • The poem uses this double narrative very effectively to create suspense and dramatic tension.

46. Literary Views of Odysseus • The epic journey is a genre that has lasted through Western literature. • The untested young hero, often of uncertain parentage, goes forth to seek truth, fights against superhuman odds, and often travels to the realm of death itself. • He achieves glory and rewards, suffers great losses, and learns a key lesson of human life: the inescapable fact of mortality.

47. It’s all Greek to me! • Think about allusions to Greek mythology that you recognize in our society. Any of these come to mind? • Achilles heel • Herculean task • Apollo 13 mission • Honda Odyssey • Starbucks logo • Olympics & Olympians • Disney movies  who’s King Tritan from The Little Mermaid? • Pandora • Nike • Tennessee Titans • Trident gum Can you think of some more???