BELL RINGER Happy 2019!

1. BELL RINGERHappy 2019! What is your favorite superhero? Why? What makes them so “super”?

2. Essential Questions of unit • How do classic heroes differ from modern heroes? • How are superheroes the embodiment of the American ideal/myth?

3. HEROES AND EPICS Characteristics of the CLASSIC HERO: unusual and/or NOBLE birth part god or favored by gods extraordinary STRENGTH kills or fights monsters with special weapons goes on an arduous journey or QUEST visits the underworld UNUSUAL death

4. More Traits: He makes POOR CHOICES. Usually his poor choices are due to hamartia or a FATAL FLAW. Odysseus’s flaw is hubris. Sometimes tragic heroes are UNDONE by their own greatness. The greater the hero the more susceptible he is to MISTAKES.

5. Epics and Heroes • What is hubris? Hubrisis extreme arrogance or self-pride. In Greek tragedies, hubris is the fatal flaw of the main character, often resulting in his downfall. In mythology, humans sometimes demonstrate hubris, angering the gods.

6. Classic hero of Homer’s Odyssey:Odysseus (STORYTELLER): HOMER EPIC POEM:750 AND 650 B.C.E

7. Characteristics of Odysseus SYMBOLIZES the journey of life and its challenges Stresses the VALUES of: *Using one’s brain to get out of TOUGH SITUATIONS *GUILE (trickery): Odysseus escapes OBSTACLES *Pride (HUBRIS) as bad behavior / TRAGIC FLAW *Rudeness as BAD BEHAVIOR *Making DIFFICULT DECISIONS *Withstanding temptation

8. Introduction to the Odyssey

9. Key Ideas: The Odyssey • The Odyssey is an epic. • An epic is a long narrative poem about the deeds of a hero. • The epic hero often portrays the goals and values of the society • Epics are based in part on historical fact, blending legend with truth.

10. Epics at a Glance

11. The Epic and Epic Hero • In literature, the epic is a long narrative poem about the deeds of a hero. • The epic hero is a larger-than-life figure who undertakes great journeys and performs deed requiring remarkable strength and cunning.

12. Epic Hero: Characteristics • Possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence. • Is helped and harmed by interfering gods. • Embodies ideals and values that a culture considers admirable. • Emerges victorious from perilous situations.

13. Epic Plot • Involves a long journey, full of complications, such as: • Strange creatures • Divine intervention • Large-scale events • Treacherous weather

14. Epic Themes • Courage • The fate of a nation • A homecoming • Beauty • Loyalty • Life and Death

15. Homer

16. Homer • There are many theories about the blind poet Homer, who is credited with writing the Iliad and the Odyssey. • Homer is said to have lived between 900 and 700 B.C.

17. Oral History • Homer’s epics are all that remains of a series of poems that told the whole story of the Trojan War. • In later centuries, the Iliad and the Odyssey were memorized by professional reciters, who performed them at religious festivals throughout Greece.

18. The setting for the Iliad is the city of Troy.

19. Why does the Trojan War begin? A beauty contest. The participants were Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera.

20. Paris, a Prince from the city of Troy, was the judge. The prize - a golden apple inscribed “to the fairest.” The goddesses bribed Paris to choose them over the others.

21. Aphrodite’s offer was the best. Paris chose her. What prize did Paris receive? The world’s most beautiful woman -- Helen

22. She just happens to be the wife of King Menelaus of Greece.

23. King Agamemnon, the brother of King Menelaus, gathers all the Greeks. They sail to Troy.

24. Helen of Troy became the “face that launched a thousand ships.”

25. And the Trojan War begins. It will last for ten years.

26. The Iliad • The Iliad takes place during the tenth year of this war. • It tells the story of the Greek warrior, Achilles and his quarrel with Menelaus’ brother Agamemnon, ending with the death and funeral of Paris’ brother Hector. • After Hector’s death, the Greeks brought the war to an end thanks to the cleverness of Odysseus ruler of the island of Ithaca.

27. To break up the ten-year war, Odysseus thought of a scheme to make the Trojans think that the Greeks had finally given up. • He ordered a giant wooden horse to be left at the gates of Troy. • The Trojans, not seeing any Greeks, assumed that the Greeks had fled and left the horse as a peace offering.

28. They took the horse inside the city, only to find that the horse was filled with Greek soldiers and that Troy was doomed.

29. The Odyssey is about the hero Odysseus’ long trip home to Ithaca. His trip home takes 10 years.

30. Odysseus’ trip home

31. Epic Conventions

32. 1. Invocation of the Muse A formal plea for help to the Muse Calliope.

33. 2. In medias res The epic plunges right into the action -- it begins “in the middle of things.” Flashbacks provide background information.

34. 3. Epic similes Use of extended similes.

35. 4. Metrical Structure Dactylic Hexameter six stressed syllables per line Closely resembles speech.

36. 5. Stock epithets A descriptive phrase used in place of a noun or proper noun. “Grey-eyed Athena”

37. Modern Hero: *a COMMON MAN *isn’t thought of as FLAWED *didn’t ASK to be a hero *loves those he serves with *RIGHT PLACE at the right time *makes a SACRIFICE because it is the right thing to do or for honor *good leadership abilities

38. THE MODERN HERO: SUB-SET SUPERHERO: MODELED after classic hero but has modern hero characteristics as well B. MASQUERADES as (or actually is) average but has superhero powers, TRAGIC HISTORY, faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles

39. HEROES NOW AND THEN Symbolize the HUMAN EXPERIENCE Embody the spiritual values of a culture Provide models of VIRTUOUS BEHAVIORS (adventures of heroes, mistakes of fools) ILLUSTRATE striking similarities as well as differences between cultures Preserve elements of CULTURE/HISTORY Encourage pride in culture TEACH moral lesson/correct or incorrect behavior

40. Comics: A History

41. What is a comic? • It is an impossible task to define what a comic book is. • For some, it is any image drawn in a certain cartoony style; for others, it is any combination of image and text (this can include anything from children’s books to airline flight safety cards). • Some consider any sequence of images like cave paintings or Medieval tapestries as comics; while others associate the medium with the genres of humor or fantasy.

42. Another name for a comic book (or the combination of words and text to tell a story) is “graphic novel.” This name better suits the newer types of comic books because most are not comedic in nature, but are thrillers or adventure stories.

43. The search for new graphic/visual communication and expression led to the development of the genre • Beginning with hieroglyphics and prehistoric cave drawings- these can be considered the first comics • 1st true comic: Richard Fenton Outcalt’s The Yellow Kidin 1896. He was the first to use the speech balloons. • Most of the first comics were humorous, thus the name COMIC Books. They were often about animals or children. • The crash of the Stock Market in 1929 was a turning point; in the 1930s, comic books began to picture adventures. Ex. Flash Gordon, Dick Tracy, and Tarzan. • There were three essential types: science fiction, detective, and jungle adventure

44. The typical American comic was born… Superhero comics! *Superman is the landmark for the golden age of comics. He is the archetype for most modern characters. • Between 1940-1945, four hundred superheroes were created: Batman, Captain Marvel, etc.

45. During World War II, many comics dealt with the subject matter and were used as a way to increase support for the military and the country. Ex. Captain America. • In the 40s, the magazine form was created.

46. In the 50s, a witch hunt occurred when Frederic Wertham wrote the book The Seduction of the Innocent about the comics causing adolescent delinquency, inciting violence, etc. *A Comics Code was created to limit what could/could not appear in print. It destroyed many titles including all horror comics *Peanuts was created during this time.

47. In the 60s, Superheroes were brought back with Stan Lee’s Marvel Comic Books—Spider-Man, X-Men, etc.

48. There has been much growth since then. Many comics have been made into TV shows, cartoons. and movies. • X-Men movie trilogy • Spiderman • Batman • Superman • The Punisher • Marvel Cinematic Universe • Blade • Daredevil • Catwoman • Sin City • Green Arrow • Watchmen • Flash

49. Diversity • Graphic novels and comic books have been at the forefront for diversity. • Graphic novels have introduced superheroes that have been: • Female • African-American • Minorities • Physically Different • Disabled

50. Female Characters