A long time ago in a place far, far away…

There was a man named Homer…

…and his epic called the Odyssey

An Introduction to Homer’s Odyssey

Homer: The Man of

Mystery

Who was HOMER?

Homer was a blind minstrel (he told stories to entertain and to make his living); audiences had to listen carefully (this is “oral tradition” so there was a lot of repetition and improvisation used)

Other traveling poets (called rhapsodes) memorized and recited these epics in the banquet halls of kings and noble families

•History is vague on Homer’s identity; some say he is just a legend, others say that a whole series of rhapsodes composed various parts of the epics

•The epics were not originally written--the Greek alphabet didn’t appear until 725 BC

MYTH AND EPIC “Myth” is a story that uses fantasy to

express ideas about life not easily done in realistic terms (it also stresses the relationship of human beings to a higher, spiritual realm)

The Epic

Characteristics of the Epic:

1. Long, narrative poem

2. Reflects values of a nation or race

3. Addresses universal concerns

4. Focuses on the adventures of a historical or legendary hero

5. The supernatural plays an important role

6. Story is set in many locations

7. Hero against the odds – strong and courageous

8. Story is simple and written in formal language

Conventions of the Epic

EpithetA brief descriptive phrase

•Characterizes a person, place or thing

•Gives story-teller a “breather”

•Helps with rhyming or meter

Examples: rosy-fingered dawn

gray-eyed Athena

The blue-maned god who makes the islands tremble

Son of Laertes and gods of old, master mariner and soldier

Homeric SimileCompares epic events to

everyday eventsSo wand in hand he paced into the air, shot …

down to sea level…A gull patrolling between the wave crests of the desolate sea will dip to catch a

fish, and douse his wings

In Medias Res

in the middle

Homer’s Epics

(composed between 900 & 700 BC!)

First there was…

The Iliad

The Iliad•Primary model for the epic of war

•Set in 10th and final year of the Trojan War

•Achilles’ role and eventual end

After The Iliad (Aneid by Virgil)

•Odysseus’ wooden horse trick

•Greeks defeat the Trojans

•Odysseus heads for home

The Odyssey

Tales of Odysseus

The Travels of Odysseus

The OdysseyPrimary model for the epic of the long journey home

THE ODYSSEY• Meaning: a long journey with many

adventures or a spiritual or intellectual quest

• The word “odyssey” derives from the name Odysseus, the main character from the Odyssey (he is also referred to as Ulysses in classic literature)

The Odyssey Involves 3 Sets of Characters:

1. The Greek GODS2. Humans3. Supernatural monsters and

creatures

Post War Trauma

• Long, exhausting, brutal war

(10 years)

• Odysseus heads for home with

nothing but ships and crew

The Odyssey

A story told in

3 stages

PART ONE

A story of what happens in Ithaca to Odysseus’ wife (Penelope) and son (Telemachus) as they await his return

PART TWO

A story of Odysseus’ wanderings after the Trojan War (the war lasted 10 years and his wanderings lasted another 10 years!)

PART THREE

A story of how Odysseus returns home to Ithaca and joins forces with his son to destroy his enemies

Why does it take Odysseus 10 years to get home?

Read and find out!

Meanwhile…there’s trouble at home!

•In Ithaca, Odysseus is suspected to be dead

•Suitors have invaded the palace

•Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, is in an awkward position and must trick the men into leaving her alone

•Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, resents the imposing situation

And so the epic begins…

Works CitedAlthouse. 3/3/06. <www.althouse.blogspot.com>

Auburn University. 3/4/06 .<www.auburn.edu>

Clipart.com. 3/4/06. <http://schools.clipart.com/>