The OdysseyThe Odyssey

An Introduction (of Epic An Introduction (of Epic Proportions)Proportions)

Before Before The OdysseyThe Odyssey• Laertes, King of Ithaca Laertes, King of Ithaca

and a great fighter in and a great fighter in his youth, marries his youth, marries Anticlea.Anticlea.

• They purchase a slave They purchase a slave woman, Eurycleiawoman, Eurycleia

• Laertes and Anticlea Laertes and Anticlea have a son. have a son.

• He is named Odysseus He is named Odysseus by his grandfather by his grandfather Autoclycis, and looked Autoclycis, and looked after by Eurycleiaafter by Eurycleia

Before Before The OdysseyThe Odyssey

• Odysseus is raised with his younger sister Odysseus is raised with his younger sister Ctimene and another family slave Eumaeus. Ctimene and another family slave Eumaeus.

• On a boar-hunt with Autoclycus’ sons, he is On a boar-hunt with Autoclycus’ sons, he is badly wounded in the thighbadly wounded in the thigh

• Odysseus loves hunting, especially with his Odysseus loves hunting, especially with his dog Argus. dog Argus.

• When he is sent of a mission to Messene, he When he is sent of a mission to Messene, he meets Iphitus, son of Eurytus, who gives him meets Iphitus, son of Eurytus, who gives him a special bow as a gift. Odysseus uses this in a special bow as a gift. Odysseus uses this in Ithaca but takes it nowhere else.Ithaca but takes it nowhere else.

Before Before The OdysseyThe Odyssey

• Odysseus becomes the wise and gentle Odysseus becomes the wise and gentle king of Ithaca and marries Penelope, king of Ithaca and marries Penelope, daughter of Spartan King Icarius. daughter of Spartan King Icarius.

• He builds their bedroom and constructs He builds their bedroom and constructs a bed around the base of an olive-tree.a bed around the base of an olive-tree.

• Odysseus does not want to join the Odysseus does not want to join the Trojan War, but he does so just after his Trojan War, but he does so just after his son Telemachus is born. son Telemachus is born.

Before Before The OdysseyThe Odyssey

• Odysseus and his wife Penelope had one Odysseus and his wife Penelope had one son, Telemachus, who was a toddler son, Telemachus, who was a toddler when Odysseus was summoned to join when Odysseus was summoned to join the kingsthe kings

• Odysseus really didn’t want to go to war Odysseus really didn’t want to go to war so when the other kings came for him, so when the other kings came for him, he pretended to be insane and not he pretended to be insane and not recognize his visitors. He continued to recognize his visitors. He continued to plow his fields.plow his fields.

Before Before The OdysseyThe Odyssey

• Because Odysseus Because Odysseus ignored the other ignored the other kings, King Menelaus kings, King Menelaus and Agamenon threw and Agamenon threw Telemachus in front of Telemachus in front of the plow.the plow.

• Odysseus revealed his Odysseus revealed his sanity when he turned sanity when he turned the plow to avoid the plow to avoid running over his son.running over his son.

Before Before The OdysseyThe Odyssey

• As he leaves, As he leaves, Odysseus tells Odysseus tells Penelope that if he Penelope that if he does not return, does not return, she is to remarry she is to remarry when Telemachus when Telemachus comes of age. comes of age.

• He leaves Laertes He leaves Laertes in charge of the in charge of the palace in Ithaca.palace in Ithaca.

The OdysseyThe Odyssey Background Background• Because Odysseus is gone, his home is Because Odysseus is gone, his home is

over-run with over 100 suitors (men who over-run with over 100 suitors (men who want to marry his wife).want to marry his wife).

• Penelope, his wife, and Telemachus, his Penelope, his wife, and Telemachus, his 21-year-old son, do not have the power to 21-year-old son, do not have the power to eject the suitors from their homeeject the suitors from their home

• Telemachus, the heir to Odysseus, is Telemachus, the heir to Odysseus, is constantly in danger.constantly in danger.

• Due to his young age and lack of power, Due to his young age and lack of power, he cannot seek help from other Greeks; he he cannot seek help from other Greeks; he cannot eject the suitors from his homecannot eject the suitors from his home

The Setting of IthacaThe Setting of Ithaca• Odysseus, the king of the island Ithaca Odysseus, the king of the island Ithaca

maintains control over Ithaca—even though maintains control over Ithaca—even though he is away for 20 years (10 years at war, 10 he is away for 20 years (10 years at war, 10 years wandering)—because of his skills years wandering)—because of his skills which lead to his control.which lead to his control.

• The city of Ithaca was based on powerThe city of Ithaca was based on power

• Odysseus is a great warrior, an excellent Odysseus is a great warrior, an excellent sailor, the best carpenter, the best hunter, sailor, the best carpenter, the best hunter, the finest marksman, and the leading the finest marksman, and the leading expert on caring for farm animals. He is expert on caring for farm animals. He is also extremely intelligent.also extremely intelligent.

The Setting of IthacaThe Setting of Ithaca• Ithaca has no coined money; wealth is Ithaca has no coined money; wealth is

measured by livestock, household measured by livestock, household furnishings, servants, slaves, and treasure.furnishings, servants, slaves, and treasure.

• Slavery is encouraged in Ithaca; having Slavery is encouraged in Ithaca; having slaves is a symbol of power and wealthslaves is a symbol of power and wealth

• Piracy, war, raids on foreign cities, and the Piracy, war, raids on foreign cities, and the capture of women are all accepted means capture of women are all accepted means of increasing wealthof increasing wealth

The OdysseyThe Odyssey Background Background• In Ithaca, if In Ithaca, if

Telemachus tried to Telemachus tried to assume his father’s assume his father’s throne, he would throne, he would likely be overthrown likely be overthrown and killedand killed

• If Penelope does not If Penelope does not soon choose a soon choose a suitor, a civil war suitor, a civil war may begin on Ithaca.may begin on Ithaca.

The OdysseyThe Odyssey Background Background• If Penelope does If Penelope does

choose a suitor, choose a suitor, Telemachus’s life is Telemachus’s life is in danger unless he in danger unless he is willing to give up is willing to give up his claim to the his claim to the thronethrone

• Penelope may have Penelope may have to choose a suitor to to choose a suitor to save her family’s life save her family’s life and Ithacaand Ithaca

Odysseus’s Journey HomeOdysseus’s Journey Home• (will be reveled in detail in (will be reveled in detail in The The Odyssey in Odyssey in

flash-back) flash-back)

• For For 3 years 3 years Odysseus is blown around the Odysseus is blown around the Mediterranean, experiencing adventures Mediterranean, experiencing adventures with the Cicones, the Lotus Eaters, the with the Cicones, the Lotus Eaters, the Cylops Polyphemus; Aeolus, the wind-god, Cylops Polyphemus; Aeolus, the wind-god, giant cannibals; the witch Circe; the giant cannibals; the witch Circe; the underworld; the Sirens; more monsters; underworld; the Sirens; more monsters;

• Eventually he is swept ashore to the island Eventually he is swept ashore to the island of Calypso where he spends of Calypso where he spends 7 years7 years. (It is at . (It is at this point where we first meet Odysseus.)this point where we first meet Odysseus.)

Themes in Themes in The OdysseyThe Odyssey

• The danger of hubrisThe danger of hubris: hubris is excessive : hubris is excessive pride that leads to destruction. Odysseus is pride that leads to destruction. Odysseus is often guilty of hubris and Athena must often guilty of hubris and Athena must rescue himrescue him

• The importance of moderationThe importance of moderation: Giving in : Giving in to excess or temptation, whether food, to excess or temptation, whether food, drink, or other pleasures, will cause a person drink, or other pleasures, will cause a person harm. The Sirens’ song leads to destruction harm. The Sirens’ song leads to destruction and the suitors’ desires lead to their and the suitors’ desires lead to their destruction.destruction.

Themes in Themes in The OdysseyThe Odyssey

• The expected roles for The expected roles for women and men in women and men in Greek societyGreek society: Men are : Men are almost always superior almost always superior to women, except in to women, except in Sparta where women Sparta where women have more rights.have more rights.

• The role of fateThe role of fate: : Characters receive hints Characters receive hints as to their fate; however, as to their fate; however, some choose to ignore some choose to ignore the foreshadowingthe foreshadowing

Themes in Themes in The OdysseyThe Odyssey• The similarities between Greek gods The similarities between Greek gods

and mortalsand mortals: The gods have many of the : The gods have many of the same negative traits as humans and often same negative traits as humans and often cause destruction. cause destruction.

• Gods may choose to save one person and Gods may choose to save one person and many others will die as a result. many others will die as a result.

• The gods are given credit for all that is The gods are given credit for all that is good, they are sometimes blamed for good, they are sometimes blamed for bringing destruction to mortals.bringing destruction to mortals.

• Why do you think their gods are so similar Why do you think their gods are so similar to humans?to humans?

Themes in Themes in The OdysseyThe Odyssey• LoyaltyLoyalty: Penelope is : Penelope is

expected to wait for expected to wait for Odysseus, gone for Odysseus, gone for more than 20 years. more than 20 years.

• Telemachus must Telemachus must stand for his father, stand for his father, who he does not even who he does not even remember, against the remember, against the suitors. suitors.

• However, there are However, there are characters who do not characters who do not remain loyal to remain loyal to Odysseus and their Odysseus and their fate is not good.fate is not good.

Themes in Themes in The OdysseyThe Odyssey• PerseverancePerseverance: :

work to survive in work to survive in any situation any situation

• VengeanceVengeance: It is : It is acceptable to hurt acceptable to hurt or kill those who are or kill those who are disloyal. The end of disloyal. The end of the epic shows what the epic shows what happens to those happens to those who defy Odysseus who defy Odysseus

Themes in Themes in The OdysseyThe Odyssey• Appearance vs. Appearance vs.

RealityReality: Athena takes : Athena takes on many different on many different characters’ identities characters’ identities and even animals’ when and even animals’ when helping Telemachus or helping Telemachus or Odysseus. Odysseus.

• Athena can even change Athena can even change others’ appearances for others’ appearances for reasons such as reasons such as checking on someone’s checking on someone’s loyalty or making a good loyalty or making a good impression on a king.impression on a king.

Themes in Themes in The OdysseyThe Odyssey

• Spiritual GrowthSpiritual Growth: : Telemachus and Telemachus and Odysseus both Odysseus both experience experience struggles which struggles which cause them to cause them to mature spiritually mature spiritually by the end of the by the end of the epic.epic.