background myths to the odyssey

BACKGROUND MYTHS TO THE ODYSSEY

Aims:

To provide context to myths in the Odyssey.

Objectives:

1. Predict the outcomes of origin myths.

2. Analyse themes within the myths.

3. Take notes on important myths.

4. Recreate aspects of important myths.

MYTH OR LEGEND?

•Myth = A story used to explain the world around

us normally involving the divine.

•Legend = A popular story widely believed to have

varying elements of truth.

WEDDING OF PELEUS AND THETIS

•Prophecy – Son will surpass the father.

•Thetis – Shape shifting goddess.

•Wedding – Eris (discord) was not invited.

•Golden Apple – ‘For the fairest’.

A

TYNDAREUS AND HELEN

•Tyndareus – Helen’s father and an Argonaut

•Afraid – Worried about angering suitors.

•Odysseus – suggested the suitors swear to

support the winner.

THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS

•Zeus – didn’t want to choose.

•Paris – was a known as a fair judge.

•3 goddesses – tried to bribe Paris.

•Losers – hate Paris and Troy.

THE GREEKS GATHER AN EXPEDITON

•The suitors oath – The heroes assemble.

•Achilles – disguised as a woman.

•Odysseus – pretended to be mad.

•Cinyras – 49 clay ships.

GREEKS FAIL TO ENTER TROY

•Treasure – The Greeks plunder the area.

•Trojan allies – The Greeks cut off Troy.

•The quarrel – Agamemnon and Achilles fall out

over the division of spoils.

ANGER OF ACHILLES

•Patroklos – killed by Hector.

•Rage – Achilles slaughters Trojans without

mercy.

•Societal Norms- Achilles desecrates bodies and

behaves like a savage force of nature.

DEATH OF ACHILLES

•Paris – killed him with a poisoned arrow.

•Achilles Heel – hit in the heel.

•Inglorious death / glorious life.

PHILOCTETES AND NEOPTOLEMUS

•Philoctetes – owned Hercules bow.

•Wounded foot – forced to stay on Lemnos.

•Neoptolemus - brought him back to Troy.

•Prophecy – The bow is needed to ensure the fall

of Troy.

THE WOODEN HORSE

•Odysseus – Came up with the idea.

•Fate – Cassandra and Laocoon saw through it.

•Fate – The walls of Troy built by Poseidon and

could never be stormed.

THE DEATH OF AGAMEMNON

•Aegisthus and Clytemnestra.

•Iphegenia – Murdered for the wind.

•Cassandra – warnings ignored.

•Orestes – vengeance and the end of the family

curse.