The OdysseyThe Odyssey

by: Homer the poet

Homer• Homer was a man’s name, Homer was a man’s name,

and not the Greek equivalent and not the Greek equivalent of ‘anonymous’ and that is of ‘anonymous’ and that is the one certain fact about the one certain fact about him.him.

• There are legends of Homer as a blind, wandering poet/minstrel.

• No reliable info is available about Homer and he is considered mostly legend. The Iliad and The Odyssey were probably part of an oral tradition composed by many over a long period of time.  

Who was Homer?Who was Homer?• Who he was, where he lived, Who he was, where he lived,

and when cannot be answered and when cannot be answered with any certainty.with any certainty.

• In ancient times seven different In ancient times seven different cities claimed to have been the cities claimed to have been the birthplace of Homer.birthplace of Homer.

• he was likely a native and he was likely a native and resident of some area of Asia resident of some area of Asia Minor (western Turkey) Minor (western Turkey) because the dialect in which because the dialect in which the poems were composed is the poems were composed is that of the Ionian Greeks.that of the Ionian Greeks.

Modern Day Allusion

Who was Homer?Who was Homer?• Ancient Greek tradition Ancient Greek tradition

as well as a study of the as well as a study of the language and style of the language and style of the poems suggests he lived poems suggests he lived around the 8around the 8thth century century B.C. B.C.

• The composition of the Homeric epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, was probably sometime around 750 BC

History & LiteratureHistory & Literature

• Trojan war in Iliad/Odyssey about 1200 B.C.ETrojan war in Iliad/Odyssey about 1200 B.C.E– 10-year Greek attack and siege of the city of Troy in

northwestern Asia Minor

• In between 300 years of “dark ages”- Hellenic In between 300 years of “dark ages”- Hellenic “Greece” sacked by tribes with no written “Greece” sacked by tribes with no written languagelanguage

• Illiad/ Odyssey important W.European workIlliad/ Odyssey important W.European work– 11st complete character arcs-growth/ full plotst complete character arcs-growth/ full plot

IntroductionIntroduction

• The Odyssey of Homer is the second The Odyssey of Homer is the second great work of western literature , great work of western literature , TheThe Iliad,Iliad, also attributed to Homer, being also attributed to Homer, being the first.the first.

• The Odyssey is a Greek epic poem, The Odyssey is a Greek epic poem, more than twelve thousand lines in more than twelve thousand lines in length, divided into 24 books length, divided into 24 books (chapters).(chapters).

Geography/ politicsGeography/ politics

• location of the location of the The IliadThe Iliad and and The OdysseyThe Odyssey is the Aegean Sea, The Ionian Sea and is the Aegean Sea, The Ionian Sea and parts of Turkey.parts of Turkey.

For discussion/ thoughtFor discussion/ thought

• People debate whether Homer was real People debate whether Homer was real person or just a made up figure. Assuming person or just a made up figure. Assuming he wasn’t “real” why might people have he wasn’t “real” why might people have invented an author for invented an author for The OdysseyThe Odyssey and and The IliadThe Iliad??

• Why would they have added details to his Why would they have added details to his biography, such as blindness?biography, such as blindness?

Why read Homer?

• These two epic poems are the most important works of non-dramatic literature surviving from ancient Greece.

• They are part of and intertwined with the Western literary canon so that knowledge of them = cultural literacy: knowing about these can help you to understand Shakespeare and Dante and Joyce and Rowling.

The nature of Greek oral epicThe nature of Greek oral epic

• The OdysseyThe Odyssey is an epic in the style of oral is an epic in the style of oral poetry, composed to be read aloud.poetry, composed to be read aloud.

• The origins of the tradition are lost, but The origins of the tradition are lost, but probably go back to Mycenaean times probably go back to Mycenaean times (c1400-1200 B.C.)(c1400-1200 B.C.)

What is an epic poem?What is an epic poem?

• An An epic poemepic poem is a is a narrative poemnarrative poem on the on the grand scalegrand scale and in majestic style and in majestic style concerning the concerning the exploits and adventures of exploits and adventures of a superhuman heroa superhuman hero engaged in a engaged in a questquest or or some serious endeavour.some serious endeavour.

• The hero is distinguished above all men by The hero is distinguished above all men by his his strength and couragestrength and courage, and is , and is restrained only by a restrained only by a sense of honoursense of honour..

Elements of epic poetryElements of epic poetry

• The subject matter of epic includes myth, The subject matter of epic includes myth, legend, history, and folk talelegend, history, and folk tale

• It is set in a heroic age of the past and embodies It is set in a heroic age of the past and embodies its country’s early history and expresses its its country’s early history and expresses its valuesvalues

• Battles and perilous journeys play a large part, Battles and perilous journeys play a large part, as do gods, the supernatural and magic; scenes as do gods, the supernatural and magic; scenes are often set in the Underworld or in heavenare often set in the Underworld or in heaven

Characteristics of the Epic– Long story– Deeds of a hero– Determines fate of a whole people– Begins in medias res [middle of action]– Involvement of the gods– Magic or supernatural events– Characteristics of oral tradition [like

repetition]– Beautiful Language [often verse]

Characteristics of Epic PoemsCharacteristics of Epic Poems

• The main character or protagonist is heroically The main character or protagonist is heroically larger than lifelarger than life

• The deeds of the hero are presented revealing The deeds of the hero are presented revealing his failings as well as his virtueshis failings as well as his virtues

• The action, often in battle, reveals the more-The action, often in battle, reveals the more-than-human strength of the heroes as they than-human strength of the heroes as they engage in acts of heroism and courageengage in acts of heroism and courage

• The setting covers several nations, the whole The setting covers several nations, the whole world, or even the universeworld, or even the universe

Characteristics of Epic PoemsCharacteristics of Epic Poems

• The episodes, even though they may be The episodes, even though they may be fictional, provide an explanation for some of the fictional, provide an explanation for some of the circumstances or events in the history of a circumstances or events in the history of a nation or peoplenation or people

• The gods and lesser divinities play an active role The gods and lesser divinities play an active role in the outcome of actionsin the outcome of actions

• All of the various adventures form an organic All of the various adventures form an organic whole, where each event relates in some way to whole, where each event relates in some way to the central themethe central theme

• Invocation to the muse or other deityInvocation to the muse or other deity

Characteristics of Epic PoemsCharacteristics of Epic Poems

• Long, formal speeches by important charactersLong, formal speeches by important characters

• Frequent use of Frequent use of epithetsepithets:: • repetitious adjectives that are connected to various repetitious adjectives that are connected to various

people, places and other ordinary nouns. people, places and other ordinary nouns. • tell the listener of the important and permanent tell the listener of the important and permanent

qualities of characters or elements, for example:qualities of characters or elements, for example:

- resourcefulresourceful Odysseus Odysseus- wisewise Penelope Penelope- thoughtfulthoughtful Telemachus Telemachus- bright-eyedbright-eyed Athena Athena- wine darkwine dark sea sea- rosy-fingeredrosy-fingered dawn dawn

Epic Hero• The central hero of an epic• larger-than-life powers. Achilles fulfills this

role in The Iliad; Odysseus in The Odyssey.• Imperfect or flawed: Achilles is stubbornly

proud over a long period of time; Odysseus has lapses in judgment.

• abundance of courage, a fighting spirit that endears them both to the reader (listener) and the gods.

• Who are other epic heroes (from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings)?

Elements of the Epic Hero Elements of the Epic Hero CycleCycle

• The main character is a hero, who is often The main character is a hero, who is often possessed of supernatural abilities or qualities. possessed of supernatural abilities or qualities.

• The hero is charged with a quest. The hero is charged with a quest. • The hero is tested, often to prove the worthiness The hero is tested, often to prove the worthiness

of himself and his quest. of himself and his quest.

• The presence of numerous mythical beings, The presence of numerous mythical beings, magical and helpful animals, and human helpers magical and helpful animals, and human helpers and companions and companions

Some major motifs also found in HP novels

• Fate/prophecy• Retribution• Confrontations with death (the Underworld) and conversations with the dead• Series of tests, including

battles with monsters, are part of a lengthy journey ending with home, family, and stability

• Hero’s P.O.V.

Contemporary expressions Contemporary expressions originating from the textoriginating from the text

• HerculeanHerculean

• MentorMentor

• SpartanSpartan

• The face that launched a thousand shipsThe face that launched a thousand ships

• A temptress, a sirenA temptress, a siren

• The threads of destinyThe threads of destiny

• museummuseum

View of the gods• Arbitrary--punish or reward as they feel they’ve

been wronged or honored• Not all powerful– they debate on Mt. Olympus &

don’t always know everything that happens• No one god in charge--even Zeus must

accommodate other gods when they get angry• Do care for humankind--Odysseus has suffered

enough• They are shapeshifters

View of Man• Man must worship and obey the gods• A son must earn his own reputation—

Telémachos must become his own hero• Men want women for their beauty,

sexuality, possessions• Men are basically physical--eating,

drinking, lusting, fighting, competing• Man is at least partly responsible for own

fate

View of Women• Possessions--responsibility of their

fathers, then husbands, then sons. Every woman categorized as “maid,” “wife,” “widow,” or “whore.”

• Powerless

• Must scheme to survive

• Penelope smarter than average--has outwitted suitors for nearly 10 years

Gender Complexities• Athena appears to Telémakhos as a man,

partly to hide her godhood, partly because a man could move freely within Akhaian society

• As a “father,” she makes a man of him--urges him to seek his father’s fate and to fight his mother’s suitors

• Until then, Telémachos has been “emasculated”

A short plot summary:

The Iliad is about the Trojan War and The Odyssey is about how a hero of the war, Odysseus, takes ten years to get back home after the war has ended and about the adventures he has along the way.

The Man Odysseus• “no mortal half so wise” (85)

– His wisdom hasn’t protected him from grief and harm

– How wise is he, really?• LOOK FOR EVIDENCE FOR OR AGAINST O’S

WISDOM THROUGHOUT EPIC

• A brilliant schemer--note all ways Homer has of saying this

The BeginningThe Beginning(1 mintue and 14 seconds so listen to all of it)(1 mintue and 14 seconds so listen to all of it)

• The Odyssey begins in medias res: – the plot begins in the middle of the overall story– prior events are described through flashbacks

or storytelling.

• Odysseus (Latin: “Ulysses”) has just fought in the Trojan War and is weary of war. All he wants to do is to go back to Ithaca and his beloved Penelope.

…However, the gods have other plans for this trickster king.

THE ENDTHE END

Thank you for being here for the Odyssey.Odyssey.

Good-bye and good night! (or day, depends on the time.)