The Odyssey -

Mythology and Epic Background

What Are Myths?

• Myths are stories, often with imaginative characters and violent plots.

• Greek and Roman myths contain gods and goddesses, human characters, and other fantastic creatures.

• In Greek and Roman myths, gods and goddesses intervene (get involved) in the lives of humans, often to help and sometimes to hurt them.

What Purposes Do Myths Serve?

People of many cultures have created myths to explain their

world and themselves.

Myths Can Be Used:

1. To explain elements of the natural world (why there are seasons).

2. To explain the origins of good and evil (why there is suffering in the world).

3. To teach valuable moral lessons about living (lessons about controlling anger, overcoming greed).

4. To explain human behavior (understanding about love, jealousy, hate).

A Few Facts About Greek Mythology

• Greeks saw their gods and goddesses in man’s image.• Positives were:

- beauty- forgiveness- mercy- loyalty

• Negatives were:- anger- jealousy- infidelity- abusive to women and children

Historical Background of The Odyssey

• Begins ‘in media res’ = in the middle of things.

• The Illiad is the ‘prequel’ to The Odyssey- Concerned about the Trojan War- Many things that happen in The Odyssey are a direct result of the Trojan War

Historical Background of The Odyssey

• World’s First Beauty Contest:- Paris chosen to pick the most beautiful woman/goddess- Aphrodite (love), Hera (Zeus’ wife), and Athena (war/wisdom) were the only contestants.- Each offered a bribe, but Aphrodite offers Helen…a really HOT woman.- BIG PROBLEM: Helen is already married!

Historical Background of The Odyssey

• World’s First Beauty Contest:- Paris steals Helen; Menelaus’ (Helen’s husband) wants her back = Trojan War = the face that launched a thousand ships!- Odysseus was a friend of Menelaus…doesn’t want to help but obligated.- Odysseus leaves wife Penelope and son Telemachus

Historical Background of The Odyssey

• Trojan War = Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts- 10 years of fighting- Neither side getting anywhere because the gods are playing favorites.- CLEVER Odysseus comes up with a sneaky plan

Historical Background of The Odyssey

• Trojan War- Use ships to build a horse; pretend to leave it for the Trojans; ‘leave’ town by way of the sea but some men hide inside- Trojans fall for it: pull horse inside city; party; sleep; Odysseus and men inside the horse come out; let in the rest of the Greeks; Troy destroyed!

Historical Background of The Odyssey

• Trojan War- Horse = Odysseus’ intellect, ability to command, cleverness, and ego- Horse = strong mind/body ideal of the Greeks- Odysseus’ cleverness and ego get him into trouble with some of the gods

• The Odyssey recounts Odysseus’ 10 year return trip.

Historical Background of The Odyssey

• Contains 24 books

• Epic Poem:- Long, narrative poem- Starts with an invocation (prayer) to the gods

Technical Background of The Odyssey

• 5 Requirements of an Epic:1. Contains adventure2. Central heroic figure3. Setting is vast (huge)4. Supernatural forces (gods) involved5. Elevated style (serious tone) but easy to follow

Technical Background of The Odyssey

• Literary Techniques Used in Epic Poetry:1. Epithet = repeated description oftentimes used to meet rhyming requirements (wise Odysseus; Ali the Annoying)2. Similes (comparisons using like or as)3. Metaphors (comparisons without like or as)4. Personification (giving non-human things human characteristics)

Technical Background of The Odyssey

• Greek Model Heroes:1. Use both mind and body well2. Well-known and of high social position3. Actions help decide the fate of a nation or group of people4. Struggle to overcome a human weakness or fault

Odyssey Incident Reports

• We have reached the end of another section of Part 1. It is time to create another Incident Report.

• You will need a sheet of looseleaf folded in half and half again.

• Label the sections:WhoWhatWhereWhenHowLiterary TermsDrawingGolden Line

Polyphemus’ Curse

• You are going to create a Multi-flow Map1. In the center box write Polyphemus

curses Odysseus2. On the left side write all the causes or

things that led up to Polyphemus asking his dad to curse Odysseus

3. On the right side, what are the 5 effects…or things that are going to happen to Odysseus