The Odyssey

1
The Odyssey

• Kim C. Romero
• Jack Britt High School

2
The Epic

• long narrative poem
• Characters of high birth or national status
• Vast setting covering many great nations
• Intervention of superhuman forces

3
Literary Terms

• In medeas res
• In the middle of the action
• Poets would sing these poems to audiences who
  where familiar with the plot.
• Rather than reciting the entire poem, they would
  begin in medeas res.

4
Literary Terms

• Invocation of the Muse
• A prayer to one of the goddesses of the arts and
  sciences to help the poet remember the story
• The theme of the epic is introduced in the
  invocation

5
Literary Terms

• Epic simile
• A long comparison of heroic deeds to everyday
  activities of ancient Greeks.
• The heroic deeds may be joined to the everyday
  activities with the term just as.

6
Literary Terms

• Epithet
• A nickname that helped the poet remember the
  characters
• Laertes son, Odysseus
• Gray-eyed Athena

7
Epic Hero

• On a quest
• Brave
• Strong
• Of high birth or semi-divine
• Overcomes human weakness
• Suffers dangers
• Interacts with the gods

8
The Trojan War

• There was a wedding
• There was an insult
• There was revenge
• The face that launched a thousand ships

9
The Trojan War

• Lasted 10 years
• The two greatest Greek warriors were Achilles and
  Odysseus
• Neither wanted to fight but eventually joined

10
The Iliad and The Odyssey

• The Iliad
• Greek epic poem about the Trojan War
• The Odyssey
• Greek epic poem about Odysseuss return home

11
The Odyssey

• Odysseus encountered problems because the gods
  were angry with him because of his pride
• Odysseus fate was to wander a full ten years
  before returning home

12
The adventures