Homer, HEROES, and The Odyssey Homer Ancient Greek epic poet

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Homer, HEROES, and The Odyssey
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Homer

• Ancient Greek epic poet
• No reliable biographical information about him
• May have lived around the time of the Trojan War
  OR 3 centuries later
• Believed that he was a court singer and
  storyteller
• Author of The Iliad and The Odyssey

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Homer
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Greek roots

• Philia - love for
• Phobia - fear of
• Necro - death
• Homo - same
• Biblio - book
• Cardia - heart
• Podi - feet
• Pedi or paedi - child

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Types of Heroes

• Situation Hero
• A person who saves the day by completing a
  heroic act.
• This persons hero status may be celebrated, but
  only for a short period of time.
• Epic Hero
• A hero has some unusual qualities that separates
  him from the average person.
• In Greek mythology, a hero was often of divine
  origin, being the progeny of a deity.
• A hero can be defined as a person who acts in a
  way that benefits the greater good of his
  society.

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OTHER TYPES OF HEROES

• Heroes fall into one of (or sometimes a
  combination of) three main archetypes or
  categories
• the Warrior,
• the Scholar,
• and the Saint.

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The Warrior Hero

• The Warrior archetype are those who in some way
  base their sense of hero-hood on strength.
• This could be strength of purpose, physical
  strength, will power, endurance, perseverance, or
  some other form of strength

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The Scholar

• The Scholar archetype bases their sense of
  hero-hood on being 'smart'.
• This could be founded in formal education,
  street-smarts, skills and abilities.

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The Saint

• The Saints base their sense of hero-hood in a
  desire to be (or be seen as) good.
• This could be played out through formal religion
  or through doing things that are generally seen
  as "good."

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The Tragic Hero

• Noble birth
• Well-liked
• Tragic flaw (hamartia)
• Downfall

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The Odyssey

• An adventure story
• Odysseus
• Journey home from Troy
• Survival
• Divine justice

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Characters in The Odyssey

• Odysseus - son of Laertes, king of Ithaca, hero
  of Trojan War, master of strategies
• Eurylochus - second in command to Odysseus
• Calypso
• Athena
• Poseidon
• Hermes

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Characters in The Odyssey

• Lotus-eaters
• Polyphemus - son of Poseidon, a Cyclops
• Aeolus - keeper of the winds
• Circe

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Characters in The Odyssey

• In the Underworld
• Hades
• Teiresias - blind prophet
• Agamemnon
• Achilles
• Ajax
• Heracles

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Characters in The Odyssey

• Back in Ithaca
• Penelope - wife of Odysseus
• Telemachus - son of Odysseus and Penelope
• Antinous - principal suitor

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Terms/Techniques to look for

• Epic - long narrative poem or story about a hero
• Reflects customs, habits, aspirations of a people
• Heros legendary travels, over a long period of
  time
• Muses - goddesses of the arts
• Called upon by the author to help tell the story
• In medias res - in the middle of things
• Story starts in the middle, at heros lowest point

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Terms/Techniques to look for

• Deeds of valor
• Superhuman courage
• Hamartia
• A fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a hero
• Hubris
• Excessive pride or self-confidence
• Supernatural forces - ie. the gods
• Repetition
• What stock phrases do you see used again and
  again?

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Roles of the gods

• Determine human misery
• Punish humans
• Provide aid to humans
• Deus ex machina
• God from the machinery
• An unexpected power or event saving a seemingly
  hopeless situation

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JOSEPH CAMPBELLS HERO JOURNEY

• HOW TO BECOME
• AN EPIC HERO

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The Heros Journey

• A heros journey can be divided into steps.
• The journey is a single process and an individual
  adventure towards growth and transformation.
• The sequence of elements and the duration of the
  experiences will vary from one person to another.
• Remember that the journey is a process of
  separation, transformation, and return.
• Each stage must be completed successfully if the
  hero-candidate is to become Heroic.

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The Hero Journey (overview)

• Separation or Departure (from the known)
• -The Call to Adventure
• -Refusal of the Call
• -Supernatural Aid
• -Crossing the First Threshold
• Initiation and Transformation
• -The Road of Trials
• -Meeting with the Goddess
• -Atonement with the Father
• -Apotheosis
• -Ultimate Boon
• The Return (to the known world)
• -The Refusal of the Return
• -Rescue from Without
• -Magic Flight
• -Crossing of the Return Threshold
• -Master of Two Worlds
• -Freedom to Live

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The Separation Departure

• The Call to Adventure
• The hero-candidate is called or offered the
  opportunity to face the unknown and gain
  something of physical or spiritual value.
• He may choose willingly to undertake the quest,
  or we may be dragged into it unwillingly.
• The hero-candidate is summoned by a HERALD or
  messenger.

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The Call continued

• The hero-candidates call to adventure may be a
  blunder (unintended mistake) which reveals an
  unsuspected world, and that individual is drawn
  into a relationship with forces that are not
  rightly understood.
• Within this range The Call can take many forms
• something taken from the hero-candidate, his
  family, or society the quest is to reclaim it,
• Something is lacking in the hero-candidates
  life, and he must find what is missing,
• Wants to save or restore honor to ones self own,
  family, or country.
• Something is not permitted to members of his
  society, and he must win these rights for his
  people.

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Supernatural Aid

• In most stories, the hero will have a guide,
  someone who is wise in the ways of the world, and
  someone who will offer the hero guidance and
  wisdom as he/she progresses through the journey.