The Odyssey

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The Odyssey

• Homer

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• No one knows who he is for sure
• Thought to be a blind minstrel from the island of
  Chios
• Some scholars think he is just a legend.

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Epic

• The Odyssey is an epic poem.
• An epic
• a long narrative poem
• tells about the adventures of a hero
• hero reflects the ideals and values of a nation
  or race
• Setting was on a large scale (worldwide)
• Supernatural beings took interest in events

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Spreading of tales

• Epics were often told by rhapsodes or minstrels
• These were people who traveled and sang tales
• Tales were often of legendary events or figures
• This was a form of entertainment and information
• Stories were often told over a period of days

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Retelling of tales

• The wording of many epics varied as each minstrel
  would make up the words on the spot.
• Minstrels used formulas to help the audience
  remember and to give them time to think of what
  to say next.
• The formulas make some passages seem repetitive
  to modern day readers

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Formulas

• There were formulas for such things as the
  arrival of guests, eating meals, taking baths.
• Homeric similes comparison between a heroic or
  epic event to an everyday event

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Homeric Simile

• When Athena prevents an arrow from striking
  Menelaus in the Illiad, the goddess actions are
  described as follows
• She brushed it away from his skin as lightly as
  when a mother /
• Brushes a fly away from her child who is lying in
  sweet sleep

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Ancient world

• At the time of the Odyssey, travelers and
  strangers were always treated kindly for it was
  always possible that it could be a god or goddess
  in disguise.
• The seats of honor were those closest to the
  host/ hostess
• One was to pay tribute to the gods before eating,
  drinking, going on a trip, etc.

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Setting

• Supposedly written between 900 700 B.C.
• Set in 1200 B.C
• Set after the Trojan War
• Odysseus has still not gotten home from the war
• Audience wouldve been familiar with the details
  of the Trojan War

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In the beginning

• The first line of the poem invokes the gods.
  Even the minstrels would still do such a thing.
• Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story
• Of that man skilled in all ways of contending. .
  .
• The nine Muses were daughters of Zeus who were
  said to inspire the arts including poetry, music,
  and dance.

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While you read

• Take notes
• Names, places, major events
• Fill in the Names to Know
• Put a page number and chapter to help you look
  back at when you 1st met the char.
• Make a timeline
• Story is not chronological