The Iliad and The Odyssey: The Back-story

It’s Like a Big Deal…I mean people know this.

(Psst…there’s an allusion here.)

A hint

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Who wrote the Odyssey?Homer - He was a blind minstrel, or

bardWrote 2 epics: long, narrative poems

The Iliad is a war epicThe Odyssey is a long journey epic

Odyssey = journey

Both were written about 800 BC and told about events that happened in 1200 BC

Here’s a pic

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No, THIS Homer

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What is an Epic?

The oldest literary form or genreA long story poem involving:

A great hero with supernatural qualities (more modern: super powers)

The gods and goddesses take an active part in helping or hindering (Poseidon is Odysseus’ enemy and represents

all the bad traits of O. while Athena helps O and represents all of his good traits)

Epic

The fate of an entire race of ppl is often at stake

Heroes found their greatest glory in battleIt involves a struggle that the culture of the

hero valuesThe hero embodies the values of their culture;

used to teach these values.Begins with an invocation ( prayer to the

muse of poetry)

A minstrel is a entertainer who told stories and sang songs -Like Kanye without the dramaBoth a historian and an entertainer

Minstrels BORROWED material from legends, epics and myths already known by the ppl; Used descriptions and phrases that were

familiar to the people called EPITHETSThey made the stories as simple as

possible

Stories were told repetitively.There was no written history.Homer outshone other minstrels of his

day because of his:Originality of ideasExpression and effect he had on his

audience

Meant to teach a lesson--EVERY SINGLE episode in the ODYSSEY is an ALLEGORY for a real life situation.

Allegory

A symbolical narrativeA story that represents something else

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe- life of Christ

The Lord of the Rings-Life of ChristAnimal Farm- WW2Avatar - save the world!! Yay! Go green!

Two Part Story

The Iliad, then the Odyssey…

The Iliad

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The Iliad

Tells of the war between Greece and Troy (located in present day Turkey.)

Provides the background for the Odyssey and Odysseus

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Iliad

The War lasted ten years

In reality, it possibly began because the Greeks tried to control trade routes.

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The Iliad

According to myth: Paris, a prince of Troy, kidnapped Helen, queen of Sparta and wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta.

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The Iliad

The Greek kings banded together and sent armies in 1,000 ships to attack Troy. (Helen is known as “The face that launched a thousand ships.)

Gods and goddesses took sides in the war.

For nine years, there was no victory.

The Iliad

Finally, Odysseus devised a plan: The Trojan Horse.

The Monty Python Version…

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But it was probably more like this…

And then this

A graveyard full of Trojans

The Iliad The Greeks conquered

Troy; the Trojans were slaughtered and the city was destroyed.

The Greeks set out for home in their ships.

Many gods and goddesses were offended when Greeks desecrated temples and did not make offerings. (The beginning of O’s troubles.)

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The Odyssey

Epic poem of the long journey home that begins in media res.

Greeks would have been familiar with Odysseus as a hero from the Iliad

Tells of Odysseus’ adventures trying to return home to Ithaca; his wife’s trials at home; and how his son grows up without a father.

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Or…the more modern version

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The Odyssey

It took TEN years for him to sail home…

And this is why:

Typical Male…

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Main CharactersOdysseus (Ulysses): Super human hero

from IthacaPenelope: his wifeTelemachus: Odysseus’ sonCirce: a WitchAntinous: takes over O’s home while O

is away

Gods/Goddesses

Athena: Goddess of wisdomShe is on Odysseus’ side and represents all of his

good traits: courage, loyalty, braveryPoseidon: god of the sea

He is against Odysseus and represents all of his bad traits: Mouthy, reckless, prideful

Zeus: King of the godsHermes: Messenger of the godsAeolus: god of the winds

Greek Values and Beliefs

Believed it was wrong for any man to have hubris: excessive pride or arrogance

The character of a man was very important: courage, loyalty to home and family

Man was not the master of his own fate; he was a pawn in a chess gameCould not control his own fate but he could control

how he reacted to the gods’ interfering or meddling (Odyssey is all about O’s reactions…temper, temper, temper)

Questions?

Save your notes to your folder. You may need these later.

Go to thetree and under the Odyssey-B tab, click the Helen pages link.

Follow the instructions. 1st tri or newbies work with a 2nd tri person.