Witches: Calypso & CirceWitches: Calypso & Circe

• Hinder Odysseus’ desire to go Hinder Odysseus’ desire to go home. home.

• CIRCE: First ruthless and cruel, CIRCE: First ruthless and cruel, then then becomes helpful becomes helpful

• CALYPSO: gentle and charming CALYPSO: gentle and charming but but also also controllingcontrolling

The Challenge of Ogygia & Calypso

What is the nature of these trials?

• No progress

• Essentially being “damned”

• Being stuck in a rut, unable to move forward

NOTES: Add to “Odysseus’sAdventures” chart (next slide)

Challenge of Ogygia & Calypso Character flaw:

loneliness

Don’t lose sight of your goal.

giving up hope (becomes Calypso’s husband for this reason) Lessons learned:

Submit to the will of the gods. Be patient. There are some things over which an individual has no control.

Homer’sHomer’s OdysseyOdyssey

The Homecoming Themes

NOTES

Understanding Literary Archetypes

An ARCHETYPE is:

• An original pattern or a model; a prototype after which other things are modeled.

•a universal theme that manifests itself differently on an individual basis

“Arche” = ancient “Typos”= pattern

Metaphor: “Life is a voyage. Metaphor: “Life is a voyage. Each of us is on a personal Each of us is on a personal voyage of life.”voyage of life.”

Human Emotions: Human Emotions: OdysseyOdyssey shows:shows:What humans do and how they What humans do and how they

suffer in consequence for their suffer in consequence for their actions. actions.

NOTES

How they face their challenges. How they face their challenges.

• There is almost no emotion that There is almost no emotion that Homer doesn’t describe his Homer doesn’t describe his characters having or arouse in the characters having or arouse in the reader.reader.

Odysseus’ development Odysseus’ development NOTESEach trial Odysseus encounters Each trial Odysseus encounters

changes him and teaches him changes him and teaches him about himself. about himself.

He learns humility and patience. He learns humility and patience.

His final trial:His final trial:At the end he must prove At the end he must prove

himself to his enemies and himself to his enemies and reclaim his household.reclaim his household.

Society in peacetime and Society in peacetime and the the importance of the oikos (household)• Oikos is a self-contained unit. Oikos is a self-contained unit.

• In his absence, Odysseus’ oikos In his absence, Odysseus’ oikos is being corrupted by the suitors. is being corrupted by the suitors.

• Books 1-4 and 13-24 deal with Books 1-4 and 13-24 deal with the household.the household.

Suppose you had been gone from home for manyyears, and during that time, your loved ones hadno word from you and no idea what had happened to you. What would you expect them to do in your absence?

If you had not seen a close relative—a grandparent, a parent, or a sibling—for a long time, how would you react when you were reunited with him or her? What thoughts, feelings, and problems do you think you might have?

Write about such an imaginedreunion. (5 min.)

Role of the gods and fate in Role of the gods and fate in human liveshuman lives

• Zeus, at the beginning, says Zeus, at the beginning, says mortal men must not blame men mortal men must not blame men for their misfortune. for their misfortune.

• Athena aids Odysseus. Athena aids Odysseus.

• Odysseus brings on Poseidon’s Odysseus brings on Poseidon’s wrath. wrath.

• Fate, interference by the gods Fate, interference by the gods and human action combine to and human action combine to form an epic that is gigantic in form an epic that is gigantic in scale.scale.

The development of The development of TelemachusTelemachus• From an inexperienced, naïve From an inexperienced, naïve

youth to a hero. youth to a hero.

Parallel THEMES in “Homecoming” books:

The trials / tests Penelope The trials / tests Penelope facesfaces•How she meets adversity;How she meets adversity;

•She, too, must pass tests of She, too, must pass tests of character and “prove” herself.character and “prove” herself.

Read with a purpose: NOTES

As you read, think of the ways Odysseus has been tried and whathe has learned.

What themes of universal significance do you think this epic is intended to tell?

•How have Odysseus’ wife and son experienced parallel “voyages”of their own?

As you read, consider: NOTES

What opposing forces, external or internal, are in conflict?

Oral Epic FeaturesOral Epic Features

• Formulaic phrases (epithets) Formulaic phrases (epithets)

• Repeated scenes and descriptions Repeated scenes and descriptions

• Similes Similes

• Dramatic monologues Dramatic monologues