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Homer’s The Odyssey
Building Background
The Odyssey • By definition an odyssey means a long
voyage or journey with many changes in fortune.
• The Odyssey is an epic poem about a Trojan War hero named Odysseus on his way home after the war.
• What do you already know about his journey home? 2
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Before traditional literature . . .
• Stories were shared through an oral tradition.
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Oral Tradition• Written literature grew out of the oral
tradition, the passing of stories, poems, and sayings by word of mouth.
• Around campfires and at other gatherings, people told tales about love, ambition, and friendship.
• Expressing their human concerns in stories, they explored universal themes, insights into life that are true for many different times and cultures.
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Some Universal Themes . . .
• The importance of heroism• The strength of loyalty• The power of love• The dangers of greed
• Can you find a connection to any of these themes in modern literature or movies?
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Myths and Legends• Myth – explains the actions of gods
and the humans who interact with them.
• Legends – are tales that recount the adventures of a human hero and are usually based on historical truth.
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The Greek Gods & Goddesses
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EPIC POEM
A long narrative poem that tells the
story of an epic hero
Only contain “some”
truth - not a work of factual history
Portrays the past,
but it is an imaginary
past
Expresses the values, ideals, and
behaviors of the society and culture
in which they are set.
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EPIC HERO
Is both helped and harmed by interfering gods
Possesses superhuman strength and
craftiness
Is admired by society and
culture
Emerges victorious from
perilous situations
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The Epic Hero• For all the good characteristics he
may possess, the epic hero also has his faults; he is not perfect!
• His human faults may include being:– overly curious– foolishly cocky– short-tempered
The EPIC Plot & Setting• Epic plots involve long journeys, filled with
complications.– Strange Creatures– Divine Intervention– Large-Scale Events– Treacherous Weather
• Epic settings include:– Fantastic or exotic lands– Involves more than one nation
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EPIC Themes• Common themes found in epics include:
– Courage– The fate of a nation– A homecoming– Beauty– Loyalty– Life and death
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The Odyssey before it was written . . .
• Greeks did not experience The Odyssey in its written version. The Odyssey was originally shared though performances by master storytellers, and two techniques were used to help storytellers remember the LONG epic poem (12,000 lines) and to keep audience members interested in the story. – Epic Simile – Epithet– Allusions
Literary Devices of Focus• Simile – a simile is a comparison
between two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”
• Homer liked to make similes go on and on, sometime for several lines; this is an EPIC SIMILE – a simile with a lot of detail that can go on for several lines
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Literary Devices of Focus• An epithet is a:• Brief, descriptive phrase that helps
to characterize a particular person or thing
• Odysseus is described as a “master mariner” or “raider of cities”
• Zeus is described as “Lord of Olympus”• The Muse is known as “Daughter of Zeus”• Can you think of an epithet for
yourself?
Literary Devices of Focus
• To help the audience picture what is being described, a poet might make an allusion to something they already know.
• An allusion is a reference to a famous person, place, or event. The author expects the reader or audience to recognize the allusion.
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The END
Extra slides follow – not intended for this
presentation
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The Hero’s Journey
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The EPIC• A long narrative poem that tells the
story of an epic hero. • Epics works of the imagination and are
often based on legends that contain “some” truth, but they are not works of factual history.
• Epics portray the past, but it is an imaginary past.
• Epics express the values, ideals, and behaviors of the society and culture in which they are set.
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In the Middle of Things . . .
• Many epics begin in medias res (“in the middle of things”), meaning that major events occurred before the poem begins.
• The hero’s adventures are often recounted in a flashback.
• The epic hero’s traits are developed by what he says in narration and dialogue, and by his actions.
