Homer's The Odyssey

Poem was written 200 years after Homer composed it
1. Homer wrote the poem 500 years after the supposed Trojan war but his society was 8th BC
  1. Historians have discovered that their was a sophisticated civilisation that was present in that time. It had spread across Greece and had powerful lords that built palaces the used bronze weapons and there were literate and warlike.
    1. Kleos - glory
      1. time - public recognition
        Arete - excellence
        oikos - the household
        Xenia - guest friendship
        Hubris- going against the gods
        nostos - homecoming
        given to all guests on doorstep. great importance. Zeus protects strangers. Suitors never reciprocate the guest friendship (odysseus) = death acceptable. Polyphemus' treatment of guests un-acceptable. Guest gift givers = increased prestige and influence. To treat a stranger inhospitably would be unthinkable (suitors rudeness to beggar)
        Meet - Greet - Seat - feet- eat - entreat (question) - treat
        While any violation of hospitality was considered a social transgression, other acts nowadays considered to be crimes (killing people) were thought to be correct and appropriate behaviour
        Headed by a male ruler 'kyrios' provided security for all members including slaves. They all worked towards wealth and prestige: Master, wife, children, masters parents, free men who helped around the house, saves.
        Society was a horizontal structure. At the top were the noble they protected their privileges through solidarity. Kinship important element in preservation of the bond. Families ties emphasised when help sought for some undertaking
        Women valued but has no political right/ Married man of her father's choice - moved to control of husband.Ruling families made important links through marriage. Freeborn women worked alongside slave women but not to the same extent. Never went outside so epithet 'white-armed' indoor world of the women, highborn weaving/spinning
2. not told in chronological order
  1. In medias res
Examine Ideas and values of the classical world AS 91200 4 credits - Excellence - Examine, with perception, ideas and values of the classical world
1. Offer reasons for similarities and differences, themes and pattern and relate to the codes of behaviour within the society. Draw developed conclusions. explanation shows insight and give a big picture idea that goes beyond the words of the book
  1. The four themes we are going to focus on from The Odyssey of Homer with particular reference to Books 1,5,6,9,19-23 is: relationships, leadership, beliefs, and social and cultural behaviours
    1. Need to prepare for all themes and have knowledge of everything i.e. in depth and more expansive
Odyesseus - King of Ithaca,'wily Odysseus'. Designed the Trojan hose which led troy to be taken by the Greeks - good heroic guy that was essential to the trojan war and had lots of parties
1. Penelope is the wife of Odysseus and is quite tricky herself. She is the mother of Telemachus. she she is very excitable and so people don't often tell her things, people often distract her so she doesn't give them away. athena comforts her about her husband but she leans toward some of the suitors
  1. Son of Odysseus and has to seek out information of his father save his mother from an unwanted marriage
    1. Athena
      1. Calypso - sea nymph who held Odysseues captive for 7 years
        Circe
        Nausicaa
        Nestor
      2. Goddess of wisdom and battle - she likes odysseus and helps him she rather reassures odysseus than actively help him
    2. Matures in the story - comes of age with help from athena and becomes a man of the houee
2. Polyphemus - cyclops who Odysseus and his crew blinded
Book 1 - at the council with the gods Athena is unhappy and Odysseus is still wandering the seas all other leaders are already home. Athena visits Telemachus and tells him to go find his father and deal with the suitors. Poseidon hates Odysseus and won't let return
1. Book 5 At a second council of the gods, Zeus orders that after 7 years with Calypso on her island she must release him to head home. When sailing Poseidon sends a storm to stop him. Athena sees him safely to Scherie, land of Phaeacins
  1. Book 6 - Athena ensures Nausicaa finds and helps Odysseus. Nausicaa takes Odysseus to her father, King Alcinous' palace
    1. Book 9 - Odysseus tells his story dealing with the attack on the Cicones, reaching the land of the Lotus Eaters and the episode with Polyphemus, the Cyclops
      1. Book 19 - Eurycleia recognises Odysseus. Odysseus is now back in Ithaca and under a disguise. His old nurse recognises the scar on his leg. Odysseus talks to Penelope in disguise and she confides in him about her trick with the shroud. Penelope announces she will marry who ever can shoot an arrow the the row of twelve axes.
employs literary and poetic devices associated with epics: catalog. long speeches, journeys or quest, various trials or tests of the hero, similes metaphors, ad divine intervention
1. written in a meter known as the dactylic hexxameter
2. Epithet - Athena often carries the epithet of 'sparkling-eyed'. among other chracteristics hair gets a lot of attention in epithets. Corce for example is 'the nymph with lovely braid. Various limbs are used the sea nymph Ino 'daughter of the lovely ankles' and the beautiful daughter of Alcinous and Arete is white armed Nausicaa . in addition to identifying characters in ways that may or may not be very significant, epithet allow the poet to fill ot a line to match the meter at his discretion.
3. simile is a comparison that uses like or as. it is generally longer than modern simile

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Homer's The Odyssey

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