Notes on The Odyssey-Use your book to fill in answers. You may not find all the answers in your book. If you cannot find it just leave it blank.
The Odyssey was written by ______
It was written in approximately the year ______
The version that we will read in class was translated from ______by a man named Robert Fitzgerald.
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The Odyssey is the sequel (the second part of a previous story) to The______(900 and 700 BC)
The Iliad focuses on the days toward ______(mid 1200s BC)
The Odyssey focuses on a man named Odysseus, who was ______who fought in the Trojan War and is returning home ______.
The Iliad and The Odyssey together were considered sacred (very important and very special) to______—much like the Bible is to many people today.
Both books were not originally______.
Both stories were originally recited (repeated) orally (out loud; by mouth).
The Trojan War
Spartan King Menelaus’ wife ______(the face that launched a thousand ships) left him for the young ______of Troy.
Greeks attacked Troy
Agamemnon, brother of Menelaus, led the siege.
______(main character in the Odyssey) was another hero of the war.
Odysseus was known not only for being a strong hero, but also for being a wise/smart hero.
Another hero, ______, died in the final year of the war.
Greek forces were victorious (they won against the Trojans)!
Odysseus – Hero of The Odyssey
Wife:______
Son: ______
Great soldier of the war
Originally tried to get out of going to the war—pretended ______
Came up with the ______that lead to Troy’s collapse.
The Odyssey is the account of Odysseus’______after the war.
Homer “The Blind Poet” came up with the story of The Odyssey
Blind
Minstrel/Singer from the island Chios
Homer was a ______, or singer of tales.
All historians/entertainers of Homer’s time did not write their stories/facts down.
What is an Epic?
An Epic is a ______.
Tells about the ______.
Usually epics embody the ______they are written for.
The Iliad and The Odyssey were used in schools to teach ______virtues (morals, values, rules of society).
Greek Values: honor, bravery, hospitality, intelligence, respect for the gods, loyalty to home and family
Major faults: disrespect for the gods, lack of hospitality, excessive pride “hubris”
The Iliad is primary model for ______
The Odyssey is primary model for epic of ______.
The term epic is also applied to novels, dramas, and films which are ______or importance of their subject matter --- with______.
Characteristics of the Epic
· Long, narrative ______
· Relates the deeds of a ______
· Incorporates ______,______, ______, and ______
· Reflects the ______from which they originate
· Tone is usually ______
· Heroes and adventures appear ______
Characteristics of the Epic (define bold words in space below)
• Begins in medias res (Latin for “it begins ______”), then flashes back to explain action leading up to that point
• Begins with an invocation or ______.
• Always begins with a ______.
• Contains many epithets
• Contains ______by many characters.
• Frequently has epic digressions (digressions are when you don’t stay on the subject and start talking about other things before you return to the topic)
The Epic Hero (define bold words in space below)
• Superhuman
• On a quest (a long search) for ______
• Villains try to keep the hero from his ______
• Of mixed divine (godly) and human birth
• Divine World (the gods) interfere (get in the way of) with the human world
Major Plot Strands
1. Story in Ithaca about Odysseus’ ______as they await his return.
2. Tale of Odysseus’ wanderings during the______years following the Trojan War
3. Merging of the strands when Odysseus returns to Ithaca and joins forces with his son, Telemachus, to ______.
What is a Myth?
A Myth is a ______from a ______
It usually explains a ______of that culture, a ______of the culture, or a mysterious natural phenomenon (like the existence of lightning, mountains, etc.)
A Myth deals with ______and the ______, or ______and ______.
Many times the god is an ______, or a reflection of the hero’s ______.