Download Homer – Greek poet who lived around 800 BC

The Odyssey
Homer
Greek poet who
lived around 800
BC
 Was thought to
be blind, but
describes events
as a seeing
person
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Homer
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Created Two Epic Poems
The Iliad – about the Trojan War
The Odyssey – about the journey home
What is an Epic
poem?
A long narrative poem about a
legendary hero.
 In Homer’s day, it would have been
sung with the accompaniment of a
lyre

Legend of the Trojan War
Legend of the Trojan War
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The Trojan War supposedly took place
around 1200 BC
Paris abducted Helen of Sparta and took her
back to Troy
Her husband, King Menelaus, put an army
together to go bring her back.
This army, comprised of soldiers from all the
Greek islands, led to the saying that Helen “had
the face that could launch a thousand ships.”
The Trojan War
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Lasted around 10 years
Was a stalemate
Took the life of Achilles
Ended with the “Wooden Horse” plan
created by Odysseus of Ithaca
For the sacking of Troy, Odysseus earned
the wrath of the gods who favored the
city.
The Odyssey
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Is all about Odysseus’ journey home.
An odyssey is a long journey.
This journey would take him 10 years to
complete
In total, Odysseus was gone from Ithaca
for 20 years.
Brief Outline
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Odysseus leaves Troy with several ships.
For two years they wander from place to
place until he loses all men and ships.
He is kept by the goddess Calypso for 8
years.
Hermes finally convinces her to let
Odysseus go.
He builds a raft and leaves.
Outline Continued
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On the sea, he hits a storm.
He washes up on the Island of Phaeacia
He is found by a young girl named
Nausicau, who is the daughter of King
Alcinous, the king of the island.
At a banquet for him, after someone sings
a song about Troy, Odysseus reveals to
King Alcinous who he is.
Outline Continued
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Odysseus begins to tell the story of his
journey to King Alcinous.
This is how The Odyssey begins, in
flashback.