Download GROUP RESEARCH PROJECT: THE ODYSSEY English 9B

Profile of: Pele
GROUP RESEARCH PROJECT:
THE ODYSSEY
English 9B / Mythology Unit
Mr. Shimizu
May 6 2014
Group Member #1 … Topics 1 and 5
Group Member #2 … Topics 2 and 6
Group Member #3 … Topics 3 and 4
Pele is a major goddess in Hawaiian mythology who
shows up in countless stories and whose influence survives to
this day. She is known in Hawaiian by many names, one of
which is Ka wahine ‘ai honua or “the woman who devours the
land” (“Goddess of Fire”). This rather unflattering-sounding
name may come from the fact that she is thought to be the
goddess of volcanoes. According to one source, she is also the
goddess of fire, lightning, and dance (“Goddess of Fire”).
Pele is believed to be one of over a dozen daughters of
the earth goddess Haumea and the sky god Kane Milohai.
According to one legend, she was sent from her home in Tahiti
to the Hawaiian Islands because she tried to seduce her sister
Namakaokahai’s husband. Several major volcanoes and
landforms (Diamond Head on Oahu, Haleakala on Maui) are
said to be her creations (“Goddess of Fire”). Halema’uma’u
crater at the top of Kilauea is said to be where she makes her
home today (USGS.gov).
As can be seen in the story of her expulsion from
Tahiti, Pele is a goddess with a fiery personality. Several
stories exist showcasing her nature to be as volatile as the
volcanoes she presides over. In these stories, Pele disguises
herself either as a beautiful young woman or a shabbily dressed
elderly woman and tests how well others treat her. Those who
treat Pele well are rewarded and those who do not are punished
with destruction of their property (“Goddess of Fire”).
Profile of: Stonehenge
The Greek Afterlife
Located in southern Britain, Stonehenge is considered
by some “the most architecturally sophisticated prehistoric
stone circle in the world” (UNESCO). Built in phases over two
millennia (3100-1100 B.C.), the site is made up of sandstone
and bluestone blocks arranged in concentric circles in an
astronomically important location and layout. The use of these
two materials (the bluestones come from Wales 124 miles
away), plus the extended construction period make it clear
Stonehenge was special to Britain’s Neolithic population
(UNESCO).
Though undeniably special, experts disagree about why
Stonehenge was built. Experts who call it a healing center point
to medieval stories about the bluestones’ curative powers and
modern radiocarbon evidence of sick travelers from as far as
Switzerland traveling here after these stones were erected
(Jones). Other experts point to the too-accurate-to-becoincidental alignment of Stonehenge in between two recently
discovered pits as evidence of the site’s significance to sun
worshippers—Why? The layout parallels the sun’s journey
across the sky on the summer solstice (Keys). Whatever its
original purpose(s), Stonehenge continues to inspire visitors—
did the wizard Merlin build the circle? Did aliens land spacecrafts here?—and impress with its age and beauty (Owens).
After death, the ancient Greeks believed ... In The
Odyssey, for example, … (Book number.Line number/s) …
Further support for this comes from _____, who writes that …
(citation). …
The ancient Greeks divided the underworld into
different areas: _________. ______ was where … (citation). …
If there is space:
One interesting thing about the Greek afterlife is … /
One interesting thing about the Greek underworld is …
(citation). …
Oaths and Hospitality in Ancient Greece
The ancient Greeks observed many customs but
keeping oaths and practicing xenia were among the most
important. Xenia describes … (citation). Xenia was important
because … (citation). … The ancient Greeks took oaths
seriously because … (citation).
The consequences for breaking xenia or oaths were
severe. In Book __ of The Odyssey, for instance, breaking
[xenia OR an oath] results in … (line number/s). … Likewise,
in [name of story/historical example], breaking [xenia OR an
oath] results in … (citation).
Gender Roles in Ancient Greece
In ancient Greece, men and women followed different
codes of conduct and were held to different standards.
Men, for instance, could … but women could not. This is
because …
Men in Ancient Greece were expected to …
Women in Ancient Greece were expected to …
Once a woman married, she was expected to …
Works Cited
Odysseus vs. Maximus Decimus Meridius
Though separated by thousands of years in origin,
Odysseus and Maximus Decimus Meridius (the hero of Ridley
Scott’s 2000 film Gladiator) are very much alike. Maximus is
a commander of men, a battle-hardened general in ancient
Rome who is far from his native Spain fighting a war in
Germany. Like Odysseus, he spends the entire film trying to
reunite with the wife and son he left behind. Also like
Odysseus, Maximus must endure enormous suffering and
hardship at the hands of powerful characters before he can take
his revenge and win the peace he is after. Through their sound
judgment Odysseus and Maximus prove themselves to be
similarly heroic in character.
Both Odysseus and Maximus show sound judgment
during their first faceoff with an enemy, delaying vengeance
until the right moment. In The Odyssey, Polyphemus murders
two of Odysseus’ comrades but this “royal son of Laertes”
resists the urge to kill the cyclops once he falls asleep (X.443).
Odysseus tells his audience how “if [he] killed him [they]
perished there as well,” for none but Polyphemus could free
him and his men (V.248-9). Maximus (called “Spaniard” as a
gladiator) likewise has the chance to kill Emperor Commodus
early on in the film, but he chooses not to attack because it
would mean also endangering Commodus’ innocent nephew
Lucius. As much as these men have reason to be angry
(Commodus arranges the deaths of Maximus’ wife and son),
they still remain levelheaded enough to know when to act.
Gladiator. Dir. Ridley Scott. Perf. Russell Crowe, Joaquin
Phoenix. Dreamworks Pictures, 2000. DVD.
Jones, Dan. “New Light on Stonehenge.” Smithsonian
Magazine. Smithsonian, Oct. 2008. Web. 7 May 2014.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/new-light-onstonehenge-11706891/?page=4&no-ist
Keys, David. “Secret History of Stonehenge Revealed.” The
Independent. The Independent, 26 Nov. 2011. Web. 7
May 2014. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/
history/secret-history-of-stonehenge-revealed6268237.html
“Kilauea—Perhaps Hawaii’s Most Active Volcano.” Hawaiian
Volcano Observatory. U.S. Geological Survey, 7 May
2009. Web. 7 May 2014.
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/
Owens, James. “Scientists Try to Crack Stonehenge’s
Prehistoric Puzzles.” National Geographic. The
National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014.
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/
archaeology/stonehenge/
“Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites.” UNESCO.
World Heritage Centre, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/373
“The Legend Behind Hawaii’s Goddess of Fire.”
Robertshawaii.com. Roberts Hawaii, 17 Sept. 2013.
Web. 7 May 2014. https://www.robertshawaii.com/
blog/the-legend-behind-hawaii’s-goddess-of-fire.php