Download Notes on The Odyssey

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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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
______________________________________________________.