The Odyssey
Part I

 Homer prays to Calliope—muse of epic poetry
 Summarizes what horrible consequences will occur to
Odysseus
 Theme—bad things happen to bad people

 Odysseus claims he is Laertes’ son
 Gives him credibility as a hero
 Speaking to King Alcinous

 Tells of his troubles thus far
 Has been wandering for 10 years already
 The Wanderer—seeking hospitality as any Greek deserves

 Went to far shore of Cicones
 Killed men
 Raped women
 Pillaged the city
 Finally attacked by warriors on horseback
 Theme

 Deadly fighters
 Killed enough men for six benches to be empty
 As many as 12 to 24 men
 Wander for 9 days after that

 Land to get water and food
 Sends three men to explore
 The Lotus flower is like a drug
 The Flower symbolizes laziness
(very bad)
 Flower symbolizes the loss of hope

 Polyphemus—son of Poseidon
 Symbolizes the harsh forces of nature
 Represents how NOT to treat your guests
 Irony—he is a sheep herder
(docile)

 Cave is intriguing to Odysseus
 Curiosity gets the better of his wisdom
 Stays too long and id trapped
 Leader of Men?

 Polyphemus kills and eats two of
Odyssesus “best” men
 Odysseus refuses to kill
Polyphemus
 Good leadership: how would they move the rock?

 The Plan—Odysseus relies on his wit to defeat Polyphemus
 Relies on the mercy of gods
 Prays to Athena (goddess of
Wisdom)
 “Discovers” an olive post (olive is tree of Athena)

 The Plan—sharpen the post into a stake which will pierce
Polyphemus’ eye
 Get Polyphemus drunk—make him sleepy, dull-witted, and offguard
 Keep him alive

 Tell Polyphemus his name is
Nohbdy
 Polyphemus hears “nobody” but isn’t as smart as Odysseus to hear the difference
 Shows Odysseus as very smart

 Description of the ‘stab’
 Graphic—the audience liked that sort of stuff
 Keeps the action flowing
 Glorifies Odysseus’ triumph over nature/monster
 Showcases the hero

 Awakens (obviously—who wouldn’t?)
 Throws open the door to call for help
 Tells other Cyclopses that
“Nobody” hurt him
 Odysseus’ plan worked

 Last plan—how to get out
 Polyphemus blocks the door
 Odysseus ties men under sheep
 Polyphemus feels to see if sheep are leaving or men
 Once outside, Odysseus taunts
Polyphemus

 Odysses commits a serious error—he boasts
 Represents vanity (conceit)
 Tells Polyphemus his real name
 Polyphemus sincerely offers restitution to Odysseus

 Odysseus insults Polyphemus by refusing request
 Tells Polyphemus to go to Hell
 Receives the first curse (becomes prophesy)
 Poseidon becomes his enemy—won’t allow Odysseus to return home easily

 Island of the King of the Winds
 King gives a bag to Odysseus which harnesses bad winds
 Odysseus’ men think it is treasure, and open it and are blown off course
 Theme again

 Giant cannibals
 The bad which happens to
Odysseus after his men open the bag of wind

 Witch goddess
 Enchanted animals
 Actually changed men into animals
 She is singing when the men find her

 Enchants Odysseus’ men
 Changes them into pigs and feeds them acorns
 Eurylochus is only one to escape
 Odysseus receives help from
Hermes (guide)

 Hermes gives him a plant
 Circe asks Odysseus to stay
 She restores his health and hope to return home
 Tells Odysseus he must go to the land of the Dead

 Blood needed so the dead can speak
 Teiresias—blind prophet
 Popular in many Greek tales
 Predicts Odysseus’ future

 Tells Odysseus he will find only trouble when he returns home
 House overrun
 His men will eat the cattl of Helios
 He will return home alone on a strange ship—a stranger in a strange land

 Odysseus shows his intelligence again
 Uses beeswax in his men’s ears
 Has himself tied to the mast
 When he stops struggling, the men know they are safe

 Drinks the ocean and spews it out violently
 Men see this upon approach and are afraid
 Odysseus does not tell them the danger

 Odysseus does not tell the danger
 Maybe the men will refuse to row
 Scylla’s attack suspenseful—good for audience
 It is violent (forces of nature)
 Motivates his men to row like crazy

 Last mistake Odysseus’ men make
 While asleep, they fulfill the prophecy both Teiresias and Circe gave
 May be the reason Odysseus refused to give the message

 By not telling, the second part of the prophecy can come true—Odysseus will get home
 Zeus himself punishes Odysseus and his men
 Lightning destroys all of Odysseus’ ships
 All of Odysseus’ men die

 The nymph who keeps Odysseus prisoner for seven years
 Only allows Odysseus to go after much pleading.