Mythology
and
The Odyssey
by Homer
Mythology
 Mythology
did not start with the
Greeks—it has existed since the
beginning of time.
 Mythology
serves 3 basic functions in
ALL societies. It represents:
Our effort to explain our existence
Our effort to explain our world
Our attempt at seeking justice
Myth
A myth is:
A story that uses fantasy to
express ideas about life
which cannot be expressed
easily in realistic terms.
Polytheism
 Polytheism
is the worship of many
gods. (Poly= many) (Theos= god)
 The gods of ancient peoples came to
represent moral attributes
 They were also connected with
specific aspects of the life that these
societies experienced.
Mythology Today



The ancient myths are still a part of our culture
today.
Myths are alluded to in literature, sports, media,
and everyday life.
For example, we see references to mythological
gods:
Circe: god of agriculture (cereal)
Hermes (Mercury): messenger god (quick and
prompt) Emblem for FTD florists
Atlas: Greek hero known for his strength (Atlas tires
are strong!)
Olympus: mountain home of the gods (cameras=best,
highest quality)
Greek Mythology
War of the Titans
Division of the World
(Straws were drawn)

Zeus = Heaven

Poseidon = Sea

Hades = Underworld
The Greek gods
Physical appearance
Resemble mortals but stronger and larger
Live like nobles (need food and drink but
do not labor)
Dress like humans and sleep at night

The gods generally uphold
virtuous behavior
The gods up Close
Powers
They can change form at will
They transform mortals
They can control mortals’ minds

Limitations
They cannot interfere with fate
They may be interfered with by other gods

Gods’ expectations of
mortals
Keep oaths--honesty
Do not harbor pride, or hubris
Properly bury the dead--respect others
Show hospitality to strangers
Heroes
In Greek
mythology,
heroes occupy a
special position
in life: they are
below the gods
but above other
mortals.
The stories of these
heroes were
popular then—and
are still read
now—because we
can sympathize
with their
experience of
feeling lost in a
world of difficult
choices.
The Odyssey
 Odyssey
= a voyage or long journey
marked by wanderings, adventures, and
hardships
 Hero in The Odyssey = Odysseus
(Ulysses)
 Named after the hero, Odysseus
 The Odyssey covers his 10-year journey
home to Ithaca after the war
 His journey is difficult because some
gods had wanted the Trojans to win (they
thought the Greek victory was unfair, so
they were angry with Odysseus)
3 Plots in The Odyssey
 Events
that happen to Odysseus’ wife
and son as they await his journey home
to Ithaca
 Odysseus’
wanderings during his 10year journey home after the Trojan War
 Odysseus’
return home and joint effort
with his son, Telemachus, to defeat
their enemies
the Trojan WAr
problems…
Odysseus doesn’t give credit to the
gods—this shows pride, or
HUBRIS
 Poseidon, who supported Troy, is
angry with Odysseus for winning
and for his hubris.
 Poseidon warns Odysseus it will
be a LONG journey home.

This is where
The Odyssey
begins
Behind the Odyssey
The Odyssey was
written by a
man named
Homer.
According to
the Greek
tradition,
Homer was a
blind minstrel
from the island
of Chios.
Epic
An epic is a long narrative poem
telling about the adventures of a
hero who embodies the values of his
particular civilization.
An epic teaches the virtues and value
systems of the society that
produced the epic.
Epic Style
When a minstrel told an epic,
he would often use
formulas: expressions that
are repeated.
The audience could recognize
the formulas; a formula
helped the listener to
remember—and helped the
minstrel to remember the
story himself!