Monday, March 12th
RH.9-10.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to
such features as the date and origin of the
information.RH.9-10.2. Determine the central ideas or
information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop
over the course of the text
Hand back Student
Folders: Pass out work
Metacognition: Reflect,
What could I do this 9
weeks to make my grade
better
Discussion / Quick Write:
Timeline of what has
happened in the books
1 -5 So Far
Essential Question: What is the Role of
Women in the Iliad?
• Note taking Activity
• Reading Time: Assigned Literature
Groups: Book 6
• Complete Character Worksheet and
Vocabulary Word Search
• Need Help:
– Character Search:
• http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~lo
xias/iliad/iliadstart3.htm
• Assigned Literature Circles:
– Complete Summaries/Questions for
Books 6
• Group #1: Peter, Linda, Catherine,
Monica
• Group #2: Cierra B, Jarrett, Solomon,
Brandon
• Group #3: Noah, Winta, Desmond,
Stella
• Group #4: Victoria, Asia, Sohrin ,
Marcus, Cierra R
Front of the Room
Entrance
Linda
Peter
Monic
a
Jarrett
Cather
ine
Cierra
B
Sohrin
Victori
a
Marcu
s
Asia
Cierra
R
Books
helf
Brand
on
Solom
on
Stella
Noah
Desm
ond
Winta
Books
helf
Monday, March 12th
RH.9-10.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to
such features as the date and origin of the
information.RH.9-10.2. Determine the central ideas or
information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop
over the course of the text
Discussion / Quick
Write:
Hand back Student
Folders: Pass out work
Metacognition: Reflect,
What could I do this 9
weeks to make my grade
better
Timeline of what has
happened in the books
1 -5 So Far
Essential Question: What is the Role of
Women in the Iliad?
• Note taking Activity
• Reading Time: Assigned Literature
Groups: Book 6
• Complete Character Worksheet and
Vocabulary Word Search
• Need Help:
– Character Search:
• http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~lo
xias/iliad/iliadstart3.htm
• Assigned Literature Circles:
– Complete Summaries/Questions for
Books 6
• Group #1:Aamira, Kristen, Chanese,
Thomas
• Group #2: Bria, Ari, Raafay, Justin
• Group #3: Daijah, Roneisha, Hannah,
Morgan
• Group #4: Scotsia, Josh,Exeria,
Maria, Deon
Front of the Room
Kriste
n
Thom
as
Ari
Amari
a
Chane
se
Raafay
Bria
Daijah
Entrance
Books
helf
Justin
Hanna
h
Roneis
ha
Maria
Scotsi
a
Morga
n
Deon
Josh
Exeria
Books
helf
What is the subject of this epic poem
as suggested by the opening line?
Rage—Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles,
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans
countless losses, hurling down to the House of
Death so many sturdy souls, great fighters’ souls,
but made their bodies carrion, feasts for the dogs
and birds, and the will of Zeus was moving toward
its end. Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and
clashed, Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant
Achilles.
Explanation
• The first lines of an ancient epic poem typically offer a
capsule summary of the subject the poem will treat,
and the first lines of The Iliad conform to this pattern.
• Homer announces his subject in the very first word of
the very first line: “Rage.”
– He then locates the rage within “Peleus’ son Achilles,”
delineates its consequences (“cost the Achaeans countless
losses . . .”), links it to higher forces and agendas (“the will of
Zeus”), and notes its origin (when “the two first broke and
clashed, / Agamemnon . . . and brilliant Achilles”).
– these lines focus on a human emotion,
– they interpret this emotion as unfolding in accordance with
the expression of Zeus’s will.
– Similarly, Homer conceives of the entire epic as the medium
through which a divine being—a Muse—speaks.
Homeric epic’s tripartite structure
• The Iliad
Plot point 1: the quarrel between Achilles and
Agamemnon, who takes away his concubine
(Books 1-16).
Secondary plot point: the embassy to Achilles
Plot point 3: the death of Patroklus (Achilles
avenges him and abandons his anger).
Time frame of the Iliad
• The entire span of the
epic is 51 days, but
almost the entire
poem is devoted to 4
days (Books 3-22).
Narrative Units
• Invocation: “The
Anger of Achilles”
(1.1-7)
• Homer places the
theme before us, in
fact, in the first word.
• He begins not such
much in medias res
but at the beginning
of his story (the
anger).
“Ransom of Chryseis” (1.8-611)
• Key concepts to
know:
geras (prize; visible
representation of
personal honor).
time (honor, value,
worth)
kleos (immortal
glory)
menis (superhuman
rage)
What sets off the quarrel?
• Book 1.1-300:
one of the
greatest action
sequences in
literature. Homer
defines the story
of the doublebind, or Catch-22:
no matter which
way a character
turns, he is
ruined.
Motif: the
helpful mother
• No common
goal can
overcome
individual
conflict.
• To whom does
Achilles turn
for help?
“The False Dream” (2.1-210)
• Direction of action changes completely.
• The sequence that follows Achilles’ withdrawal must
show how Zeus brought the Achaians defeat (his
promise to Thetis).
• Homer now gives us the “story of the Trojan War” the sequence of scenes gives us the sense that time
is passing & things are happening as Achilles sits out
the fighting.
Agamemnon’s
Foolish Plan
• Why does
Agamemnon tell
his troops that
they will never
conquer Troy?
• What happens
then?
• Anti-war themes
in Greek warrior
culture
• Who retrieves
the situation?
• What does the
Thersites scene
do for the
narrative?
“Helen on the Wall”
(3.121-244)
• Before the armies
clash, we now meet
Hektor, the major
Trojan hero, who
proposes a duel
between Menelaos
and Paris (belongs to
first year of war)
• Helen goes out to
watch from the walls.
The Teikhoskopia
• Helen joins the gathered Trojan elders on the
walls.
• Kindly Priam reassures her, then asks her to
identify the Greek heroes below. This action
belongs to the first year of the war, also.
• Menelaos is beating Paris when Aphrodite
spirits him away, forces Helen to go to him.
“Glory of Diomedes” (4.364-5.909)
In book 5, Diomedes has what is called an aristeia.
1. What special power, granted by the goddess Athena,
helps him?
2. In giving Diomedes this power, Athena also stipulates
what caveat to its use, and what exception?
• First major fighting sequence
features Diomedes.
• Homeric fighting - between
individual heroes. The hero kills
and gets the time.
• aristeia: a sequence of scenes
glorifying a hero (moment of
excellence).
3. What other god is wounded and what happens to
him?
4 . What are the major differences between a
wounded god and a human fighter who is
wounded?
Answer: Ares
• Ares voices this lament after being wounded by
Diomedes in Book 5.
• Homeric gods frequently intervene in the mortal world
out of some kind of emotional attachment to the object
of that intervention.
• Here, Ares describes this emotion as simply a desire to
do “kindness,” but kindness toward one mortal often
translates into unkindness toward another—hence
Ares’ wound at the hands of Diomedes.
• Divine intervention in The Iliad causes conflicts not only
in the mortal sphere but between the gods as well.
Each god favors different men, and when these men
are at war, divine wars often rage as well.
• Ares thus correctly attributes the gods’ “chilling blows”
to their “own conflicting wills
More…
• Ares’ whining does not make him unique among the
gods. Homer’s immortals expect to govern according to
their wills, which are in turn governed by self-interest.
• they complain when they do not get their way.
• Ares’ melodramatic and self-pitying lament, which is
greeted with scorn by Zeus a few lines later, probably
implies some criticism of the gods by Homer.
• Ares’ appearance here as a kind of spoiled child
provides just one example of Homer’s portrayal of the
gods as temperamental, sulky, vengeful, and petty—a
portrayal that may seek to describe and explain the
inequities and absurdities in life on earth.
Narrative Pattern
• The story is supposed to be telling us how the
Trojans defeated the Achaians by the will of
Zeus and request of Achilles, but in fact the
Greek heroes are driving back the Trojans.
Probably shows influence of rich tradition of
tales telling of Achaian victories, and a poor
tradition of telling of Trojan.
Dying enemies
• Homer tells us, as each man dies, enough
about him to make us feel the pathos of his
death.
• This engages readers and makes them
appreciate the human cost of war.
“Hektor and Andromache” (6.237-529)
• Shows us life in the Trojan city
• Shows us Hektor as brother, son, brother-inlaw and husband (not just warrior).
• Reminds us what is at stake.
• Gender roles: “I have learned to fight in the
forefront of battle”
• Hektor must fight, no matter the
consequences.
Women as Delayers
• Women seek to delay Hektor
Hecuba - wine
Helen - seat in women’s quarters
Andromache - for my sake, don’t go
out and fight again.
The scene of Hektor and Andromache at the
Skaian Gate is one of most famous in
literature.
• The family scene of Hektor, Andromache and
Astyanax is contrasted with the fruitless union
of Paris and Helen - built on lust, it leads
nowhere but to death. Their selfishness and
enslavement to personal pleasure will bring
the doom of city and Trojans.
“The Duel Between Hektor and Ajax”
• The first day of fighting hasn’t yet finished when
Hektor returns to the plain with Paris.
• At Apollo’s instigation, Hektor suddenly issues a
challenge to duel
• Ajax wins the lot.
• Duel is stylized: verbal insults, javelins, stones; duel is
stopped before swordfight.
• Nestor asks for truce for collection of dead;
recommends the Achaians built a wall before the ships
(1st year of war).
• Trojan council recommends Paris return Helen and
treasure; he refuses to give back Helen
“Trojans Triumphant” (Book 8)
• Homer needs to prepare for the midpoint of the plot,
the embassy to Achilles, so we need to see the
Greeks in deep trouble to motivate it.
• Zeus sends bolts to frighten Achaians, even so, they
rally.
• Zeus forbids other gods to interfere; makes prophecy
which keeps our minds on the master plan.
Tuesday, March
13th
RH.9-10.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to
such features as the date and origin of the
information.RH.9-10.2. Determine the central ideas or
information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop
over the course of the text
Discussion /
Quick Write:
What is the Role of
Women in the
Iliad?
Essential Question: What is
the Role of Women in
the Iliad?
• Reading Time: Book 6-7
• Assigned Literature
Circles:
– Complete
Summaries/Questions for
Books 6-7
Essential Question: How
does the Iliad reflect
Greek Culture?
• Reading Time: Book 7-8
• Assigned Literature
Circles:
– Complete
Summaries/Questions for
Books 7-8
Achilles' Mother’s Words:
• Cattle and fat sheep can all be had for the
raiding, tripods all for the trading, and tawnyheaded stallions. But a man’s life breath cannot
come back again— . . . Mother tells me, the
immortal goddess Thetis with her glistening
feet, that two fates bear me on to the day of
death. If I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy, my
journey home is gone, but my glory never dies. If I
voyage back to the fatherland I love, my pride, my
glory dies. . . .
• With these words in Book 9, Achilles rejects the embassy of
Achaean commanders come to win him back to the war effort.
• He doesn’t like Agamemnon but there is more…
• Achilles also fears the consequences in store for him if he remains
in Troy.
– His mother, Thetis, has told him that fate has given him two options—
either live a short but glorious life in Troy or return to Phthia and live on
in old age but obscurity.
– As he confronts this choice, the promise of gifts and plunder—cattle, fat
sheep, stallions—doesn’t interest him at all. Such material gifts can be
traded back and forth, or even taken away, as his prize Briseis was.
– In contrast, the truly precious things in the world are those that cannot
be bought, sold, seized, or commodified in any way. These include glory
and life itself.
– The choice that Achilles must make in this scene is between glory and
life; it is not merely a matter of whether to accept the gifts or to
continue protesting Agamemnon’s arrogance. At this point in the epic,
Achilles has chosen life over glory, and he explains that he plans to
return to Phthia.
– However, the allure of glory later proves irresistible when he finds a
compelling occasion for it—avenging the death of his beloved friend
Patroclus.
Thursday, March
15th
RH.9-10.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to
such features as the date and origin of the
information.RH.9-10.2. Determine the central ideas or
information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop
over the course of the text
Discussion / Quick
Write: Interpret this
quote: “There is nothing alive
more agonized than man of all
that breathe and crawl across the
earth”.-Zeus
How would the war have
gone without the
intrusion of the Gods?
Shorter, Longer? Who
would have won?
Essential Question: How
does the Iliad reflect
Greek Culture?
• Reading Time: Book 8
• Assigned Literature
Circles:
– Complete
Summaries/Questions for
Books 8
– All questions due by the
end of class today
There is nothing alive more agonized than man of all that breathe and
crawl across the earth.
-It is thus appropriate that the above lines are spoken by a god, and not by a mortal character or
the mortal poet; the gods know the mortals’ agony, as they play the largest role in causing it.
•
•
•
•
Zeus speaks these words to the horses of Achilles’ chariot, who weep over the
death of Patroclus in Book 17.
Homeric view of the human condition:
Throughout The Iliad, as well as The Odyssey, mortals often figure as little more
than the playthings of the gods. Gods can whisk them away from danger as
easily as they can put them in the thick of it.
While gods can presumably manipulate and torment other animals that
“breathe and crawl across the earth,”
– humanity’s consciousness of the arbitrariness of their treatment at the hands of the gods,
their awareness of the cruel choreography going on above, increases their agony
above that of all other creatures.
•
•
•
For while the humans remain informed of the gods’ interventions, they remain
powerless to contradict them.
Moreover, humans must deal with a similarly fruitless knowledge of their fates.
The Iliad’s two most important characters, Achilles and Hector, both know
that they are doomed to die early deaths. Hector knows in addition that his
city is doomed to fall, his brothers and family to be extinguished, and his wife
to be reduced to slavery. These men’s agony arises from the fact that they
bear the burden of knowledge without being able to use this knowledge to
bring about change.
Essential
Question:
How
Friday, March
does the Iliad reflect
Greek Culture?
• Choose your own
assessment:
Discussion / Quick • Student will choose 2
Write: Notebook Test • Assessments of there
own
• These are poetry, artistic
• Renderings, drama
• interpretations, etc
16th
RH.9-10.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to
such features as the date and origin of the
information.RH.9-10.2. Determine the central ideas or
information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop
over the course of the text