Homer’s
The Odyssey
Building Background
1
The Odyssey
• By definition an odyssey means a long
voyage or journey with many changes in
fortune.
• The Odyssey is an epic poem about a
Trojan War hero named Odysseus on his
way home after the war.
• What do you already know about his
journey home?
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Before traditional literature . . .
• Stories were shared through an oral
tradition.
3
Oral Tradition
• Written literature grew out of the oral
tradition, the passing of stories, poems,
and sayings by word of mouth.
• Around campfires and at other gatherings,
people told tales about love, ambition, and
friendship.
• Expressing their human concerns in
stories, they explored universal themes,
insights into life that are true for many
different times and cultures.
4
Some Universal Themes . . .
• The importance of heroism
• The strength of loyalty
• The power of love
• The dangers of greed
• Can you find a connection to any of
these themes in modern literature or
movies?
5
Myths and Legends
• Myth – explains the actions of gods and
the humans who interact with them.
• Legends – are tales that recount the
adventures of a human hero and are
usually based on historical truth.
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The Greek Gods & Goddesses
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A long narrative
poem that tells
the story of an
epic hero
Only contain
“some” truth not a work of
factual history
EPIC
POEM
Portrays the
past, but it is
an imaginary
past
Expresses the
values, ideals,
and behaviors of
the society and
culture in which
they are set.
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Possesses
superhuman
strength and
craftiness
Is both helped
and harmed by
interfering gods
EPIC
HERO
Is admired by
society and
culture
Emerges
victorious from
perilous
situations
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The Epic Hero
• For all the good characteristics he may
possess, the epic hero also has his faults; he
is not perfect!
• His human faults may include being:
– overly curious
– foolishly cocky
– short-tempered
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The EPIC Plot & Setting
• Epic plots involve long journeys, filled with
complications.
– Strange Creatures
– Divine Intervention
– Large-Scale Events
– Treacherous Weather
• Epic settings include:
– Fantastic or exotic lands
– Involves more than one nation
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EPIC Themes
• Common themes found in epics include:
– Courage
– The fate of a nation
– A homecoming
– Beauty
– Loyalty
– Life and death
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The Odyssey before it was written . . .
• Greeks did not experience The Odyssey in
its written version. The Odyssey was
originally shared though performances by
master storytellers, and two techniques were
used to help storytellers remember the
LONG epic poem (12,000 lines) and to keep
audience members interested in the story.
– Epic Simile
– Epithet
– Allusions
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Literary Devices of Focus
• Simile – a simile is a comparison between
two unlike things using the words “like” or
“as”
• Homer liked to make similes go on and on,
sometime for several lines; this is an EPIC
SIMILE – a simile with a lot of detail that can
go on for several lines
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Literary Devices of Focus
• An epithet is a:
• Brief, descriptive phrase that helps to
characterize a particular person or thing
• Odysseus is described as a
“master mariner” or “raider of cities”
• Zeus is described as “Lord of Olympus”
• The Muse is known as “Daughter of Zeus”
• Can you think of an epithet for yourself?
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Literary Devices of Focus
• To help the audience picture what is being
described, a poet might make an allusion
to something they already know.
• An allusion is a reference to a famous
person, place, or event. The author expects
the reader or audience to recognize the
allusion.
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The END
Extra slides follow – not
intended for this
presentation
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The Hero’s Journey
The EPIC
• A long narrative poem that tells the story of
an epic hero.
• Epics works of the imagination and are often
based on legends that contain “some” truth,
but they are not works of factual history.
• Epics portray the past, but it is an imaginary
past.
• Epics express the values, ideals, and behaviors
of the society and culture in which they are
set.
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In the Middle of Things . . .
• Many epics begin in medias res (“in the middle of
things”), meaning that major events occurred
before the poem begins.
• The hero’s adventures are often recounted in a
flashback.
• The epic hero’s traits are developed by what he
says in narration and dialogue, and by his
actions.
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