Homer’s The Odyssey
Characteristics of the Epic

An Epic is told in the form of a long narrative
poem.
– Remember: Narrative Poetry tells a story with plot,
characters, conflicts, and settings.

It tells the adventures of an epic hero, a
larger than life figure who undertakes great
journeys and performs deeds requiring
remarkable strength and cunning.
Elements of the Epic
1.) Epic Hero: Qualities area. Possesses super human
strength and confidence
b. Is helped and harmed by the
gods
c. Embodies ideals and values
that a culture consider admirable
d. emerges victorious from
perilous situations
Elements of the Epic
2.) Epic Plot: Involves a long journey,
full of complications, such as:
a. strange creatures
b. divine intervention
c. large-scale events
d. treacherous weather
Elements of the Epic
3.) Epic Setting:
a. Includes fantastic or exotic lands
b. Involves more than 1 nation
Elements of the Epic
4.) Archetypes (define): characters,
situations, and images that are
recognizable in many times and
cultures:
 a. sea monster
d. epic hero
 b. wicked temptress
e. loyal servant
 c. buried treasure
f. suitors’ contest
Elements of an Epic
5.) Epic Themes: Reflect such
universal concerns as:
 a. courage
d. life & death
 b. a homecoming
e. beauty
 c. the fate of a nation f. loyalty
The Language of Homer
a. Similes: a comparison between 2
unlike things, using the word like or
as.
b. Epic Similes: goes on at great
length and several lines
The Language of Homer
c. Epithets: a brief descriptive phrase
used to characterize a particular
person or thing.
“son of Leartes” or “raider of cities”
d. Allusions: a reference to a famous
person, place, or event.
Background Information
A. Greek Mythology
 Knowledge of Greek Mythology
begins with Homer’s Epics, the
oldest written record of ancient
Greece.
Background Information
B. About the Author
 Historians credit Homer with
composing the Iliad and the Odyssey,
but many scholars still debate on
whether Homer was actually a real
person. According to ancient accounts,
he lived sometime between 900 &
700 BC, possibly on the island of
Chios in the eastern Aegean Sea.
They also believe that he was blind.
Background Information
C. The Trojan War

This legendary war occurred
sometime around 1200 B.C.
According to legend, the war began
after a Trojan Prince kidnapped the
beautiful Helen from her husband
Menelaus, King of Sparta. The King
enlisted the help of soldiers from all
over Greece to help him get his wife
back. They held Troy under siege for
10 years.
Background Information

It was the cleverness of Odysseus that
helped end the war by making the Trojans
think that they had finally given up. He had
his soldiers build a wooden horse and left
it at the gates of Troy. The Trojans
believed that it was a peace offering, and
brought it into the city. Little did they know,
there were soldiers hiding inside of the
horse, and Troy was doomed.
Background Information
D. The Heroic Story of Odysseus

The Odyssey deals with Odysseus’
adventures as he makes his way home from
Troy. He encounters various monsters
who try to devour him, and enchanting
women who try to keep him from his wife,
Penelope. Odysseus’ cunning and his
ability to get himself out of difficult
situations is what sets him apart from
others and makes him a true Epic Hero.
Story Setting

This story takes
place on the
islands of the
Mediterranean
Sea possibly
around 1200 B.C