Epic Poems The Odyssey By Homer Todays Goal

Epic Poems The Odyssey By: Homer

Today’s Goal • Introduce ourselves to our next piece of literature, The Odyssey • Discuss one of The Odyssey’s common themes • Learn about what genre it belongs to • Conclude what to expect from the piece

Quick Write • What is a hero to you? • Characteristics • Personality or Physical Traits • Actions **Be prepared to share your answers with the class

Epic Poetry • A genre of classical poetry originating in Greece • Long narrative with journeys of an Epic Hero who represents an entire cultural, racial, or religious group: • Greeks used the Homeric Epics as ethical textbooks in their schools • They were seen not only as good stories but also as a source of knowledge about human conduct and relations with Gods. • The Greeks also used mythology to explain people and their culture – through creation, weather, nature, and the universe.

Odyssey 1. An epic poem attributed to Homer, describing Odysseus’s adventures in his ten-year attempt to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. 2. A long series of wanderings or adventures, filled with notable experiences, hardships, etc…

A Hero’s Journey • • A personal journey transformed into a cultural journey A call to an adventure or quest Supernatural forces that give aid or cause problems A series of tasks and trials A collision of forces A victorious or defeated hero Homecoming – the hero’s reintegration into or banishment from society