The Odyssey The Journey of a Lifetime Notes

The Odyssey The Journey of a Lifetime: Notes and Background

Odysseus……. a different kind of hero

Background of Greek History • Western Civilization began about 3000 years ago • Trojan War: 1 st believed a myth; then evidence found in Turkey • Trojan War: ~ 1200 BC • Troy – led by Hector • Achaaens – led by Agamemnon, Menelaus, Odysseus • Homer, the author of The Odyssey & Iliad, was believed to be blind and lived ~ 480 -430 BC; little is known about him

Greek Civilization • At time of Trojan War – Greece was in a “Dark Ages” – economic struggles, no writing system, no art or culture of its own • All communication was passed on orally • But! They could sail, and adopted the cultures of other civilizations they visited, such as Egypt and the Far East • The 1 st Olympic games was one result • So was an alphabetic writing system • Thus, Homer could finally tell the tale…

• • • What Brought Odysseus to Troy? Helen is married to Menelaus Paris of Troy seduces her & takes her away Trojan War begins – Odysseus goes to support Menelaus & Agamemnon Odysseus wins with “Trojan Horse” Menelaus takes Helen Home Agamemnon goes home – but is murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover

• In retaliation of Agamemnon’s murder, his children, Orestes and Electra, murder their mother, Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus • Oh, what a tangled web we weave…….

Meanwhile, Odysseus is left to wander for 10 years ……. . ZEUS CYCLOPS POSEIDAN • Poseidan is mad at Odysseus’s pridefulness and that he blinded his son, Cyclops • So, he keeps wrecking ships, & killing off Odysseus’ men, but can’t kill him because Zeus won’t allow it (Athena is Daddy’s girl – and she likes Odysseus)

“The Face that Launched 1000 Ships”

Where does Odysseus go?

The Gods and their whims are forever tied to their human Greek counterparts

REMEMBER: • Greeks understood mythology as a religion that they completely believed • Out of respect, they worshipped various gods in the belief that the more they pleased them, the more favorable their lives would be • Individual city states would adopt a certain god, hoping it would give their state an advantage over another • So, Homer’s Odyssey was definitely a true reflection of Greek beliefs, way of life, and moral code

Fate v. Free Will: The Eternal Struggle

The Structure of the Odyssey: 3 Stories in One • One: What’s going on in Ithaca with wife Penelope and son Telemachus while Odysseus is gone • Two: The story of Odysseus’s 10 -year wanderings • Three: These all come together when Odysseus gets back to Ithaca and destroys his enemies

Themes in the Odyssey • Appreciation for & love of home • Overcoming obstacles & temptations in life’s journey to reach a place of peace and joy • The importance of using wisdom, manners, and following a religious code to have good fortune in life • The dangers and misfortune that come to those with too much pride or ego

The Odyssey: Modern Lessons from Ancient Times