THE ODYSSEY

Background Notes

The author: Homer

c. 700 BCMay or may not have actually existedBelieved to be a blind minstrel from the

island of Chios (Greece)

Singer/Storytellers - Rhapsode

Homer was most likely a wandering bard (poet) or minstrel

Later these poets were called rhapsodes – “singers of tales”

From a tradition of oral historians/entertainers/myth makers

The Iliad

The Iliad and The Odyssey are two parts of one story

The Iliad was written first and The Odyssey is a sequel

This first epic poem is the story of the Trojan War

The Trojan War

In Homer’s story, the cause of the war is romantic jealousy

Helen, the world’s most beautiful woman, is abducted and taken away from her Greek husband, Menelaus, and given to the prince of Troy, Paris

Helen – “the face that launched a thousand ships”

A 10 year warThe real war was probably based on

struggles for control of sea routes

Greece vs. city of Troy

Who won the Trojan War?Care to make a guess?Does the Trojan Horse

ring any bells?

The Greeks are the winners!

The Greeks tried for 10 years but could not conquer the city of Troy

Just when the city of Troy thought they had defeated the Greeks, the Greeks built a large wooden horse and placed it outside the city walls of Troy as a “gift”

Hidden inside the horse were Odysseus and other Greek warriors

The Trojans pulled the horse into Troy and celebrated their apparent victory

After the Trojans fell asleep, the warriors came out of the horse and opened the gates of the city for the rest of the Greek army to invade

The Greeks took back Helen, killed most of the Trojans, and burned the city

The Odyssey

Odysseus became the hero of the Trojan WarThe Odyssey is the story of Odysseus’ long

journey back home after the warThe gods were jealous of Odysseus and made

his journey home full of dangers and seemingly insurmountable problems

The Epic poem

The Odyssey is an epic poem – a long narrative poem that traces the adventures of a national hero

The epic hero is a legendary figure who usually represents the goals and values of an entire nation or culture

Other epic journeys – The Incredible Journey, Moby-Dick, The Hobbit, The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, The Lion King, Forrest Gump

Anticipation Guide

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? The best travel is well planned and has no surprises.

Good leaders are people who can think on their feet.

Fear is an excellent motivator.

It is important to be able to adapt to changes.