Download - The Odyssey
Meet HomerHomer was a blind Greek
poet that lived on the
Greek Island of Chios. It
is believed that Homer
wrote both the Iliad and
the Odyssey. Homer
was a minstrel (or bard)
which is an entertainer
that told stories or sang
songs. The details of
Homer's life are a
mystery; some scholars
believe that no such
man ever existed, and
that the works credited
to him were actually told
and gathered by many
people over many
centuries.
It’s a long narrative poemThe speaker is a narrator, telling a storyThe theme or subject of the tale is importantThe setting is huge. It may be a sea, a region, the
world or a universe.The main character is most likely a heroThe action includes extraordinary or super-human
deeds.Gods or supernatural beings take a part, or an
interest, in the actionThe purpose of an epic is to not only entertain but
also to teach and inspire the listener or reader with examples of how people can strive and succeed against great odds.
What is an Epic?
The Twelve Olympian Gods Aphrodite- the goddess of love and
beauty Apollo- god of the arts(esp. poetry and
music), archery, and divination Ares- god of war Artemis- goddess of the hunt and
protector of children Athena- goddess of wisdom, war and
crafts; patron of Athens Demeter-goddess of agriculture and
fertility Dionysos- god of wine, mysteries, and
the theatre Hephaistos- god of smiths and metal
workers Hera- goddess of marriage; consort of
Zeus Posedion- god of the sea and
earthquakes Zeus- god of the sky; ruler of Olympus
Some Greek Heroes Achillis- was the greek hero during
the trojan war. Legends say that he was invulnerable in all of his body except his heel. Achillis is the central character and the greatest warrior in Homer’s epic poem Lliad.
Theseus-legendary founder-king of Athens.
Odysseus-legendary Greek king of Ithaca. The hero in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey.
Perseus- hero who killed Medusa Jason- famous leader of the
Agronauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece
Hercules- one of the most famous Greek Heros. According to one myth he founded the Olympic games. He is believed to ward off evil.
Some Greek MonstersScylla: six-
headed female sea monster
Sirens: sea nymphs who sing songs that lure men to their death
Cyclops: race of one-eyed giants
Medusa: her hair turned into snakes and was said she could turn men into stone .
In the tenth year of the Trojan War, the Greeks tricked the enemy into bringing a colossal wooden horse within the walls of Troy. The Trojans had no idea that Greek soldiers were hidden inside, under the command of Odysseus. That night they emerged and opened the city gates to the Greek army. Troy was destroyed. Now it was time for Odysseus and the other Greeks to return to their kingdoms across the sea. Here begins the tale of the Odyssey.
Leading up to the Odyssey
Who’s Who in The OdysseyThe Greeks Odysseus- a Hero of the Trojan War Penelope- Odysseus’s Wife Telemachus- Odysseus’s teenage son Eurylochus- A captain in Odysseus’s crew
Monsters and Witches Cyclops- A one-eyed giant (son of Poseidon) Circe- enchantress who lives on the island of Aeaea Scylla- a human eating six-headed female sea monster
Gods and Goddesses Poseidon- God of the Sea Calypso- A goddess who loves Odysseus Hermes- Messenger of the gods Athena- Goddess of wisdom