MYTH—CONTAINS SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS TO EXPLAIN THE NATURAL

WORLD; GODS AND GODDESSES INTERACT WITH HUMANS

THE EPIC

• epic poem with epic hero, epic setting (vast in scope), supernatural forces, epic theme (dealing with respect for gods); two types of epics:

• literary—meant to be read and

• oral—meant to be spoken or sung

EPIC POEM

• —long narrative poem about a hero and his adventures (The Odyssey and The Iliad)

EPIC HERO—PROTAGONIST OF AN EPIC POEM (ODYSSEUS)

• Glorified (celebrated, almost worshipped),

• On a quest (adventure/journey)

• Ethical (makes the right choices)

• Strong (to a non-human level)

EPIC SIMILE

• —extended comparison of two unlike things using like or as (also called Homeric simile)

• Epithet—descriptive phrase used so frequently that we always associate it with a certain person (Alexander the Great)

• Symbol—one thing is used to represent another (white = innocence, surrender, death, peace)

• Theme—message conveyed by a work of literature; universal, arguable complete sentence in third person

• In media res—“in the middle of things” (Epics start in the middle of the action. For example, Odysseus is returning from fighting in the Trojan War.)

• Invocation of the muse—asking for blessing/inspiration for the speaker of the epic (first section of The Odyssey)

• Religion = polytheism (many gods)

GODS = LIVE ON MT. OLYMPUS AND INTERACT WITH/CONTROL HUMANS

• Zeus = main god; thunder

• Hades = god of the Underworld

• Poseidon = god of the sea

• Athena/Athene = goddess of wisdom and war

• Death = people become immortal through epics

• Guests = Greeks believed in hospitality because they might be entertaining gods without realizing

• Origins of the Trojan War = Helen kidnapped by King Paris of Troy; war fought by Greeks trying to get her back for their King of Sparta

• Trojan horse = Odysseus’ idea. Men hid in a big horse; when brought into Troy, Greeks jumped out and attacked

• Homer – first one to write down The Odyssey, but the epic had been oral tradition for years