Name: Date: Period: The Odyssey Unit Study Packet

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1 The Odyssey Unit Study Packet As we read The Odyssey, you will be asked to complete readings in and out of class. This packet is provided to help guide you through your readings and to encourage you to find meaning in difficult passages. Each section will be assigned a specific due date and should be turned in on the correct date for full credit. Background Information The story of The Odyssey was originally told by word of mouth for many years before it was written down by Homer It was originally sung and then written down in Greek and has been translated into English. This means that the translator may have taken some artistic license in adding or changing phrases and words to make the story more enjoyable. The text is written in dactylic hexameter, a kind of poetic meter that was highlighted by musical instruments when sung. This text is considered an epic poem so it will have line numbers and have a hero that is larger than life and embodies the ideals of the culture. Prior to the adventures we will hear about in The Odyssey, there were stories of his adventures in The Iliad, an epic poem also written down by Homer. The Iliad describes the final weeks of the Trojan War, a war started when Paris of Troy betrays the Greek value of xenia when he steels Helen from her husband, Melaleus king of Sparta. The Odyssey is told from many perspectives including Odysseus. Just as in the Iliad, The Odyssey begins in the middle of the story. We call this in media res which means in the middle of things. Rather than picking up where the Iliad leaves or after the end of the Trojan War, the story is told in the middle of Odysseus adventures. At the time that we first meet Odysseus, the hero of our epic, he has been away from home for twenty years- ten spent at war and ten attempting to get home. Character Guides Family and Servants of Odysseus Laertes, father of Odysseus Penelope, wife of Odysseusx Telemachus, son of Odysseus and Penelope Eumaeus, keeper of Odysseus s pigs Euryclea, Odysseus s old nurse Greek Gods Zeus: king of the gods and ruler of the heavens Poseidon: brother of Zeus and god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses Hades: ruler of the house of the death Athena: daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom, the practical arts, and warfare Hermes: messenger of the gods Lesser Gods Calypso, an island nymph on Ogyia who holds Odysseus prisoner

2 Circe, daughter of the sun, goddess of the wild Aeolus, keeper of the winds Monsters Polyphemus: a giant Cyclops Sirens: beautiful women who use their singing to seduce men Scylla: six- headed monster Charybdis: a whirlpool in the ocean that sinks ships Important Themes and Greek Ideals kleos: is a Greek word meaning glory or renown; this refers to the honor or legacy left behind nostos: is the Greek word for homecoming, the idea of returning home from a long journey. xenia: is the ancient Greek idea of hospitality; typically shown to those who are far from home or whom you wish to show friendship hubris: is the Greek idea of having excessive pride or self- confidence; typically leads to nemesis or the downfall There are many tools in your textbook to help you with the reading. The first thing to do is check the margins for a summary. In this example, the meaning of line 68 is described in detail The margins will also have blue focus questions which are part of the questions to answer in the guided reading section of this packet The next tool provided is the words to know section. At the end of each page is a list of all the vocabulary for the book you are reading. Lastly, write down any question your have from reading so we can discuss it in class.

3 The Odyssey Unit Study Packet: Book 9 Due: Book 1-8 In the small excerpt of Book 1, our narrator calls on the muse- the goddess of poetry- to tell the story of Odysseus who we are told is a war hero of Troy harried for years on end,/ after he plundered the stronghold/ on the proud height of Troy. We learn that the goddess Calypso holds Odysseus captive for seven of his ten- year journey home. Athena helps Odysseus to persuade Calypso to put him on a raft and send him home. He is alone and is washed up on the land of the Phaeacians and the king Alcinous, in honor of Odysseus, holds a large feast or banquet. It is during this banquet that Odysseus recounts or tells what has happened to him in the past ten years. His account makes up Books Book 9 Vocabulary: as you read, define the following words using the definitions given in the book. Include the part of speech in the parenthesis. adversary ( )- appalled ( )- avenge ( )- disdain ( )- entreat ( )- formidable ( )- guile ( )- indifferent ( )- ponderous ( )- whim ( )-

4 As you read, keep in mind the focus and essential questions for book 9 Guided Reading Activities How are the Lotus Eaters a threat to Odysseus and his men? What does Odysseus metaphor imply about the Cyclops? For Lines , draw a picture of what is being described and list the imagery words that led you to draw this picture Why does Odysseus refuse his men s sound request? In lines , Odysseus provides an example of kleos or glory. How does our culture fell about this kind of self- advertisement? How do lines give an example of the Greek themes and ideals of xenia? What is the Cyclops attitude toward the gods? Why do you think Odysseus lies about his ship? Why doesn t Odysseus kill the Cyclops at this time? Epithets are repeated descriptions and are frequently used in The Odyssey. Discuss the use of the epithet Dawn with fingertips of rose.

5 What does Odysseus plan to do to the Cyclops? Summarize in one to three sentences what has occurred from lines Why does Odysseus offer the Cyclops the liquor he brought from the ship? What might Odysseus be planning? From the picture below this question as well as your knowledge from Hercules, what is the significance of the Greek vases? What do the other Cyclopes assume to be the source of Polyphemus pain? Why do you think he reveals so much about himself? Summarize lines 244- the end of book 9. Take notes on the qualities of heroism and other ways of characterizing Odysseus in book 9. Select one additional example of detailed imagery from book 9. On the back of this page, list the lines from the text and draw a picture of this imagery.