Classical Civilisation- The Odyssey Flashcards
What Period was the odyssey set, written and composed in?
Set in the Mycenean age- Written and composed in Archaic/ Classical period
What is oral poetry?
Form of poetry transmitted with a narration not writing
What is an Aoidos/ Bard?
High trained Greek singer who narrated oral poetry
What is meant by epic poetry?
Epos means poem and an epic poetry was detail of an extraordinary quest/adventure from a central character
When (what period) was the Greek alphabet/ writing invented?
Archaic Period
Who is Homer?
Aoidos from ancient world known: The Odyssey/ Iliad- thought to be blind and scholars debate if Homer is a group
Why is Homer significant?
What is he known as?
Contributed to Greek values/ established Greek identity( teacher of Greece).
How long did the Trojan war last?- How long did Odysseus take to come home?- How long was Odysseus captive to Calypso?-
What island is Odysseus from?
10 years, 10 years, 7 years , Ithaca
What is the structure of the Odyssey like and why has homer used this technique?
Non chronological order=intrigued to hear about quest via flashbacks= Dramatic Atmosphere
Name 7 language techniques used in Greek Literature
Epithet, Formulae, Simile, Epic Simile( longer simile with developed imagery), Pathos, Gory imagery and Dramatic irony
What is the greek word for task?
topos
What is book 1 about?
Telemachus introduced & Gods decide to help Odysseus & Athena gives Telemachus hope. He goes to oust the suitors & sends his mum up
What are some adjectives/epithets of Telemachus?
Courageous, Godlike, Prudent, Youthful
What hyperbole is used in bk 2 to make us pity O?
Most unfortunate man to ever live
What is Athena’s relationship with Odysseus?
He is her favourite mortal- so she helps him
How are the themes of Xenia, Kleos showed?
Xenia- suitors abuse xenia- “their eating me out of my home”. T says “Welcome friend!” to Athena ( disguised)
Kleos- “He failed to save his comrades in spite of all efforts made”
How does Homer show that the audience felt pity for T?
Q: A wave of pity swept through the gathering
How does T take back control?
Instructs his mother to go up and weave and she cries as she misses her husband. And calls himself master of the house= responsibility/ Kleos
What is bk 2 about?
T tells suitors to leave and suitors blame P for deceitfulness and don’t go. Soothsayer says O will return and kill all suitors but they laugh. Ends in fight
How can we see the use of the epithet of dawn?
fresh & rosy fingered
Which suitor argues with T in Ithaca?
Antinous
What does T do?
Departs to find dad in Sparta and Pylos but only tells his nurse ( not P).
How can we see Odysseus characteristics in T?
He is orally gifted as all eyes turn to him in admiration
What is said about Penelope and what can we infer about her as a Greek kyria?
Shrewd as she makes a new shroud everyday and deceives the suitors= not good kyria BUT is loyal and is skilled in handicrafts= ideal
What is a characteristic of the Suitors?
Abusive and Greedy- “ the suitors will continue to eat you out of your home”
What is Book 5 about?
We meet Calypso and Hermes frees O and he leaves her island by building a raft.
Who is Calypso?
Calypso is an immortal goddess/ Nymph
Why does Calypso have ideals of a good kyria?
sings with a beautiful voice, weaves and offers Hermes xenia.
How does Calypso help Odysseus?
Helping him build a raft and supplies for his journey home
What island is Calypso from/ inhabitant of?
Ogygia which is described as full of delight
What happens when Calypso is asked to free Odysseus?
She angrily comments on how the gods hate goddesses having affairs with mortals but agrees.
How is Odysseus achieving kleos in Ogyia but how does he a bad husband?
Achieves Nostos EVERYDAY i.e cries BUT sleeps with Calypso every night (his will?)
What is book 6 about?
Odysseus reaches land of the Phaeacia in forest and is naked. he is awoken by Nausicaa and contemplates to beg or ask nicely- she helps and is in love
Why does Odysseus arrive in Phaceia?
Poseidon spots his raft & seeks (nemesis) for his son Polyphemus & produces a storm that torments Odysseus. He is washed up on Phaecia.
Describe Nausicaa (princess of Phaecians)
White armed- Epithet and O says “ Artemis is who your beauty reminds me of.
Who is king and queen of phaecia?
Alcinous and Aretes
How does Nausicaa help O?
Gives him her clothes, allows him to bathe and lets him moisturise after which she wishes he was her husband
Who is O stopped by on his way to the palace of Alcinous?
A disguised young girl- Athena
Explain who O meets in Book 9:
The cicones, Lotus Eaters, The cyclopes
Why does O narrate book 9?
telling Alcinous his story after he cries hearing Bard talk about Troy
BOOK 8- WHO INSULTS ODYSSEUS?
One of the young athletes, Broadsea, then insults him, which goads his pride to action. Odysseus easily wins the discus toss
What happens in Book 8?
The Phaecians games - O cries and is challenged etc
What are the audiences impressions of the comrades?
They are disobedient and stupid
WHAT TO DO IN A 4 MARK QUESTION?
LITREALLY point and evidence twice.
Why do the cicones kill 6 men from each of Odysseus’s ships?
The men loot the land until reinforced ranks of the Cicones turn on them and attack. ( they abuse xenia)
What is the city of the cicones? and what simile is used to describe them?
Ismarus and As hick as the leaves in spring and disaster sent by Zeus= contrasting imagery
Where do they arrive after the land of Ismarus?
Land of the lotus eaters
Why are the lotus eater so uncivilised/barbarians?
No Greek value of nostos so they have no Kleos
What happens to the comrades who eat the lotus flower?
Lose their nostos and are intoxicated so O has to drag them and tie them back
What do the Lotus Eaters symbolise?
Temptation of Oblivion using drugs- selfish and lack of purpose
What is meant by Anachronistic?
Attributing something to a period where it didn’t exist i.e. phones in 1765
Why are the Cyclopes uncivilised?
Selfish and no interest in neighbours or a society. Also no assembly so no dictations = immoral
Why are the Cyclopes disrespectful to Zeus via their way of life?
No value for law and order so are chaotic savages and don’t attribute their life to Zeus as he is god of oaths
How could we describe the Cyclopes?
A rough and uncivilized race of one-eyed giants
What happens after they get to the land of the Cyclopes?
They come upon a cave full of sheep & milk and cheese. The men advise Odysseus to snatch some of the food and hurry off but he decides to linger.
Why can Odysseus be blamed for his actions in Polyphemus’s land?
He and his comrades abused Xenia and are disrespectful. His good leadership s questionable as he assumes his host is civilised & puts men at risk
Why is Odysseus a good leader here as well?
Shows self restraint by not stealing
Where is an anachronistic element used in ACT9?
Unlike any man who eats bread- bread wasn’t invented so shows how homer suits the play for his contemporary audience
Who is Polyphemus?
Poseidon’s son who is a cyclopes
With exhaustion and anxiety gnawing at our hearts
personification and pathos
How does Polyphemus display he is civilised?
Pairs baby rams with their mothers
What does Polyphemus then do?
Traps the men in a cave and violently kills some men and eats them.
Where is an example of gory imagery?
Their brains ran out on the ground and soaked up the earth.
Where is an example of a simile?
Limb by limb he tore them and devoured them like a mountain lion.
What does Odysseus do to trick Polyphemus?
Gets him drunk on wine which causes him to vomit and then O using an olive pole he blinds the cyclops.
What does O call himself when the Cyclops asks for his name- and why?
Nobody, so when other Cyclops ask who is hurting him, he says nobody.
What does Odysseus do to escape the cave?
Curls under a ram so when the ram exists the cave- P will touch its fluff above and O can escape
Why does P think his favourite ram is the last one out?
He thinks its grieving for its master but really its laded with weight.
Where can we see kleos after O and his comrades escape?
They break into loud lamentations= symbol of masculinity
What ignorant thing does Odysseus do?
Reveals the 3 facts needed for P to curse him ( his dads name, land and name)
What curse does P put on Odysseus?
either never reach land OR arrive late with all dead comrades and wretched with troubles
What is Odysseus’s hamartia?
His hubris (arrogance)
How does Odysseus calling himself nobody entertain the GREEK audience?
Metis meant nobody and cunning
Therefore its a pun= humorous
What do you do for a 6 mark question?
3 marks for identifying features and 3 for analysation
Where did Odysseus arrive to after the land of the Cyclopes?
Island of Aeolia (home of Aeolus)
What did Aeolus do in the beginning?
entertained O for a whole month (Xenia) and made arrangements for his journey
What gift did Aeolus give to Odysseus?
A bag of wind to help with sailing
Where do we see bad leadership from O and good leadership in BK10?
O steers the ship alone= hardworking BUT lack of teamwork which causes him to fall asleep
What happens when O falls asleep?
Men are jealous O got a gift( they assumed its gold)and open the bag - which cause them to go back to Aeolia and away from Ithaca
Where does Homer use pathos here?
“I debated whether to jump and drown or stay amongst the living”- suicide contemplation
Does Aeolus help him the 2nd time?
No as he believes O is detested by the gods and is damned and chucks him out
Where do O and his men land next?
The Laestrygonian land called Lamus in Telepylus
Why do the Laestrygonians seem civilised?
They bring in flocks, have an excellent harbour and wagons for bringing timber.
Who is the Laestrygonian chief?
Antiphates
Where does O and his men place their ship?
Outside the harbour and his men are in the harbour.
Who do the men meet and ask for directions?
Antiphates daughter who doesn’t disclose her identity
What happened when the men encountered Antiphates and his wife?
They were GIANT humans and had murderous intentions and ate 1 of the men (cannibals) and the other men are also killed
What happens to the rest of the ships?
They are destroyed ( all but Odysseus’s)
Where did they arrive after Lamus?
Island of Aeaea (Circes home= goddess)
Who is Circe?
Daughter of Hellos and Pesse, A witch, Medeas Aunty, Descendant of Hecate.
Where in BK10 do we see dramatic Irony?
Odysseus says “ we are not going to the house of Hades” but we know all his men die
Where do we feel pathos for the men?
When they see a wisp of smoke they break into loud lamentation so to a contemporary audience=PTSD
Who does Odysseus give charge to visit Circe (2nd group)?
Eurylochus- who doesn’t enter as he suspects a trap ( bad leadership?)
What is Circe doing as the men enter?
Singing beautifully and at the loom// to Calypso
Who calls Circe and why was this bad leadership from Odysseus?
Polites and he trusted somebody naïve
What does Circe do?
Deceives the men with Xenia but adds a drug that makes them pigs with mind of man!– emasculates them
Who is Pisistratus?
Nestors son and Telemachus’ friend
