Odyssey Flashcards
muse
goddess made to be an inspiration for the arts
what does the cover of the Odyssey represent
a long way home
bard
acted out story
what happened to the Library of Alexandra
burnt down
how was the Odyssey told?
- sung/acted by a bard
- formulae and epithets
- long repetitions
formulae
set of words or phrases that are used repeatedly in a particular context
epithets
adjectives or phrases that are used to describe a person, place, or thing in a vivid and memorable way
- Wide-seeing Zeus.
- White-armed Hera.
- Bright-eyed Athena
Odysseus’ time
- end of the Mycenaean period
- around 1120 BCE
Mycenaean Civilization
- military culture, tall walls lots of weapons
- Trojan War was at the end of the Myceneaen
what is the validity of the Odyssey
not myth or history, but a communal understanding of their shared past
In Medias Res
in the middle of things
Background of the Odyssey
- Achilles parents got married but didnt invite Eris
- she brought an apple for the most beautiful and the goddesses fight
- Paris gives the apple to Aphrodite because she offers his the most beautiful women
- Paris steals Helen from Menelaus
- 10 years at Troy!
what does Paris “acquiring” Helen from Menelaus demonstrate?
- crime against xenia (sacred institution of hospitality; guest/host bond)
- problematic marriages
how must an epic end
when the critical issue(s) pertaining to the first word somehow finds resolution
xenia
sacred institution of hospitality; guest/host bond
“Into the woods”
- metaphor for “shit is gonna go down”
- dangerous things in the woods
- no civilization
- “woods”: mountain, desert, sea
- dangers: losing life and oneself
Odysseus and Calypso eating
- odysseus eats normal food and calypso eats food for gods
- they can never “share” a meal
Lotus eaters
when you eat lotus you lose your will to keep going
Polyphemus
- Cyclops
- lives on an island blessed by the gods
- eats people
what did Odysseus do wrong at cyclops island?
- he broke xenia by going into the cave and taking cheese
- he blinded the cyclops
- he taunted the cyclops
- he lost many men and the cyclops threw rocks at them
What does Polyphemus have to eat and why is that important?
- he eats cheese they make and lambs provided by the gods
- also kids
- it is important because he doesn’t have to work for it
what was odysseus big mistake with polyphemus?
- His men told him to leave but he wanted to see if polyphemus would show him xenia
- but ofc he doesnt because he is a cyclops
what happens with the bag of wind and why is it important
- Aeolus gives Odysseus the bag of wind to get home
- when they are close to ithaca Odysseus falls asleep
- his crew think he has treasure in the bag and doesn’t want to share
- they open the bag while he is asleep and they get blown back to Aeolia
- it is important because it shows Odysseus lack of trust in his men, he didn’t sleep because he wanted to sail
what happens on the island of Laestrygones?
- they sail here after being kicked out by Aeolus
- they are attacked by the giants who destroy 11/12 ships
- after this they reach Aeaea where Circe lives