Literary Elements
Odysseus, King of Laertes, Master Mariner is an example of a ______________
epithet
Cunning (Odysseus was known for his cunning ways)
crafty and tricky; sly; sneaky
Odysseus stayed with her for 7 years
Calypso
Who is the author of "The Odyssey?"
Homer
God of the Sea
Poseidon
What is the tone of the author in the Odyssey?
Serious and intense
Perils (Odysseus knew his journey home would be perilous)
Dangerous/dangers
He gouged out this character's eye
Polyphemos (Cyclops)
When was "The Odyssey" written?
675–725 BCE
Why does Odysseus get upset with Penelope when she suggests moving the bed at the end of the story?
Because the bed was carved from the trunk of a tree so it's impossible to move
What is Argus a symbol for?
Loyalty
Prodigious (The cyclops were prodigious)
Impressively great in size; large; enormous
A six headed monster and a whirlpool
Scylla & Charybdis
Homer calls upon the __________ for ____________ to tell his story about Odysseus
1. the muses
2. inspiration
God of the Skies
Zeus
The story begins in the middle. This is called ____________
In Media Res
Rouse (Odysseus was careful not to rouse Polyphemus before he could act on his plan)
to awaken from sleep; stir up
She turns men into pigs
Circe
What was the purpose of epic poems in Greek Culture?
to teach morals, values, and virtues
Which land was inhabited by the cannibals?
The Land of the Laestrygonians
"Think of a catch that fisherman haul into a half moon bay in a fine meshed net from the whitecaps of the sea: how all are poured out on the sand...so lay the suitors heaped on one another."
Epic Simile
Insolent (Antinous was an insolent man)
disrespectfully arrogant; rude
What happened to Elpenor?
He got drunk, fell asleep on Circe's roof, woke up and misplaced his step and ended up falling to his death and snapping his neck.
Why did Odysseus have to leave Troy?
Because Helen of Troy was kidnapped and he had to go to war to help get her back
What is the definition of an epic poem?
An epic poem is a long, narrative poem that is usually about heroic deeds and events that are significant to the culture of the poet.