The Odyssey--Background for understanding (Handout from class)

World Lit. 2403/36 Spring 2017
An Introduction to The Odyssey
A Primer of Greek gods
Zeus—King of the gods, father of many. Ruled the sky.
Athena—favorite child of Zeus. Wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill.
Poseidon—uncle of Athena, brother of Zeus and Hera. Ruled the sea. Symbols: dolphins, trident, three-pronged fish spears. Relied upon by sailors for a safe journey on the sea.
Hermes—son of Zeus and Maia (daughter of Atlas and one of the Pleiades.)
Apollo—son of Zeus and Leto. (Hera was unhappy) God of music (often depicted with lyre), colonization, medicaine, poetry, dance, intellectual pursuits, herds and flocks and often called “the god of light.”
Zeus—a bit of a “player”
Married to Hera, Queen of Olympus. Very jealous  (for a lot of good reasons. )
Wanted to have children with Leda wife of Tyndareus a king of Sparta.
Leda was shy and liked birds.
Zeus impregnates Leda in the form of a swan.
Leda hatches Helen, the heroine Clytemnestra, and the twins Castor and Polydeuces.  Helen is destined to start the Trojan war in part as a punishment of Hera’s jealousy.

The Odyssey
A journey and an epic poem
The goddess Eris was invited to the Marriage between Peleus and Thetis.
Her “gift” was a golden apple to be given to “the fairest.”
Hera, Athena and Aphrodite all reached for the apple.  Paris agreed to judge.
Hera promised him power; Athena promised wealth and Aphrodite promised the most beautiful woman in the world.
The Drama Continues on Mt. Olympus
Naturally, Paris chose Aphrodite’s gift who in turn promised the hand of Helen of Troy.
Helen was already married to Menelaus when Paris arrived and was welcomed by Menelaus as a royal guest.
When Menelaus left for a funeral, Paris “abducted” Helen—who most agree went quite willingly.
The face that launched a thousand ships
Menelaus sets out to retrieve Helen.
The Trojan War and the Fall of Troy ensues after many years…recounted in The Iliad.
Odysseus comes up with the Trojan horse trick.
The heroes now must journey back to their homes.
Odysseus, a war hero and Greek King of Ithaca, husband of faithful Penelope and father of Telemachus tries to get back to Ithaca.

the wily Odysseus
Odysseus has offended lots of gods and goddesses.
The Odyssey is the story and recounting of his journey.
We open ten years after the Trojen War and Odysseus’ absence is causing Penelope great stress as her suitors are aggressive.
Word comes that Odysseus is still alive and with Calypso.
Calypso or Kalypso
Calypso Calypso was a nymph, the daughter of the Titan Atlas. She lived on the island of Ogygia. After the last of Odysseus' men had perished at sea, Odysseus himself was washed ashore on Ogygia, where Calypso became enamored of him, taking him as her lover and promising him immortality if he would stay with her. Odysseus refused her offer, wishing to return home to Ithaca and to his wife, Penelope. But Calypso refused to let him leave, and held him prisoner for seven years. Finally Athena complained of Odysseus' plight to Zeus, and Zeus sent Hermes to Ogygia to order Calypso to set Odysseus free. Calypso complied reluctantly, allowing Odysseus to construct a small boat and set sail from the island.





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