A simple twosided handout for use with examining and understanding epithets in the odyssey. One side provides background and detail for what epithets are, how they are used, and what they can reveal about a character. Considering that the odyssey is one of the earliest examples of western literature still in existence, the level of rhetoric is quite sophisticated. Bards working in oral traditions dont precisely memorize one long poem and perform it that way every time. This is an example of an epithet, a phrase that describes a character or item. This lesson will summarize book 1 of homers ancient epic poem the odyssey and take a look at some important quotes. This means that there are six metrical units, or feet, in each line.
Odyssey notes book 1 learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10 book 11 book 12 book book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 themes all themes fate, the gods, and free will piety, customs, and justice cunning, disguise, and selfrestraint memory and grief glory and honor. In the odyssey, homer employs most of the literary and poetic devices associated with epics. Readers hear of the captive and long absent odysseus, observe the council of the gods, and learn of the trouble that penelope and telemachus face back home in ithaca.
Choose from 500 different sets of the odyssey book 1 epithets flashcards on quizlet. Homer wrote the odyssey in a poetical meter called dactylic hexameter. Odysseus a man skilled in all ways of contending the old soldier. Use of epithets in homers iliad and odyssey essay bartleby. The basic form of narrative in the odyssey is very strongly oriented towards imagery. Ithaca thrinacia scylla and charybdis sparta ogygia calypso mediterranean seaimportant characters in the odyssey in order of mentionbook 1 cyclopes sfklippcza race of book 12helios hcplcjsqthe sun god, oneeyed giants. It is a tag or nickname that can be used on its own or together with the real name, depending on other features of the greek language. While odysseus sleeps, athena makes her way into the phaeacians city in the beginning of book 6 in homers the odyssey. The odyssey epithet chart for major charactersgods and goddesses as you read the odyssey list all the epithets you find for the following characters. Homer uses several epithets, or nicknames, along with the name odysseus as the story unfolds in both tales. In these examples, the epithet can be contradictory to the past state of the subject.
It is clear from telemachus actions when we first meet him in book 1 that he has. The epic focuses, of course, on odysseuss nostos return home or homeward voyage, a journey whose details a greek audience would already know because of their rich oral mythic tradition. In the very first line, an epithet is used to describe odysseus as stormtossed great odysseus. Epithets in the odyssey books 14 flashcards quizlet. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
Describe characters and epithets in the odyssey flashcards. About the odyssey the odyssey summary character list glossary themes quotes and analysis books 1 4 books 58 books 912 books 16 books 1720 books 2124 symbols, allegory and motifs metaphors and similes irony imagery the fractal structure of epics literary elements related links essay questions quiz 1 quiz 2 quiz 3 quiz 4 citations. He urges conveyance, and entreats us for its assurance. In the proem of book 1, homer describes odysseus as the man of twists and turns, an epithet that sets our expectations of the protagonist for the rest of the.
At the beginning of book 1, zeus says he is fond of odysseus but that. The other side provides a table of characters in book 5, asking students to fin. Learn the odyssey book 1 epithets with free interactive flashcards. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Another example is athenas plea to zeus in the divine assembly on olympus at the beginning of book 5. Murray 1 then odysseus, of many wiles, answered him, and said.
Students will become familiar with the craft of the epic by reading about epithets and practicing writing their own epic epithets. Dec 01, 2015 that goes back to the way the odyssey was written or rather, how it was originally recited. Here is this stranger, i do not know who he is, come wandering suppliant here to my house from the eastern or western people. Homer composed the odyssey in a meter known as dactylic hexameter, which gives the epic its elevated style. The notion of hospitality is so strong in the world of the odyssey that guests can even be considered part of ones family. Epithets from odyssey books 1 to 12 fagles translation. English odyssey final test characters theory of knowledge the odyssey characters. The odyssey books 14 summary and analysis gradesaver. Book of english epithets, literal and figurative subjects.
Learn the odyssey book 1 4 epithets with free interactive flashcards. Choose from 500 different sets of the odyssey book 1 4 epithets flashcards on quizlet. In one of the most famous extended episodes in the iliad, hectors bright. Calypso is angered by this order but agrees to free him and assists him in building a raft for his journey. Oct 28, 2019 usually called an epithet or a homeric epithet, but sometimes called a homeric epitaph, it is one of the most noticeable features of homers works the iliad and the odyssey. These dwelt of old in spacious hypereia hard by the cyclopes, men overweening in pride who plundered them continually and were mightier than. Use with the fitzgerald translation of odyssey only.
Use of epithets in homers iliad and odyssey throughout the iliad and the odyssey, homers use of the epithet in describing odysseus becomes essential as a means of characterizing the hero. Homer uses the various colorful epithets to fit in with. Odyssey book x continued epic conventions 112 minutes objectives. Epithet comes from the greek for putting something on something. It relates historical stories with fantastical elements of myth, legend, and divine intervention. It is a tag or nickname that can be used on its own or together with the. His four most frequent labels or epithet phrases in the poem are godlike. Get an answer for what are some examples of epithets from books 1012, 22, and 24 of the odyssey.
Sing to me of the man, muse, the man of twists and turnsdriven tim. A characteristic of homers style is the use of epithets, as in rosyfingered dawn or. Sing to me of the man, muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of troy. Book five begins with the gods discussing the plight of odysseus. Composed around 700 bc, the odyssey is one of the earliest epics still in. Holt literature textbook 9th grade unit 11 the odyssey. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the odyssey and what it means. That goes back to the way the odyssey was written or rather, how it was originally recited. If the iliad is the worlds greatest war epic, then the odyssey is. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Tracking the odysseya s plot through dawns epithets. Find summaries for every chapter, including a the odyssey chapter summary chart to help you understand the book. Composed around 700 bc, the odyssey is one of the earliest epics still in existence and, in many ways, sets the pattern for the genre, neatly fitting the definition of a primary epic that is, one that grows out of oral tradition. Usually called an epithet or a homeric epithet, but sometimes called a homeric epitaph, it is one of the most noticeable features of homers works the iliad and the odyssey.
The trojan war is over, but odysseus still has not made his way home. Sing to me of the man, muse, the man of twists and turns 1. A characteristic of homers style is the use of epithets, as in rosyfingered dawn or swiftfooted achilles. Motard noar the odyssey and domineering females in the odyssey, particularly during the ending of the epic, homer challenges the archetype of male dominance by essentially making odysseus powerless, and instead, while it is often disguised, gives the female characters all the power and control. Readers hear of the captive and long absent odysseus, observe the council of the gods, and learn of the trouble that. Man of twists and turns, much suffering and master mariner are all epithets of odysseus found in the odyssey by homer. The odyssey book 1 lyrics the gods in councilminervas visit to ithacathe challenge from telemachus to the suitors tell me, o muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after. Homer uses this manner of speaking to describe his main character, odysseus. Book 1 introduces some of the multitudes of characters, many interwoven plots, and significant themes encountered during odysseuss return home. Lord alcinous, renowned above all men, verily this is a good thing, to listen to a minstrel such as this man is, like unto the gods in voice.
Odyssey as well as the presence of an element of time, descriptive epithets and a verb. One of the most noticeable features of homers odyssey. One example is in the gathering of the assembly on ithaca in book 2. Led by zeus, they decide to order calypso to free odysseus. Epics begin in medias res in the middle of things and explore a vast world or universe, generally that involves mythological landscapes such as the home of the gods. One of the main themes of the odyssey is the nature of heroism, and in particular. Given the narrative complexity of the odyssey, foreshadowing plays an important. What are some examples of epithets from books 1012. In this epic greek poem, homer recounts numerous epithets for odysseus as well as for the other major greek characters in the poem. Homer, odyssey book 9 theoi classical texts library. The odyssey paperback deckle edge, november 1, 1997. The odyssey is an epic journey, but the word journey must be broadly understood. Consider a representative example, from when odysseus praises alcinous bard.
Thus in the odyssey books 1 4 you will find several epithets including bright eyed athena sensible telemachus, rosy fingered dawn and wise penelope. In that same verse, athena is referred to brighteyes pallas and the brighteyed goddess. We learn that poseidon, god of the sea, holds a grudge though we dont know exactly why against odysseus and is making the guys voyage home a pretty difficult one. Formulas 1 and 3 are structured particularly closely, with their lack of an accusative object and vivid, metrically similar epithets.
Accessible book, epithets, dictionaries, english language. Epithets are used because of the constraints of the dactylic hexameter i. This descriptor, known as an epithet, appears throughout the odyssey. Literary devices of the odyssey book summaries, test. Students will develop vocabulary and close reading skills by working through their odyssey packets. Homers poetics include other noticeable devices that may seem odd to a modern. When hector, prince of troy, is first introduced in book 2 of the iliad, he is. What kinds of epithets are applied to characters in book 1. Odysseus that man skilled in all ways of contending. Homer, odyssey book 6 theoi classical texts library.
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