Aim: How can an understanding of Greek myths and heroes prepare us for our examination of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey?
Do Now: Think/Pair/Share
With a partner, brainstorm and list qualities that you feel belong to a “hero”. Then create a unified, working definition of “hero” to share with the class.
The Do Now asks students to describe the qualities that classify a hero. However, these qualities should not be generic or copied off the internet. Then, students were asked to create a unified definition of a hero based on their understanding of a hero and share with the class. Many students stated that heroes are selfless, understanding, and compassionate. Contrary to common belief, heroes are also normal people too. Heroes also make mistakes and they’re not the infallible person society paints them as. Heroes are flawed, but they are someone who does good deeds (without expecting anything in return) for the greater good.
Whole Class Discussion: What (if anything) do you already know about Greek heroes and Greek mythology?
Greek mythology was based on the polytheistic Greek religion. Most of the students in the class said that the gods act like children when they don’t get what they want. Greek heroes tended to be half-bloods, also known as the product of inbreeding between a god and a human. Greek heroes also have flaws and weaknesses, which indicates that Greek heroes were not considered infallible and invincible.
Notes:
Some Important Gods to Know:
Zeus
God of the sky, lightning and thunder
King of the gods on Mount Olympus
Hades
God of the underworld; Lord of the Dead
Brother of Zeus, husband of Persephone
Athena
Goddess of wisdom, courage, and battle
Daughter of Zeus.
Poseidon
God of the sea and earthquakes
Brother of Zeus
The Gods and Religious Customs
The Greeks had a polytheistic religion and believed that gods possessed human characteristics and took active interest in human life. The Greeks believed that respect for the gods was essential and it became a part of their daily lives. Ancient cultures used religion as something to explain the unexplainable and as something for the people to relate to. The Greeks were also known for hero-worship, and heroes became major figures in Greek culture.
Oral Traditions
Ancient Greeks spread folklore and ancient mythology orally. Greek stories were a form of entertainment and allowed the passing of history and culture from one generation to the next. During this time, there were no printing presses or writing systems, so most traditions and stories were passed on orally to the next generation.
What is an Epic?
An epic is a long, narrative poem about a national or legendary hero.
As previously stated, Ancient Greece produced two epics: The Iliad and The Odyssey (900-700 B.C.), both written by Homer.
The Iliad and The Odyssey were revered by the Ancient Greeks as the cornerstone of their civilization.
These two epic poems set the standard for the definition of “epic”
What makes a poem epic?
Epic poems begin “in medias res” (in the middle of things)
Uses a flashback to explain important action that occured before the story.
Flashback: the epic hero recounts his adventures in a scene that interrupts the sequence of events in a narrative to relate earlier events.
Often used to provide depth and detail in the poem.
Has a vast setting.
Covers many nations (and the underworld)
Features lengthy, formal speeches
Contains divine interventions
THE GODS!
Features heroes that embody the values and morals of the civilization.
Class Discussion: Why would an author/storyteller choose to use these elements?
In our class discussion, some students said that an author would choose to use these elements to describe the author themselves, the story, give the people something to relate to, and explain a certain event that happened. For example, flashbacks are used to give background to the heroes and make the story more interesting. Also, an epic poem can influence the values and morals of a society and how the people behave. By painting a hero as a glorious person, this can potentially influence and shape the people to act more compassionate and kind, just like how a hero acts.
What makes a hero epic?
Superhuman qualities (ex: superhuman strength or bravery)
Has a flaw/weakness (the hero is still human)
Must conquer many difficult tasks
On a quest for something of great value to him or the people
Villain(s) try to keep the hero from his quest
Physically beautiful
After reviewing the notes, we (spirit) read this passage together with Ms. Peterson for our team collaboration.
Etymology of the word “hero” & its overuse in the modern era
Our ancestral heroes first appeared in the oral storytelling tradition. They were superhumans, almost gods, and the actions they took were mostly in the best interest of humankind. The dictionary traces the word's [hêrôs]meaning from "a being of godlike prowess and beneficence" to "a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage or ability" during the Homeric period of ancient Greece.
By the Encyclopaedia Britannica of 1911, the word had come to be applied "generally to all who were distinguished from their fellows by superior moral, physical or intellectual qualities." As a result, scholars argue: “[it is difficult to] grasp the ancient Greek concept of hero and now go beyond the word's ordinary levels of meaning in casual contemporary usage.”
Today we sometimes toss the word "hero" around without thinking much about it. We use it to name TV shows. We speak of a Hollywood celebrity as our childhood hero. Every parent is a hero. Every journalist is a hero. Every American is a hero. Every working woman is a hero. Every police officer, firefighter, and soldier is a hero without question or regard for what they do or have done or are prepared to do. The list goes on.
Some argue that the overuse of the word "hero" is to such an extent that it doesn't really mean anything anymore. According to common parlance, almost nobody isn't a hero. It mirrors the classic injunction that "saying that everyone is special is another way of saying that no one is." If we use the word so much as to devalue it, we make it impossible to describe and understand real heroism, the rare, superhuman kind. So the question has been asked, has the word "hero" been so overused that it's losing its meaning?
Team Collaboration!
Draw your own conclusion on this argument. Do you agree or disagree with the concept that the word “hero” has become overused? Why or why not?
Our team agreed that the word “hero” has become overused, because everyone is considered a hero if they do something remotely good for society. Society’s definition of hero is just someone who does the right thing. However, today’s “heroes” are portrayed as someone who is a good person and a “hero’s” expectations have become extremely low. A hero is someone who goes above and beyond and puts others over themselves. For example, police officers are revered as heroes simply for the fact that they put their job on the line and fight crime. However, not all police officers choose to do the right thing. It is a police officer’s job to put their life on the line, but it is not acknowledged as part of their expectations, but as a heroic trait. Society puts “good” people on a pedestal, because they couldn’t solve their own problems.
When we create heroes in fiction, we almost can't help but give them superhuman powers because what a hero does to be a hero is something which seems like people should be incapable of doing. It is something truly “other”.
Compare some of today’s superheroes with the original definition of “hêrôs”.
Do you think, as a modern society, we are searching for a “superhuman” hero similar to the Ancient Greeks, despite our overuse of the term? Why or why not?
My team discussed that Some of today’s superheroes (such as DC heroes) are portrayed as someone with superhuman powers and without flaws. The original definition of “hêrôs” means defender or protector. However, some of today's superheroes have no visible flaw and seem to do good deeds for the greater good for some sort of benefit. This differs from the original definition of hero, who is a defender with superhuman qualities and a flaw/weakness.
Reflection:
In today’s class, I learned more about epic poems, Ancient Greek literature, and the true definition of a hero. We also discussed other epic poems, such as The Epic of Gilgamesh. After reading the passage from today’s lesson, I learned that the word hero tends to be thrown around a lot, which resulted in the definition of “hero” being morphed and changed from the original definition. I thought this lesson was really interesting and it gave me a new perspective on different kinds of literature.
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