Aim: How can an understanding of Greek myths and heroes prepare us for our examination of Homer’s Epic poem, The Odyssey
Do Now: Today’s lesson covered the meaning of Hero both in the times of the ancient Greek civilization and today. The goal partly was to gain an appreciation of the meaning both today and during ancient Greece. Understanding the meaning of hero in Greece would also help us understand the motivation behind the epic poem The Odyssey. Of significance was that the meaning we may have today of heroes--and those we revere as heroes--may not provide an accurate reflection of the meaning during the time of Ancient Greece. A better understanding of the meaning of Hero could allow for a better appreciation of the Odyssey as it was meant to be understood at the time it was written.
We separated in groups to discuss what we felt were some of the qualities of a hero. In our group we discussed how courage was an important quality of a hero.
The type of courage we discussed was that which was associated with fear of loss of life or significant harm. We felt that this type of unusual courage to face death was an important heroic quality. Additionally, we discussed the importance of how courage should also be associated with selflessness for someone else or for others such as we sometimes see in those fighting fires or in our police who protect us or our military who defend our country. We spoke about heroes in the theaters such as the avengers who have superhuman strength or powers. These powers too are tied to doing good for many others. From our group discussion we came to a working definition of courage as the following: Displaying unusual selfless courage in the face of significant harm or death for someone else or others
We returned to class to expand our knowledge of the meaning of hero and compare it to the meaning of the word in Ancient Greece and, in particular, how this applies to Homer’s great epic poem. We discussed the Odyssey as a road map to the very specific definition of hero in Ancient Greece. Some of the features of this epic poem provided not just a method to identify the meaning of hero but the role of the hero in both the Greek Culture and the reason for its use in oral myths as guide to the greek national identity at that time. The definition of hero with respect to our understanding of the Greek Culture was expanded to include important details such as that the hero was human with flaws as is Odysseus but also with, if not superhuman strength, unique strength and courage. This courage is tested not with a single act but with many obstacles and in the setting of epic battles initiated often by actual Gods that controlled the heavens, the sea and the underworld. Homer’s Epic begins with Odysseus’ journey in the middle of these travails and uses flashbacks to provide a better understanding. We therefore are given a picture of a hero with a more distinct definition as someone with unique characteristics who must face many obstacles while trying to achieve his quest to return to his family (in this case). The hero’s world consists of real Gods who put obstacles in his way or sometimes aid in his achievement. The hero is also part of a mosaic that defines the greek culture including their gods, their morals and their ideals regarding loyalty, faith and national identity.
We also discussed how religion and the bible can also be compared and understood with the Ancient Greek’s use of myths and epics such as the Odyssey to define a people, a moral vision and an identity to frame a way of life. In the bible we see how in this case one God is involved in the deliverance of a national moral vision with the ten commandments. There are also epic battles and struggles as Moses delivers the Jewish people out of slavery. And Moses too must deal with many obstacles along the way. And as the ancient Greeks considered The Iliad and Odyssey as the “cornerstone” of their civilization, we see that the Bible has also been the cornerstone of the Judeo-Christian civilization.
Reflection: The group and class discussion helped expand our understanding of the importance of the term Hero as far more than simply someone with unique courage and selflessness but as a means to a national or cultural identity. The history of the meaning of hero in its context of the origin or meaning of a culture such as with Ancient Greece provides a more broad definition that is not simply someone we admire because of characteristics that can also be ascribed to a “hero”. Of course, there are some people I admire for their courage and selflessness, some very close to me, but I feel I have a better definition of Hero now with regard to its significance in the identification of a people and its culture and a reflection of its ideals and morals.
Life update and the pandemic: It’s difficult to provide a life update without a discussion of the impact of the pandemic on our lives. The loss of interaction with friends other than through my phone or with occasional after school visits has been difficult. I have begun to use free time to start learning languages and chess. The pandemic has also opened my eyes to the control our government has on our lives. It seems the fear of the pandemic has led to a society that is much more about control for protection and less about freedom. Restaurants are closed and those that try to open--especially in Staten Island--face consequences as if they in fact are criminals. I recently visited Florida during our vacation where there is very little of this type of government control, and there is a more relaxed atmosphere. I don’t really know which approach is right, and it would be interesting to learn in more detail about the rationale for some of the rules and why in one area of our country there appears to be fewer rules. Could it have something to do with the closeness of people in New York and the colder weather?
It is also interesting to note that, with the pandemic, the media has defined a new crop of heroes. The medical professionals who face the front lines dealing with patients with Covid, the grocery store packers and cashiers who deal with the public everyday and face risk for infection, the waiters and waitresses as well. This use of the word hero is a reminder then of the beginning of our class in that it reflects a diluting of the word hero into almost any profession that faces danger--and in particular a danger that has been front and center in our society for the last year.
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