Freshmen 2021: Blogger #32 - Amy (Enyu) Zhu - Period 5 - 12/22/20 - Day B
RL: 5 The Odyssey: Cyclops
Housekeeping: To start off, Mrs. Peterson took attendance and explained upcoming assignments. The Postcard Mini Project, due on January 19th, requires students to choose two locations to create two postcards and students will pretend as if they’re Odysseus to write to their family about their experience during the journey. Next, there is a virtual debate, the Cyclops vs Odysseus, in which students will debate with one another’s statement in a Google Classroom assignment. These statements would be due on January 4th.
Aim: How do Odysseus' actions in "The Cyclops" support or refute his epic character?
Do Now: THINK/PAIR/SHARE
As previously discussed, the term, “Xenia” is the ancient Greek concept of hospitality, the generosity and courtesy shown to those who are far from home and/or associates of the person bestowing guest-friendship. The rituals of hospitality created and expressed a reciprocal relationship between guest hosts.
Therefore, based on your understanding of the term, how important do you believe this attribute or behavior is to exemplify? Why?
Xenia is important to both parties because mutual respect and hospitality are believed to lead you to a greater future. In addition, according to Greeks, gods would disguise themselves to visit homes and if the owners didn’t show hospitality, they would receive severe punishment. Xenia allows people to help and welcome each other, which is a universal message Greeks want to convey.
CLASS DISCUSSION
Reflect on the heroes you have encountered throughout your life, in various forms: literature, movies or TV. Identify any weaknesses the hero(es) may have, and explain how it impairs their ability.
Weaknesses of heroes include women, physical weaknesses (Superman vs. kryptonite), family, masks, and social acceptance. These weaknesses would make the heroes’ question their rightful actions and would prevent them from completing their goals.
Lessons/Notes:
Homeric simile:
Epic similes in The Odyssey, also known as Homeric similes, give Homer’s narrative depth and force. Homeric similes, also known as Epic Similes, are elaborate comparisons, consisting of many lines, between two different objects using “like”, “as”, “so”, or “just so”. It is a comparison made between something unfamiliar or strange to the audience and something that is more familiar to them. We often use short similes in everyday speech, like the example, “She’s tough as nails.” A Homeric Simile, however, is used to redirect the reader’s attention in unexpected, humorous, gruesome or heroic ways.
Why might Homer choose to use this technique?
Homer uses these techniques because the uses of objects of comparison helps familiarize his audience, they are meant to ensure that the audience understands the visual that is being shown, and are used to glorify his characters, enrich his text, and deepen the readers’ understanding.
What is Foreshadowing?
Foreshadowing is where future events in a story, or perhaps the outcome, are suggested by the author before they happen. They are usually considered to be ominous, warning signs, or signs of bad things to come. Foreshadowing can take many forms and be accomplished in many ways, with varying degrees of subtlety. However, if the outcome is deliberately and explicitly revealed early in a story (such as by the use of a narrator or flashback structure), such information does not constitute foreshadowing.
Additional information on foreshadowing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P07O8cacBsk&ab_channel=VoxLetters
What is Hubris?
Hubris is a Greek term meaning excessive pride or over-confidence (think arrogance). It can cause the character to disregard reality or offend the gods, often leading to their downfall. It is a character flaw often seen in the heroes of classical Greek tragedies. Committing hubris was very much looked down upon in Ancient Greece.
Additional information on Hubris:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltLGpwvCxpk&ab_channel=LiteratureUnbounded
Copy of “The Cyclops”: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9xgktq1tg9eZkRKVWw4ODk2SnM/view
Summary of “The Cyclops”:
Odysseus and his crewmates arrived at the land of the Cyclops. After taking 12 of his best men to explore a cave in a mountain, the crew began to plunder the goods. However, the crew was caught by one of the monster cyclops, Polyphemus. The entrance to the cave was a large boulder no man could move, so the crew was trapped inside. Polyphemus began eating and killing the men while Odysseus attempted to lead his crew to safety. Odysseus plans out an escape: he offers Polyphemus some wine which causes the cyclop to fall asleep and plans to tie himself and his men to the underbellies of the cyclops’ sheeps to leave the cave in the morning. Odysseus tells Polyphemus that his name is Nobody and he and his men stab a big spike into Polyphemus’s eye, causing him to scream for help to the other cyclop. Polyphemus tells the cyclops that Nobody has tricked him, leaving him hopeless and in pain. Odysseus executes the last part of his plan and is successful. Odysseus and his crew leave on ship, and angers Polyphemus, causing himself trouble in the future journey.
GROUP DISCUSSION
Based on your understanding of foreshadowing, review lines 153-156. How is foreshadowing used, and what exactly is being foreshadowed?
An example of foreshadowing used is in lines 153-156. It states “...for in my bones I knew some towering brute would be upon us soon- all outward power, a wild man, ignorant of civility.” These lines foreshadow Odysseus’s meeting with Polyphemus, who is unaware of Xenia and humanity. It also foreshadows difficulties, death, and hardships.
What heroic qualities does Odysseus display thus far?
What does the fact that he doesn’t want to attack the Cyclops reveal about his character?
Some heroic qualities Odysseus displayed so far are witty, bravery, leadership, loyal, and resourceful. He can outsmart Polyphemus with the name “Nobody” and uses his resources around him to find an escape route. The fact that he didn’t initially want to attack the Cyclops shows that he is smart and thinks ahead of his situation.
Refer to line 232-243. How does Homer use figurative language to create imagery? (identify examples and explain their effect)
For instance, in line 234, it reads, “...caught two in his hand like squirming puppies…”. This illustrates how weak and small the humans are compared to Polyphemus. Squirming puppies is used to show that the men could not escape nor defeat the cyclop.
How should we judge the heroic qualities of Odysseus based on his actions with the cyclops? (Heroic Qualities: Intelligence/Resourcefulness, Strength, Bravery and loyalty, Weakness)
We should judge the heroic qualities of Odysseus by basing it off of his actions and how he managed to lead his crew to safety. For example, Odysseus was able to use his resources to create a spike that can stab Polyphemus’s eye.
Contrast Polyphemus’ values and the values of Odysseus (hospitality [xenia], respect for the gods, protections for his men).
Can you identify any qualities/characteristics that both Odysseus and Polyphemus share?
If Odysseus represents civilization, and Polyphemus represents nature, what do you think Homer is saying about the relation of man to nature?
i. Can you see potential dangers (that are becoming increasingly evident, especially in the modern era) in this position taken by Homer?
Polyphemus is ignorant of human civilization and xenia, so he hardly cares about treating Odysseus and his crew well. On the other hand, Odysseus continuously tries to tell Polyphemus how important Xenia is and the fear of punishment from gods. Hubris is shown by both Odyessus and Polyphemus. For instance, Odysseus angered the cyclops with unnecessary insults and Polyphemus is overconfident in destroying the men. Homer is trying to say that men are superior compared to nature, due to their intelligence. Potential dangers are that men are ignoring their mistakes in nature, causing pollution and global warming, which can lead to the destruction of humans.
As previously discussed, the story is told through flashback (Odysseus is revealing the past events of his journey), therefore, how has Polyphemus’ curse impacted the course of Odysseus’ future.
Polyphemus’s curse impacted the course of Odysseus’s future because it led to many tragedies and deaths of his crew during his journey home.
Other material and enrichments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHXak1aEexI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc1ePErv5ss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5OERqTniro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1Bl9Vvn92E
Reflection:
During today’s lesson, I learned about hubris, xenia, and the use of foreshadowing in literature. The explanation of foreshadowing helped me understand why it is used and inspires me to include it in my future writing as well. The lesson also helped me learn more about Greek culture and how Homer influenced literature in the modern world. In addition, “The Cyclops” was a thrilling story that caused a great amount of joy for me. I look forward to learning more about Greek literature and culture.
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