Aim: How can an understanding of Greek myths and heroes prepare us for our examination of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey?
Do Now: Whole Class Discussion
Today’s lesson started off with a thought-provoking activity that involved the class to come up with qualities that we felt belong to a “hero.” The responses vary but are not limited to: self-sacrifice and selflessness, honesty and patience, bravery, courage, and determination. We discussed that a “hero” should have integrity by doing the right thing even if others aren’t watching and a good sense of justice. My working definition of a hero is a person who has made noble and/or brave accomplishments at considerable risk.
Moving on from the brainstorm, we racked our brains to answer the question, “What do you already know about Greek heroes and Greek mythology?” I commented that they are usually stories created to teach people about important lessons as well as the origins and nature of the world. Someone briefly mentioned the 12 major Olympian gods and how each of them embodied different parts of our world. Most of us were exposed to Greek mythology at a young age through reading books or watching movies such as Percy Jackson. As a whole, the class seemed to not have much background knowledge of the following topic. We were assured not to worry because today’s lesson will definitely enlighten our knowledge and tighten our grasps of Greek heroes and mythology.
We then went over some important gods to know.
Zeus
The God of the sky, lightning, and thunder
King of the gods on Mount Olympus
Hades
God of the underworld/Lord of the Dead
His wife is Persephone
Athena
Daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, courage, battle, etc.
Poseidon
God of the sea and earthquakes
Below is a link to a brief reading about the gods we reviewed in class and others to learn about.
https://greektraveltellers.com/blog/meet-the-olympian-gods
In the next few slides, we discussed the religious customs centered around the gods and oral traditions. Ancient Greek theology was polytheistic, which is the belief in many gods and goddesses. The Greeks believed that gods took an active interest in human life and that they possessed human characteristics. Respect for the gods was essential for success and survival. Their culture is also known for hero-worship; a hero might be a town’s founder or historical figure who played a major role in an important battle. We were reminded to keep careful mind that most epics often times involved a hero of some kind. We also made reference that Greek mythology belonged to oral tradition, meaning these stories were passed down via words spoken from mouths.
The class was then introduced to epic poetry and some of Homer’s famous works, The Iliad and The Odyssey. An epic is a long, narrative poem about a national or legendary hero.
Next, we read about the qualities of an epic, such as beginning in media res (in the middle of things) before progressing to the flashback, featuring heroes that embody the values of morals of the civilization, has a vast setting and contains lengthy, formal speeches and divine intervention. The class was then asked “Why would an author choose to use these elements?” A classmate pointed out that these elements set a strong foundation for the characters and their stories. The insight they provide gives us a much better understanding of the characters. It’s a way to keep the reader hooked and engaged.
The following slide centered on what makes a hero epic. It made a reference to the fact heroes are still human and therefore they still have flaws and weaknesses. This is relevant because it makes the hero more relatable and realistic. No one can identify as someone who’s perfect; a perfect character doesn’t exist.
We dismissed the lesson after the discussion of the word “hero” becoming overused. As a class, we decided that the term “hero” has been degraded and lost its value. This may be due to the fact that the word has been tossed around and misused. Take teachers, doctors, or athletes for instance, they are simply doing what is expected of them. For a person to be classified as a hero, they should’ve taken action to help others at a considerable risk to themself.
Reflection
First, I would like to mention the Poetic Devices Kahoot that took place at the beginning of today’s class. The quiz really challenged my knowledge, understanding, and application of poetic vocabulary. I hope to carry these terms to enforce my examination of the The Odyssey in the coming weeks.
Shortly after the quiz, we reviewed some previous poem anthology projects. Each and every one of them was done differently and uniquely put together. However, not all of them received a perfect grade, so I took note of their mistakes to avoid any errors of my own when composing my project. After examining the poem anthology projects, I had a clear picture and understanding of what is expected, what to do and what not to do. The review was really thoughtful; I got to see what my options were and it eliminated concerns I once had.
Today’s lesson feels different from past cycles since it was very interactive and engaging. It involved plenty of listening and discussion between one another rather than typing answers to questions. I enjoyed this type of teaching technique not only because I was freed from work but I also got to learn a lot in today’s lesson. I learned about what makes a hero in modern day and in Ancient Greek mythology. This ties into the fact that ancient traditions and ideas played a large role in literary practices today. I learned how much the definition of the word “hero” has changed and evolved over time. The discussions we had in class today were very eye-opening and they made a large contribution to my understanding of Greek mythology. By the end of this lesson, I have significantly developed my knowledge of Greek mythology and epic poetry. I now feel more confident and prepared to apply this information in the upcoming weeks when we begin examining The Odyssey and even outside of class.
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