Aim: How can an understanding of Greek myths and heroes prepare us for our examination of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey?
We began today’s lesson with a kahoot quiz on poetic devices and literary terms.
After the kahoot quiz, we went over examples of past anthology poem projects to identify common problems that we should note. However, most of the examples shown were near perfect and very fashionable.
Do Now: Brainstorm the qualities that you feel belong to a “hero”. What do you believe might be a working definition of “hero” you could share with the class?
We had a class discussion for this do now. Many of our answers revolved around bravery and power. Some specific examples include selfless, courage, and brave.
We also discussed about anything we knew about greek mythology. The first thing that came to my mind was the Percy Jackson series that I would always love to read when I was younger. I started off the conversation by introducing the three main gods, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Zeus was the king of the gods on Mount Olympus and the god of lightning and the sky. Poseidon was the god of the sea and earthquakes. Hades was the god of the Underworld, also known as the Lord of the Dead. On the next slide, Athena was also mentioned. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, courage, and battle.
After discussing about prior knowledge on greek mythology, we spirit read for a majority of the slides.
The Gods and Religious Customs
On the next slide, we read about Greek customs and their religion. Some key points that were made were that the Greeks were polytheistic, meaning they believed in multiple gods. Another major point that was brought up was that Greek religion was also known for hero-worship. Heroes would typically be a town’s founder or a person who played a major role in an important battle. Lastly, I learned that ancient greek mythology was an oral tradition. This meant that these religious stories were passed down from generation to generation orally.
Epic Poetry of Ancient Greece
Next, we were introduced to Homer’s Illiad and The Odyssey. These stories were held with great prestige and have become the cornerstones of Greek civilization. The Illiad and The Odyssey has literally set the standard of the word “epic.” An epic is a long, narrative poem about a national or legendary hero.
After introducing and defining what an epic is, we read about what made an epic “epic”. Most epics start in medias res or “in the middle of things”. Often, epics would utilize flashback to recount events that happened before the story.
Some other key elements of an epic include:
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
WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION
Why would an author/storyteller choose to use these elements?
We answered this question as a class and we started off by saying that using these elements keeps the reader engaged in the poem. I decided to build on this answer by stating how the use of flashbacks allows the author to build character throughout the story. This may also be a feature that keeps the reader engaged in the poem. Lastly, one of the most important points in this discussion was that by starting the poem in medias res, the author leaves the reader wondering what happened in the past and how the characters got to where they are, further adding on to the idea of keeping the reader engaged in the story.
What makes a hero epic?
Often, in greek mythology, heroes are praised for their bravery and courage. However, heroes in greek mythology were not just brave and courageous. Heroes often had superhuman capabilities and were physically beautiful. One trait that caught my eye was that heroes were still human which meant that they were flawed. As a class, we discussed why authors included this trait. By making the hero a human with flaws, it makes the story more relatable to the reader. It also reinforces the idea that no one is perfect, not even the almighty hero that you are reading about in your book. Additionally, a book would get very boring if there was a character so perfect.
Other qualities of an epic hero include:
Must conquer many difficult tasks
On a quest for something of great value
(to him or his people)
Villain(s) try to keep the hero from his quest
Here is a link to a website that lists many greek heroes in greek mythology and their achievements: https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/heroes.html
Etymology of the word “hero” and its overuse in the modern era
The first instances of the word “hero” first appeared in oral storytelling. Humans looked up to these heroes as they were superhumans and borderline gods. According to the dictionary, the first meanings of the word were “a being of godlike prowess and beneficence” and “a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage or ability.” These definitions were prevalent during the Homeric period of ancient Greece.
Nowadays, the definition of the word has been severely altered. According to the Encyclopedia of 1911, “hero” can be applied "generally to all who were distinguished from their fellows by superior moral, physical or intellectual qualities." This current definition demonstrates how the superhuman qualities are not included into the definition of a “hero” anymore. Modern society has made it difficult to grasp the ancient Greek concept of a hero. Nowadays, the word is used ordinarily. For example, Hollywood celebrities, police officers, firefighters, soldiers, journalists and working women are all considered heroes today. These are only a few of the people that are considered heroes. Overusing this term has devalued the meaning of the word and it’s a title that is no longer given to those who are special and capable.
TEAM COLLABORATION
For this team collaboration, I worked with Roni.
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?
Not only did Roni and I agree that the concept of the word “hero” has become overused, but the entire class agreed. We found that over time, practically everyone in society is deemed a “hero”. Looking back and comparing the present definition of a hero to the past definitions in ancient greek literature, you can see that the title of a hero is decreasing in value. According to common parlance, today, almost everyone is considered a hero.
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”.
When I first read the question, the first thing that came to my mind was Superman since he has always been the typical superhero to me. Superman had flaws just like heroes in greek mythology. Both are not perfect and have a weakness. Both are also very brave and carry out duties that a regular human cannot perform.
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?
In modern society, people are starting to grow more and more advanced in technology. People are growing more and more realistic as they discover new concepts in life. The idea of a superhuman is growing more and more fictional. Even the word itself is deemed fictional today. Roni and I agreed that as time passes, people will stop expecting a “superhuman” hero like the Ancient Greeks had.
Reflection
The main point I took away from this lesson was how the meaning of heroes has changed over time. During the first half of the lesson, we discussed the meaning of heroes in greek mythology. Heroes were often superhuman but still had humanlike qualities. They were also brave and performed tasks that regular humans could not. However, as time passed, the word has lost a lot of its meaning. When you look at the news today, you will always see someone being featured as a “hero”. For instance, a man could have saved a child from drowning. This man would be considered a hero in modern society. However, this is very different from the definition of a hero in greek mythology. To sum up the lesson, we learned about the oral tradition of greek mythology and how the definition of a “hero” has changed overtime.
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