Blogger #16, Sofia Mykytenko, Period 1, 4/29/2021, Day A

 Firstly, we had a discussion about upcoming homework and projects. We were assigned a mini-project where we are to create two postcards, coming from Odysseus to his family, about what his journey has been like so far, pictures, etc. The full information and requirements could be found linked here. We also discussed our homework for the next cycle, which includes creating an opinionated piece on whether you support the Cyclops (Polyphemus), or Odysseus, and debating someone else’s paragraph. It can be found linked here.

5 RL SP: Odyssey: Cyclops

Aim: How do Odysseus' actions in "The Cyclops" support or refute his epic character?

Do Now: WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION As we previously discussed, the term “Xenia”- 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?

A lengthy discussion about our thoughts on xenia, revealed many ideas we all agreed upon. One of which was about how many of the ill relationships formed between mortals and gods in ancient Greek tales were due to mortals being inhospitable and rude towards disguised gods. We discussed how these tales were used to teach many of the concepts of Xenia in the ancient times. In addition, it was wise to be kind to strangers, as you never know whether a stranger is wealthy, a king, a god, or in a position of power. Being hospitable allowed everyone to get along better and formed more peaceful relationships. Now, in the present day and age, the concepts of Xenia could not be applied in the same way. Showing hospitality to strangers would be considered stupid, as you never know of the dangers they might carry with them, and shouldn’t go out of your way to do something for somebody you don’t know.

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.

Personally, I could not think of any heroes I have seen, heard of, or read about because I don’t read comics, or watch superhero shows. One of our classmates mentioned how many times, a hero’s weakness is love for someone else. They have people they would do anything to protect, and once a villain finds out what it is, they use it against them. In addition, another classmate added in the example of iron man. He has a strong suit of armor and extreme strength, making him very powerful. However, his great pride and inflated ego gets in the way of his vision, so he may be overly confident or refuse the help of others.

NEW VOCABULARY

Homeric Simile (Homeric Simile Explained Beautifully With Examples) 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. Foreshadowing (Foreshadowing | Definition & Examples of Foreshadowing [2:31]) 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. Hubris (What Is Hubris | Its Greek Origin & Usage In Modern Literature | Definition and Examples of Hubris [2:51]) is a Greek term meaning  excessive pride or over-confidence (think arrogance) Can cause the character to disregard reality  or offend the gods, often leading to their downfall  A character flaw often seen in the heroes of classical Greek tragedies Tragic Flaw (Hamartia) (Hamartia: Definition and Examples | LiteraryTerms.net) A trait in a character that often leads to their downfall. In Greek Mythology, the trait of  Hubris is often used .

Next we read aloud “The Cyclops”, a part of the Odyssey. 

Sadly, we did not have enough time to complete this group discussion, but I provided my own insight on the questions below. 

1. Based on your understanding of foreshadowing, review lines 153-156.  How is foreshadowing used, and what exactly is being foreshadowed?

Foreshadowing is used to allude to the Polyphemus coming back and beating Odysseus and his group up. Odysseus writes that “ in [his] bones, [he] knew some towering brute would be upon [them] soon” This feeling of uneasiness foreshadows the future of bad blood between Polyphemus and his intruders.

2. What heroic qualities does Odysseus display thus far?

(Heroic Qualities: Intelligence/Resourcefulness, Strength, Bravery and loyalty, Weakness)

1. What does the fact that he doesn’t want to attack the Cyclops reveal about his character?

Odysseus displays many heroic qualities such as intelligence and resourcefulness.  For example, using the sheep as a means of escape was very clever. He is also quite physically strong, and very brave as well, although he can be overly confident and brave, a common heroic trait of Greek heroes. He is loyal to his friends, as he gets all of them out of the cave with him, but I believe some of his actions contradict this said loyalty. He put his own interests over the interests of his group, which isn’t very team-friendly.  Odysseus does not want to attack the Cyclops because he realizes that the Cyclops is the only one who can get them out of the cave.  He is clever in using the Cyclops to get them out of the cave.

3. Refer to line 232-243. How does Homer use figurative language to create imagery? (identify examples and explain their effect)

Homer uses figurative language to create imagery by using similes and imagery to depict a very clear picture of Polyphemus’s violence towards his men. To be specific, he uses a Homeric simile to compare him to a mountain lion savagely eating flesh.

4. How should we judge the heroic qualities of Odysseus based on his actions with the cyclops? 

Odysseus proved his intelligence and resourcefulness when getting out of the Cyclops’s prison. He is a smart man, but I do not believe his actions deserve praise, as he was the one who got them into the mess with his inflated ego.

5. Contrast Polyphemus’ values and the values of Odysseus (hospitality [xenia], respect for the gods, protections for his men). 

1. Can you identify any qualities/characteristics that both Odysseus and Polyphemus share?

2. 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 values his sheep and his powerful father, Poseidon. He values the things in life that bring him use, love, and security. Odysseus values beliefs more, such as xenia, respect for the gods, and the concept of being a team. These beliefs clash, as Polyphemus rarely interacts with other sentient beings, and only likes things in which he finds use. The concept of hospitality or befriending others is foreign to him. Odysseus and Polyphemus are both overly proud and arrogant. Polyphemus is not afraid of the gods, and states he believes he has more force, and Odysseus foolishly lets his pride think he can handle a Cyclops. 

If Odysseus represents civilization and Polyphemus represents nature, I think Homer is trying to say that man abuses nature and uses it to gain wealth in unethical ways. Odysseus trespassed and stole from Polyphemus, and then expected him to treat him with hospitality and shower him with gifts. Polyphemus then kills four of his men, potentially alluding that when nature is in bad health, humans will be too.  This connects to modern day society with the pressing issue of global warming. Modern day civilization uses Earth’s resources unethically, creating a potentially fatal increase in temperature. The rise of global temperature causes sea levels to rise, populations to diminish, and severe storms.

     6)      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’ curse has impacted Odysseus’s voyage by making it much more difficult to travel back home over the seas. He called out to his father, Poseidon, god of the seas, who granted his wishes of cursing Odysseus and making his overseas voyage difficult.

REFLECTION

I enjoyed this lesson, primarily because I enjoyed reading the first book of the Odyssey. It was an interesting read, full of clever and eventful actions that kept me wanting to read more. I enjoyed interpreting how the ancient Greek values of xenia, hubris, hamartia, etc., were incorporated into Homer’s work. I’ve always found ancient Greek culture fascinating, but rarely got an opportunity like this to read examples of it first-hand. The discussion questions after the lesson also made me think much deeper about the text and notice details I didn’t before, like the fact that Polyphemus may represent nature, and Odysseus represents humankind. This lesson has opened my eyes to Greek culture, and allowed me to read The Odyssey with a greater understanding of Homer’s purpose behind writing this piece.

Extra Resources:

Odysseus and the Cyclops Part I [4:51]

Odysseus and the Cyclops Part II [5:13]

A odisseia - Cíclope ( The odyssey - cyclops ) [8:41]

Athena: The Goddess of Wisdom - The Olympians - Greek Mythology - See U in History: Watch (2:38)

The Odyssey by Homer | Book 8 Summary and Analysis [2:04] 

The Odyssey by Homer | Book 9 Summary and Analysis [3:06] 

My Own:

The Odyssey: Book 9, Summary and Analysis

The Odyssey by Homer | Themes

(Sail

ing from Troy, the Lotus Eaters & Polyphemus)