Aim: How does The Odyssey, Book X further enhance our understanding of Odysseus’ plight; through his journey as a hero?
Do Now: WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION
In our Do Now, we had to think of a time where we or someone we know had to do something out of obligation, meaning we morally felt like we had to do something. As for my response, I recalled a time where my best friend was having problems with his family at home so I morally felt like I needed to help him out by consulting him and actively listening to him.
Epithets - An epithet is an adjective or a descriptive phrase that expresses a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned. In other words, an epithet is like a nickname(s), commonly used in epic poems.
Epithets Examples:
>Odysseus:
"The great tactician" - This term creates the image of Odysseus as being intelligent, and probably comes from his being the initiator of the idea for the "Trojan horse."
”The man of twists and turns" - This epithet creates the image of Odysseus as tricky because he escaped the plethora of problems that came his way
Athena:
"The clear eyed goddess" - This helps the reader imagine that Athena is alert, and wise - farseeing.
Sunrise:
“Rosy Fingered Dawn” - Sunrise was personified and given human characteristics as if Dawn was a goddess.
Zeus:
“Son of Cronos”, “Who marshalls the thunderclouds” - Zeus was the god of the sky.
Group Discussion: This group discussion was based off of Book X which we read for homework in the last cycle.
1.How does Odysseus and his men find themselves faced with a plethora of problems?
> Odysseus and his men find themselves faced with a plethora of problems because of their hubris. Odysseus’s men are clumsy and carefree leading them to depend on Odyseeus’s leadership too much.
a.Evaluate the types of problems that they face. Can you assess if Odysseus’ men are solely to blame for their problems, and does Odysseus appear to be the constant problem-solver? Or can you provide some other explanation for what’s at hand?
> The types of problems they face are being sent back to where they started mainly because of Odyseeus’s lack of keeping an eye on his men. Odysseus isn’t always the problem-solver because he is solely to blame for that one time with Polyphmeus, the cyclops. I think that the main cause of their plethora of problems comes from the lack of attention Odyseeus pays to his men.
2.How does Circe’s Island compare to the Land of the Lotus Eaters?
> Circe’s Island compares to the Land of the Lotus Eaters because they both try to entrap Odyseeus’s men on their island. The Land of the Lotus Eaters entraps men on their island by luring them to eat the lotus which turns them carefree and forgetful of their main goal, making them feel the need to never leave the island. Whilst on Circe’s Island, Circe concocts a potion that converts Odyseeu’s men into swine, forcing him to turn them back or else they would be stuck in the island forever.
b.How does her actions towards the men compare to the actions of the Lotus Eaters?
> Circe’s actions towards the men compares to the actions of the Lotus Eaters because they both try to entrap the men on their islands using trickery.
c.Can one treatment be deemed as worse than the other? Why/Why Not?
> I think the lotus eater’s treatment can be deemed as worse than the others because there was no way to leave the island once Odyseeus’s men fell under the effects of the lotus flowers while Odyseeus’s men were reconverted from swine to men after Odyseeus bested Circes.
3.Describe the “deal” Odysseus strikes with Circe, as well as her response/instructions.
d.How does he feel about her directives?
e.Why is Odysseus’ heart “sore” and “troubled”? What does this reveal about his character?
f.Has he been faithful?
> Odysseus makes a deal with Circe to sleep with her under the rule that she mustn’t harm his men. Circe gladly accepts, but even though Odyseeus struck the deal, his heart is sore and troubled because it’s what he has to do to survive. Odysseus hasn’t been faithful to Penelope but still cares about her as his heart is sore and troubled because he has to sleep with Circe just to survive.
4.Consider the “Do Now” topic of “obligation.”
a.In which instances does Odysseus demonstrate his actions are motivated through “obligation” and not through some other force or factor?
> Odysseus has an obligation to deliver his men safely back home, Ithaca. However, Odysseus must be reminded of his obligation by his men. This is because after he sleeps with Circe, he stays on the island for another year because their entire day on the island is eating good food, drinking sweet wine, and having fun.
b.Consider the fact that a role-reversal occurs when Odysseus’ men remind him, after a year, that it’s time to return home. Does this change your view of his “obligation”? Why/Why Not?
> This changes my view of Odysseus’s obligation because his one major goal was to travel back home, but he was sidetracked on Circe’s Island and stayed for a whole year because he was living a carefree life there.
5.Hermes has a reputation for “trickery.” Consider that he is the one who informed Circe that Odysseus would be coming, as well as he advised Odysseus as to how to “best” Circe with her magic potions and wand. Do you believe that Hermes has used his “trickery” on one or both of them? Why/Why Not?
c.Given this information, do you believe that Odysseus had to go through with the “deal” with Circe? Why/Why Not?
> I think that Hermes has used his “trickery” on both of them because they were both informed that the other person has intentions to be hostile when they really don’t. I believe that Odyseeus didn’t have to go through with the “deal” with Circe because if Hermes didn’t deceive both sides, they wouldn’t have to fight each other and make a deal.
6.Based on your understanding of Epithets and their use, identify some epithets in Book X or from previous readings:
> Most cursed man alive (Odysseus)
> The great blind prophet whose mind remains unshaken (Tiresias)
> The nymph with lovely braids (Circe)
> That king the master of all winds (Aeolus)
> Hermes god of the golden wand (Hermes)
ENRICHMENTS:
The Odyssey by Homer | Book 1 Summary and Analysis [3:03]
The Odyssey by Homer | Book 2 Summary and Analysis [2:41]
The Odyssey by Homer | Books 3-4 Summary and Analysis [3:00]
The Odyssey by Homer | Book 5 Summary and Analysis [1:58]
The Odyssey by Homer | Books 6-7 Summary and Analysis [1:56]
The Odyssey by Homer | Book 8 Summary and Analysis [2:04]
The Odyssey by Homer | Book 10 Summary and Analysis [2:31]
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