Today’s class was a double lesson.
Aim (1): How does the episode of "The Land of the Dead" further our understanding of Odysseus as the epic hero?
Do Now:
To start today’s lesson, we, as a class, shared out the cultural traditions that we use with our families to mourn or honor the death of a loved one considering our own cultures and religion. This was an opportunity for our class to learn about the cultures of each other and enlighten those who don’t know about the things that are done culturally/traditionally, or culturally.
Mariah led the class discussion by saying that there are holidays, such as All Saints' Day (many Roman Catholics and other Christians around the world honor all saints of the church deemed to have attained heaven) and Day of the Dead (a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, and celebration) to honor the lives of the dead. Allison then added that in her culture, they burn paper money. After that, Evan mentioned that his family goes to the graves to let the deceased know that they are still remembered. Following the class discussion, Ms. Peterson shared that she was raised to practice both Judaism and Christianity which have different traditions in terms of honoring someone when they pass. In Ms. Peterson’s Jewish side of the family, the goal and expectation are to cover all the mirrors in the house of the immediate family, not supposed to sit on regular chairs or things that are comfortable but instead sit on things like a cardboard box to be uncomfortable as a sacrifice. When going to the funeral, candles are lit to memorialize the anniversary of that person’s birthday or the time of when they’ve passed; after the funerals, they go to someone’s house or restaurant to celebrate their life, and reflect on the wonderful things they did and their importance, instead of mourning. On Ms. Peterson’s Christian side of the family, there oftentimes is something called “the wake”, where a couple of days before the funeral, they would lay the body out for people to come to see the person one last time and say their goodbyes; after the person is cremated/buried/or whichever path chosen, her family gets together to honor and celebrate the passing of a loved one.
Provided was a link: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier
that talks about the system of national cemeteries established to ensure the proper burial of all service members and to honor them for their service.
Here is a link that includes 10 holidays from cultures around the world, in which people celebrate the dead with their festivities. https://theculturetrip.com/africa/articles/10-ways-to-honor-the-dead-around-the-world/
Spirit Reading: After the do now discussion, we did some spirit reading to gain some knowledge about the Greek’s belief in the underworld.
We learned that the Greeks believed that the person’s soul went to the underworld, somewhere deep beneath the earth which is ruled by Hades (god of the underworld) and his wife﹣Persephone (goddess of agriculture). There will be 3 judges that determine if the soul goes to Elysium (blissful state for the souls of the heroic and the pure) or Tartarus (dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked).
Then we watched the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VEbWU3izcE&feature=share
to obtain extra information relevant to the reading of “Land of the Dead”
Here are some notable points made in the video:
Access to the underworld was not straightforward after one dies
The body had to undergo proper funerary rites: a coin was placed between the teeth of the body or on their eyes
The coin was essential as it was the payment for Charon the ferryman (the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the river Styx that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead)
The souls of the unburied ones or those who didn’t have the coin for payment were forced to wander for 100 years on the banks of the river until they have permission to cross it
If Hades approves the judges’ decision, NOT even Zeus can change it
The chance of being forever forgotten was what the Greeks feared the most
Here is a cartoonized and thorough explanation of the Underworld: https://youtu.be/Zu7c3Uv366M
Further Spirit Reading:
Then we went to spirit read about honoring and remembering the dead, further emphasizing that Greeks held elaborate burial rituals as neglecting burial rituals were seen as an insult to human dignity and the soul will be trapped between the worlds of the living and the underworld. Also, the remembrance of the dead was very important; if one forgets about the dead there will be no further continuation of the existence of the dead and is seen as immoral.
This connects back to the do now responses from Allison and Evan. Burning paper money and visiting the graves of the deceased are ways to show one’s remembrance of the dead.
One example of this being relevant in other cultures was portrayed in the Disney movie Coco.
Coco is about the Mexican holiday﹣Dia de Los Muertos, otherwise known as the Day of the Dead﹣which celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life. In the Movie, Miguel’s grandmother held a serious grudge towards his grandfather that followed them straight into the afterlife. The grudge between the two was so severe that Miguel’s grandfather could have been forgotten forever. Miguel’s grandfather, Hector Rivera, died by himself and learned in the Land of the Dead that his childhood best friend had become a famous singer taking credit for the songs he wrote for his daughter. Héctor spent his afterlife trying to cross over to the Land of the Living to see Coco (his daughter) again but was rejected as his descendants wouldn't put his picture up. Shunned, he slowly started to be forgotten. His spirits was on the verge of disappearing but thankfully Miguel went back to the real world and helped Coco remember her father right before her death, thus allowing him to cross over the Land of the Living and not have him disappear into the Land of the Forgotten.
Spirit Reading: We then read “The Land of the Dead” or Book XI along with Ms. Peterson.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B2UC-VafUK7i1TJ8CxlqN6K3Q0yTRD6B/view?usp=sharing
But before that, we covered two vocabularies that make appearances in the book:
ignoble (adj) - dishonorable, shameful
Ex. “Odysseus, master mariner and soldier, bad luck shadowed me, and no kindly power; ignoble death I drank with so much wine.” (Lines 587-589)
assuage (verb) - to calm, to mollify, to lessen
Ex. “Thus to assuage the nations of the dead I pledged these rites, then slashed the lamb and ewe, letting their black bloodstream into the wellpit.” (Lines 561-563)
Brief Summary of “The Land of the Dead”
Odysseus travels to the land of the dead and makes the offerings of lamb and ewe per Circe's instructions. The shades of the dead gather to drink the blood and then talk to Odysseus. The first spirit he encountered was Elpenor, who demanded a proper burial, which Odysseus promised to carry out. Odysseus then saw his mother, whom he did not know had died. Tiresias (the blind prophet) told Odysseus that he could make it home alive but would face much danger and heartache along the way due to his conflict with Poseidon. He also warned Odysseus that, if his men were to kill the cattle of Helios, they would perish. Lastly, he advised Odysseus to make a sacrifice to Poseidon after arriving home if he wanted to live the rest of his life in peace.
Notable point: When Elpenor died at Circe’s island, Odysseus and his men were so anxious to leave the island after being there for a year that they left Elpenor’s body, leaving his body to wander for 100 years.
Teamwork: After reading, we broke out into breakout rooms to answer the questions below.
As Odysseus prepares to meet the dead he says, “Then I addressed the blurred and breathless dead, / vowing to slaughter my best heifer (cow) for them…” (line 555-556). What can be inferred about ancient Greek beliefs concerning death and the afterlife from these lines?
It can be inferred that the ancient Greeks respect the dead, and they believe in the afterlife as Odysseus had to sacrifice a ram and a ewe, the dark blood flowing into the trench in order to meet the souls of the dead. They also believed that the souls, separated from the body, went to the underworld, therefore the bodies were burned.
Discuss Elpenor's request to Odysseus (lines 598-608).
What details does he want Odysseus to remember about his burial?
Elpenor asks Odysseus to return to Circe's island and give his body a proper burial and doesn’t want Odysseus to forget about him. He asks for his corpse and weapons to be burned, and to mark the grave with an oar of his ship This is because he wants to be remembered as a sailor, as opposed to a drunkard who died a strange and dishonorable death. (Greeks believed that it was always better to die young with honor as opposed to surviving to old age but without accomplishing much). This connects back to going to Elysium or Tartarus depending on what one did in his lifetime. He also warns Odysseus that if he is not given burial rites he will “become a curse” on Odysseus as his soul will be wandering around for 100 years.
How does this reflect the Greek ritual of death?
Elpenor’s request for his burial reflects the Greek ritual of death as the deceased graves were marked and his request of firing up his corpse and weapons represents a funeral pyre, which is like a gigantic pyre built of all wood where the person’s body would be placed and burned. Before that, the body is buried with a coin, so when their souls are released, Charon the ferryman can bring the soul over the Styx River. Being buried with goods is also a way to remember the dead as Elpneor begs Odysseus to not forget about him.
How does Odysseus react to seeing Elpenor (Lines 580-585)?
Elpenor’s spirit was the first one that Odysseus met and When Odysseus sees him, he weeps and has compassion for him. Odysseus fails to fathom how Elpenor’s spirit has already gotten to the underworld.
How does he react to Anticlea (his mother) (Lines 614-619)?
Odysseus was shocked because he was unaware of her death. He also weeps when he sees his mother and Odysseus also learns that his mother took her life out of grief. When he sees Tiresias, he allows him to approach and listens to his prophecy.
What characteristics of Odysseus do we see displayed in this scene?
In this scene, we see Odysseus putting away his pride and weeps for the deceased as he is forced to confront his memories of the people he has lost, as well as his own sense of mortality. We also see Odysseus respecting the rules and rituals of the land, unlike the scene at the Cyclops. His mother tells him that his wife and son are still grieving for him, his father has moved to the country to be alone with his grief, and she died of a broken heart after he had been gone for so long, making him more determined to return home.
Although not a god, Tiresias has been endowed with the power of prophecy. Consider the following advice Tiresias gives to Odysseus regarding the remainder of his journey home: “One narrow strait may take you through his blows: denial of yourself, restraint of your shipmates.”
What leadership advice is Tiresias giving to Odysseus?
The leadership advice Tiresias is giving to Odysseus is that he must humble himself, control his men, and make good judgment, he will be able to outsmart Poseidon and make it back home.
In addition, what instructions does Tiresias give Odysseus in order to quell Poseidon’s rage?
Tiresias advises Odysseus and his crew might still reach home safely if they leave the cattle belonging to Helios alone on Thrinacia Island. Tiresias also tells Odysseus that he should go make a sacrifice to Poseidon.
Following the group discussions, we learned what foil is:
And answered the question: How does the character of Eurylochus serve as a FOIL to Odysseus in Book X?
Eurylochus serves as a foil for Odysseus’ character because he is a coward whereas Odysseus is brave. When Eurylochus leads half the men to investigate the palace, he stays outside because he suspects a trap. He sends his men in without him. Circe transforms his men into pigs and it is brave Odysseus who must save them.
Other examples of Foil in Comics:
The protagonist Batman and the antagonist, the Joker
The fact that the Joker is so bad makes him a foil for Batman, his bad characteristics and traits highlight all the goodness of Batman
Superman and Lex Luthor
Lex is a bad character and helps highlight how Superman is a great hero
The scene below displays how Superman is good at heart, unlike Lex.
Here is a clip of the Odyssey movie, to see how the underworld was portrayed:
https://youtu.be/yaIQ-XuUp8s [End 10:06]
Video for a brief explanation of book 11: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peJy-xmPOFM&feature=share
Aim (2): How does Odysseus' strategic leadership further characterize him as an epic hero in "The Sirens" episode of Homer's Odyssey?
Do Now: For the do now, we were asked to define the term “flattery” while reviewing the “3” Morals of Aesop’s Fable:
Flattery is a dangerous weapon in the hands of the enemy.
Flattery is not proof of admiration.
He who listens to flattery is not wise, for it has no good purpose.
Flattery is excessive praise that is dishonest. Adelia said that flattery is when someone makes others feel good about themselves in order to get someone they want from them.
The Do Now then flows directly into Odysseus and the Sirens.
Spirit Reading: We gained background knowledge on what the Sirens were before reading “The Sirens”. We learned that sirens are seductive creatures (half bird, half woman) that sing to lure sailors into their death. After being lured by the song, sailors are led to the Wandering Rocks where their ship crashes and sinks.
We learn that Circe warns Odysseus of the sirens and tells him to put beeswax in his men’s ears so that they will not hear the song. The Sirens sing of desire and promise wisdom and knowledge. Because no mortal has ever survived after hearing the song, Odysseus has to tie himself to the mast of the ship if he
wants to hear it
.
We watched a video for more information about the Sirens: https://youtu.be/hJpzse2qYlU
They were beautiful nymphs when they were born daughters of the River God
After Hades abducted Persephone, the goddess Demeter transformed the nymphs into women birds for allowing the abduction of her daughter
There are two stories of people who were able to escape: Jason and the Argonauts and Odysseus
Influence on today’s world:
The mermaid we know today owes much of its fame to the Sirens. Ancient Greece first depicted Triton, a demigod, and son of Poseidon, as a merman who resided in a palace under the sea. Later, the term for sirens and mermaids became more interchangeable and the modern depiction of the mermaid emerged.
Mermaids are something we have all heard about… there are even jobs where people swim around in mermaid tails for events.
Spirit Reading: We read “The Sirens” along with Ms. Peterson.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d7t7Yoj6bW7TG4i62Ge6W-wMIZV1TVTV/view?usp=sharing
Brief Summary:
Odysseus returned to Circe's island to give Elpenor his funeral rites. Before he departed, Circe advised Odysseus about the Sirens and gave him advice on how to avoid them. Odysseus followed her advice and had his men stuff their ears with wax so they would not hear the song. He was curious, though, and, instead of blocking his hearing, had his men bind him tightly against the mast so he could not break free. He was tormented by the song, but the ship got past the danger. After the Sirens, they had to avoid the Wandering Rocks, where only one ship had ever survived.
Questions: We were asked to review the following questions below.
Why does Odysseus address his men “sore at heart”?
Odysseus and his men knew of the dangers that were to come. He’s preparing his men to stay strong and brave through this ordeal because he’s planning on sacrificing himself for the safety of his crew. It was a sense of dread that everybody knew they can’t circumvent and it was an announcement that was hard for him to give.
Why does Odysseus decide to tell his men about Circe’s forecast?
Odysseus told his men about Circe’s forecast because he was putting his life on the line and needed them to understand that they might not make it out alive. That if they were going to die they should do so fighting at the best of their ability. He decided to face the Sirens himself to try to save the higher numbers of his crew.
What does Odysseus reveal about his character by sharing this information with his men?
Odysseus is compassionate towards his men. He tells them for their benefit instead of keeping it a secret and being self-serving. Odysseus knows his crew would listen to him no matter what because they are weak-willed so if he tells them in advance what to do, they would more likely stay headstrong.
Circe insists that Odysseus “alone should listen to their song.” He directs his crew to “tie me up…lashed to the mast, and if I shout and beg to be untied, take more turns of the rope to muffle me.” What leadership qualities does Odysseus demonstrate here?
He is telling them to tie him up so that he can hear the siren's songs; as long as he is tied up he can't follow their voices. He’s prepared and willing to die for his crew, wanting to be the only one to be subjected to the song of the Sirens instead of all of them.
What character traits are revealed in Odysseus’ desire to hear the Sirens’ song? “I carved a massive cake of beeswax into bits / and rolled them in my hands until they softened … Going forward / I carried the wax down the line, and laid it / thick on their ears..”
The character trait Odysseus reveals is his curiosity, as he wants to know about the Sirens’ song and he actually wants to hear it. He gives everybody beeswax but doesn’t use any on himself. This connects back to the scene at the Cyclops, as Odysseus was curious about the inhabitants of the island.
Consider this action along with their successful escape and assess the leadership qualities revealed by Odysseus.
The men were able to successfully withstand being enticed by the Sirens and their song. Odysseus told them to not let him go even if he’s struggling, showing that he would rather have this difficulty for himself than have the whole crew be punished for his decisions.
Read the “Siren’s Song ” on the next slide. Analyze the strategy sirens use to lure the men. What are they appealing to; in an effort to lure the men in?
How do the sirens use flattery to lure the soldiers?
The sirens use flattery to lure the soldiers as their compliments would turn the soldiers’ attention towards them.
What examples would appeal to the crew and to the epic hero?
Examples that would appeal to them are “Achaea’s glory” and the “song of troy” as the sirens are talking about Odysseus’s victory at Troy and how honorable they are.
What does an analysis of the Siren Song suggest about the idea of human flattery?
The sirens are singing to Odysseus’ men.
The sirens are trying to convince them to come over, telling them it is a good place
Saying that no one can resist their song because their singing is so great.
Basically, the Sirens saying “Who wants to come?”, trying to lure the men in.
They know what happened to Argos’s soldiers (the Trojan war), the Sirens are with the gods who want to make his journey long and difficult.
Why are we, as humans, susceptible to a figurative “Siren’s Call?”
We, as humans, are susceptible to a figurative “Siren’s Call” as we get distracted and gain a certain sense of entitlement to and desire for whatever rewards someone else may lure us into.
For example, in business, it is so easy to get lured into corrupt deals and being inhumane to others so that one can benefit from it, but in the end, everything can get exposed and one may lose everything.
Another example is catfishing, in society there are so many wicked predators who will pretend to be someone to lure someone in, thus putting the victim in a lot of danger, many times death.
Video about corruption and bribery in business: https://youtu.be/1GXaJculHQg
How can the sirens represent both desire and distraction?
The sirens represent both desire and distraction as they distract Odysseus and his crew which is a distraction. Then their praises lead to Odysseus and his crew’s development of a certain desire to hear them and curiosity towards them.
Connection to Do Now:
The Do Now connects to this lesson as in the do now, we defined that flattery is not something positive and the songs the Sirens are singing are flattery for the men, trying to lure them into their land and leading them to death.
Sirens in Movies:
Pirates of the Caribbean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC8gpeDgZG8
Sirens are depicted in Pirates of the Caribbean through the mermaids, aquatic creatures with the upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish; they are beautiful, conniving, and dangerous Mermaids who try to seduce the men through their songs before dragging them to the depths of the Bay to devour them. One of the sailors gets lured by the mermaid and the mermaid drags him under the water and then the other sailors, who witnessed it, panics and tries to escape.
Other movies include: She Creature, Mermaids, Ice Age
Sirens in the Ice Age: https://youtu.be/uQBVbsDB-v4
Explanations of Book 12:
Reflection
Through today’s lessons, I was able to learn about two locations Odysseus has visited, which means they are two options that can be considered for the postcard project. By answering the questions on the slides, I was forced to think deeper about the details in the story and analyze the story, therefore having a better understanding of the storyline. Through today’s lesson, I learned more about ancient Greek ideology, as the funeral rites in “The Land of the Dead” reflect Greek rituals. I had heard about Greeks putting coins in people’s mouths once they pass and I was never able to fathom the reason why, but now I know that they believed that it was to pay Charon for transporting the dead souls to Hades. They believed in the underworld and held elaborate burial rites, to make sure that the dead aren’t forgotten and to ensure that the soul passes to the afterlife. Not only was I fascinated after learning about Ancient Greek beliefs, but I was also able to learn more about other cultures and how they celebrate the life of the ones that have passed through writing this blog and from the do now responses. I, myself, have never celebrated the life of someone nor been to a funeral so the responses from my classmates and Ms. Peterson, such as burning paper money, covering mirrors, not sitting on anything comfortable, intrigued me. Through reading “The Sirens”, I was able to see how the sirens developed into the mermaids we know today and how they portray sirens in movies, especially in The Pirates of the Caribbean when the mermaids were singing to the sailors trying to seduce the sailors and then pulling them down into the water, similar to how the Sirens were trying to sing songs about Odysseus’s victory in Troy as flattery and try to lure them into the island, which will lead them to death. This gives me a better understanding of why flattery is not good; people will use flattery to their advantage and try to trick one or get something out of someone else. After reading “The Sirens”, I was able to make real-life connections about bribery and corruption and realize how humans are vulnerable to these sirens in real life. This further added to my promise to myself for never giving in to a lure. I also learned about a technique used in literature, foil; a foil is a character that is the opposite of another which helps the other character and their actions to stand out. I realized that this is practically most of the protagonists and antagonists in stories. After reading “The Land of the Dead” and “The Sirens”, I see that there is character development in Odysseus as we finally saw him put away his pride and weeps for Elpenor and his mother, Anticlea, in the Land of the Dead and becomes very determined to go home, showing that he values home and family more than personal glory. Odysseus, also makes sure to not put his men in danger, as he did at the Cyclops, by telling them to not let him go even if he’s struggling, showing that he would rather have this difficulty for himself than have the whole crew be punished for his decisions. Referring back to the aims, we can see that Odysseus fulfilling more characteristics of an epic hero, by making important decisions, using his superhuman strength, receiving help from the immortal gods, and leading his men. I can relate to the leadership part, because in my team, although I am not the leader, I try to start every group conversation and keep it going.
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