Blogger #25, Evan Qiu, Period 2, 5/7/2021, Day A

  Blogger #25 - Evan Qiu - Period 2 - 5/7/2021 - Day A

Aim: How does the episode of “The Land of the Dead” Further our understanding of Odysseus as the epic hero? 

Do Now : 

• What are some of the cultural traditions we use to honor the dead?

• Consider your culture and/or religion- What do you and your family do in order to mourn the passing of a loved one? 

• How might these traditions be observed in order to honor fallen warriors & soldiers?

• ENRICHMENT: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier

For the Do Now we discussed the different traditions that our cultures do to honor the dead. First Fiona shared how her culture burns an abundance of items so that the dead can have them in the afterlife. That fact was further added upon when Vannessa elaborated on what those items were, items like paper currency. Mrs. Peterson then took this opportunity to link what we said to what we are learning about. I feel that By making the lesson relatable to students Mrs. Peterson made the lesson more enjoyable and easier to understand.

Death and The Underworld:

In this section of the lesson we soul read to learn about the ancient traditions that the Greeks performed on people who have passed. We learned that after death the souls of people went on a journey to the Underworld. In the afterlife the soul would receive one of 2 fates, either it would receive punishment or a state of bliss depending on the choices it made during life. At the end of the Soul’s journey it is brought to three judges who decided their fate, the soul would either go to Elysium, or they went on to live an agonizing life in Tartarus. After soul reading we watched a very informational video on the matter which reinforced the knowledge that I received from this slide. This video also helped link the do now to this slide, in the video it states that people made offerings to the dead similar to how in Chinese culture we burn things as offerings to people that have passed. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VEbWU3izcE&feature=share

Honoring and Remembering the Dead:

This next slide we spirit read to learn about the Greek’s rituals regarding the burials that were performed to honor the dead. We learned that in Greek culture a proper burial was necessary an oversight of burial rites was seen as an insult to human dignity. We also learned that if the body wasn’t given a proper burial, the soul would remain trapped between both the world of the living and the world of the dead. Another factor to Greek death is that the existence of the dead depended on how well they were remembered by the living. One who forgets to honor and remember the dead was considered to be scum, and was punished.

“Land of the Dead” pdf [4.5 pgs]

In this section of the lesson we spirit read “The land of the Dead” which was about when Odysseus followed Circe’s instructions and ventured into the Land of the Dead. At the Land of the Dead he met Elpenor, who wanted a proper burial, which Odysseus promised to do, he also saw his mother who he didn’t know died, then he say Tiresias, who appeared and told Odysseus that he could make it home alive but would face many conflicts and heartache along the way due to his relationship with Poseidon. He also told Odysseus that if his fellow men were to murder the cattle of Helios, they would surely die. Lastly told Odysseus to make a sacrifice to Poseidon if he wanted to live in peace for the rest of his life. 

Analysis of “Land of the Dead”

Finding the Land of the Dead constitutes another trial and examination for Odysseus, and it is an emotional as well as a physical one. Odysseus is forced to face his memories of all he has lost as well as his own mortality. This trip to the Land of the Dead became a common theme of epics and the hero's journey. 

Teamwork: 

1. 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?

These lines show that Odysseus cares about Greek traditions concerning the dead. He slaughters his heifer because it serves as a sacrifice to the dead. It shows that the afterlife in Greek tradition is important and sacred. 

2. Discuss Elpenor's request to Odysseus (lines 598-608).

1. What details does he want Odysseus to remember about his burial?

He wants Odysseus to come back to his body and give him a proper burial ritual. He wants him to remember him, honor him and burn his corpse as a way to release him so he can live peacefully in the underworld.

2. How does this reflect the Greek ritual of death?

This shows that in Greek culture the ritual of death is sacred and very important to their people. 

3. How does Odysseus react to seeing Elpenor (Lines 580-585)?

1. How does he react to Anticlea (his mother) (Lines 614-619)?

When he sees his mom, which he didn’t know died, he grieves and cries, but he persists because he knows he can’t do anything and moves forward to find Tiresias. 

2. What characteristics of Odysseus do we see displayed in this scene?

In this scene we see Odysseus grieve his mothers death, but only for a short amount of time because he knows that there is a bigger task at hand. Here he displays sadness, bravery, strength, and courage.

4. 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.”

1. What leadership advice is Tiresias giving to Odysseus?

The advice Tiresias gives to Odysseus is while embarking down the land of Thrinakia, to avoid the grazing herd of Helios. This is because Helios was the god of the sun, and if they didn’t avoid the grazing herds, they would die.

2. In addition, what instructions does Tiresias give Odysseus in order to quell Poseidon’s rage?

Tiresias tells Odysseus that once he gets home to offer a sacrifice to Poseidon in order to live a peaceful life. This offering symbolizes that Odysseus acknowledges that all the people he has killed had a family, and were important to someone in life. 

FOIL: In literature, a foil is a character that shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character. The objective is to highlight the traits of the other character. The term foil, though generally being applied to a contrasting character, may also be used for any comparison that is drawn to portray a difference between two things.

What we observe in literature very often is that a foil is a secondary character who contrasts with the major character to enhance the importance of the major character. The etymology of the term foil testifies the aforementioned assertion as the word is taken from the practice of backing gems with foil (tool), so that they shine more brightly.

5. A FOIL is a character who contrasts with another character. How does the character of Eurylochus serve as a FOIL to Odysseus in Book X? 

Eurylochus serves as a foil to Odysseus because Eurylochus is a coward while Odysseus is brave. An example of this FOIL is when while exploring Circe’s island Eurylochus suspects that there is danger ahead and stays behind, letting the crew members explore which leads them to be turned into swines by Circe. They are eventually saved by Odysseus showing that Eurylochus serves as a FOIL to Odysseus in book X.