Aim: How does Odysseus establish his authority as an epic hero in the episode of “The Challenge” and “Odysseus’ Revenge”?
Do Now: (WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION)
The Ancient Greeks viewed revenge as a form of social justice. They believed that if a horrid wrongdoing was done upon them, they had the right to return the favor; in whatever means they found just. The Greeks values greatly resembled the Hammurabi Code of Law for Justice: “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” mentality, meaning that whatever crime the perpetrator committed, the punishment brought upon him should be equal or fitting of the crime.
How does this compare to the way our society views revenge today?
How does it compare to the way that you view revenge?
The class was on like terms on how society today views revenge. Ideas tossed around were that society’s view on revenge greatly differed from how former societies like the Ancient Greeks had viewed revenge. Society today is against the concept of revenge. As depicted in movies, characters in movies that seek revenge are always the ones that are on their downfall. Revenge today is viewed as something that is immature and that forgiving is more mature according to society’s standards. The way I view revenge aligns to what society views revenge, it’s something that is outdated and it is to an extent immature. Harming someone that harmed you wouldn’t do either of you any good and it possibly lead to more conflicts, even escalated conflicts. Society today has a justice system that punishes people for their crimes, accordingly without inflicting further conflict. A classmate views revenge the same way as the Ancient Greeks do, however he doesn’t seek revenge like the Greeks might have.
Words to know:
Implacable (adj): unrelenting, stubborn; impossible to calm or appease.
Quiver (n): a portable case for holding arrows
Entrails (n-pl): internal organs, the intestines; within
We skipped spirit reading for “The Challenge” and “Odysseus’ Revenge” as they were assigned for homework prior to today’s lesson. We moved forward to a whole class discussion.
WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION
“But the man skilled in all ways of contending, satisfied by the great bow’s look and heft, like a musician, like a harper, when the draws with quiet hand upon his instrument he draws between his thumb and forefinger a sweet new string upon a peg; so effortlessly Odysseus in one motion string the bow. Then slid his right hand down the cord and plucked it, so the taut guit vibrating hummed and sang a swallows note” (Homer 1370-1379)
What epic simile is created in the lines above, from “The Challenge”? Explain the comparison.
Which of Odysseus’ qualities are being highlighted here?
How is Homer presenting Odysseus to the audience?
The class agreed that the comparison made is between Odysseus and a musician since he makes stringing the bow look so effortless, just as how you would imagine a musician plucking a harp. Odysseus’ proficiency and mastery of stringing the bow is highlighted in the epic simile. Homer uses descriptions such as “so effortlessly Odysseus in one motion strung the bow. Then slid his right hand down the cord and plucked it, so the taut gut vibrating hummed and sang a swallows note” Homer is presenting Odysseus as a man of skill, talent, and mastery to the audience to portray qualities of a musician.
We then watched a video on the acting of Odysseus’ Revenge
Acting The Odyssey 1997 (Odysseus’ Revenge) [9:18]
We were also given a video discussing justice and vengeance we were to watch in our free time.
Law and Justice - Justice and Vengeance: Homer - 3.5 Debate: Revenge in Justice? [3:10]
Odysseus’ Revenge in Art
Analyze both paintings depicting Odysseus killing the suitors. Do you believe the artists accurately depicted Odysseus’ attack on the suitors? Would you evaluate this to be a “fair” fight-- why or why not?
The artist that created the painting on the right accurately depicted Odysseus’ attack on the suitors more than the painting on the left. The suitors were shot by arrows and they were not fighting men in armor that have shields. In addition, Odysseus is nowhere to be seen in the painting on the left, meanwhile he is visibly shooting his bow at the suitors that occupied his home on the painting on the right. A final point to be made is that the suitors were not fighting back as they were unarmed, the painting on the left shows the suitors fighting back whereas the painting on the right did not. Therefore, the painting on the right depicted Odysseus’ attack on the suitors accurately. This fight should be considered a fair fight because they had outnumbered Odysseus, which should have should have leveled the playing field given the fact that they didn’t have weapons nor armor.
We then transitioned into teamwork in which we answered questions based on the reading we had for homework prior to the lesson
Teamwork
Why does Odysseus invoke Apollo in line 1411?
Odysseus invokes Apollo for good luck because Apollo is the God of Archery and he wants Apollo to be on his side for his arrow to successfully travel through all 12 rings.
In the episode of “Odysseus’ Revenge,” who is the first to die? Describe the immediate reaction of the suitors to this initial killing.
The first to die is Antinous who is known as the best man on Ithaca. The immediate reaction of the suitors to this initial killing is outrage as they were angry that Odysseus had killed him and they proclaimed that he would pay for this by having his throat slit as well as having his eyes torn out by buzzards.
What argument does Eurymachus use to try to persuade Odysseus to spare him and the others?
Eurymachus makes the argument that all should be resolved because he already killed Anthinous who was the ringleader that convinced the suitors to do all the things that they have done. He also said that Anthinonus was the one who wanted to kill his son and that now he is dead, he has had his portion of revenge.
What three crimes to the Suitors does Odysseus mention when he begins the slaughter (lines 1438-1444)?
The three times that Odysseus mentions the Suitors have committed were: thinking that he would never return home to Ithaca, taking his house to plunder, and daring to bid for his wife when he was alive.
Why do you believe Odysseus denies Eurymachus’ request to provide restitution for all they have consumed, and then some (lines 1467-1473)?
Odysseus likely denied Euymachus’ request to provide restitution because he believes that they should deserve revenge for the crimes that they have committed to pay for all they have done in order to level their fields respectively.
List at least two images/examples of figurative language that help you picture some of the most tense or most horrifying moments in the battle. Include the line references!
But the kingly man let fly an arrow at that instant, and the quivering feathered butt sprang to the nipple of his breast as the barb stuck in his liver. The bright broadsword clanged down. He lurched and fell aside, pitching across his table. His cup, his breast and meat, were split and scattered far and wide, and his head slammed on the ground (lines 1486- 1412)
But with a spear throw from behind Telemachus hit him between the shoulders, and the lancehead drove clear through his chest. He left his feet and fell forward, thudding, forehead against the ground. Telemachus swerved around him, leaving the long dark spear planted in Amphinomus. (lines 1497 - 1502)
Odysseus is described as “implacable” in the revenge episode. Is he justified in killing all of the suitors? Why or why not?
Odysseus is not justified in killing all of the suitors despite their crimes. Inflicting death upon the men is too harsh of a penalty. Killing Antinous was justified, however killing the rest of the other men as they were just followers. A more appropriate punishment would have been sentencing the men to hard labor.
After sharing out answers for our teamwork questions, we had a final question that concluded the end of the lesson
Question: Does Odysseus establish his authority as an epic hero in the episode of “The Challenge” and “Odysseus’ Revenge” or does he degrade his status as a just and fair ruler? Discuss!
Odysseus does establish his authority as an epic hero in the episode of “The Challenge” and “Odysseus’ Revenge” since the language that Homer uses highlights Odysseus as a hero. He carefully chooses the words that Odysseus speaks and actions of Odysseus to give the reader of his heroism. He doesn’t degrade his status as a just and fair ruler because he is perceived as a hero protecting his family and reclaiming his throne from invaders.
ENRICHMENTS
What Is Justice?: Crash Course Philosophy #40 [10:15]
Is Revenge More Bitter Than Sweet? [4:01]
The Odyssey by Homer | Books 17-18 Summary and Analysis [2:58]
The Odyssey by Homer | Books 19-20 Summary [3:04]and Analysis
The Odyssey by Homer | Book 21 Summary and Analysis [2:21]
The Odyssey by Homer | Book 22 Summary and Analysis [1:58]
Lesson 18 RL SP Odyssey: Penelope’s Test
Aim: How does Penelope’s test for Odysseus establish their fidelity toward each other while finally providing closure for Odysseus and his journey?
Do Now: (WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION)
To arrive where you are, to get from where you are not,
You must go by a way wherein there is no ecstasy,
In order to arrive at what you do not know
You must go by a way which is the way of ignorance.
In order to possess what you do not possess
You must go the way of dispossession
In order to arrive at what you are not
You must go through the way in which you are not
T.S. Eliot, “East Coker III” (From Four Quartets)
As always, read the poem above twice. Note any & all poetic devices that catch your eye and try to interpret Eliot’s perspective on the concept of “journey.”
The class said that in a journey, you have to explore something that is foreign and unknown to you in order to gain something from it. You have to start off in a place of ignorance to gain experience and knowledge in order to get to where you want to be. Eliot’s perspective on the concept of journey is that it’s a learning curve, in which lessons are learnt, and experiences are gained from trial and error.
We then had a reading of “Penelope’s Test” that we skipped because reading it was a homework assignment prior to this lesson. In replacement, we watched a clip about Penelope’s faithfulness to Odysseus.
Penelope: The Faithful Wife of Odysseus - Mythology Dictionary - See U in History [3:00]
Afterwards, we had teamwork questions that we had to answer based off of the reading.
Teamwork:
How does Athena improve Odysseus’ appearance?
Athena improves Odysseus’ appearance by changing his appearance from a beggar, lending him beauty from head to foot, making him taller, and more massive.
Explain why Odysseus is displeased with Penelope.
What is Odysseus’ complaint in 1553-1560?
Explain the metaphor he uses → “Her heart is iron in her breast”.
Odysseus is displeased with Penelope because she doesn’t immediately recognize him and she is not as excited as Odysseus had imagined that she would have been. Odysseus’ complaint is that she is so detached from her feelings of hopelessness that he would never return and there wouldn’t be another person in the world that would not be overwhelmed with joy when their husband returns home after twenty long years. The metaphor he uses symbolizes how cold and closed off and reluctant she is to believe that he is Odysseus.
What is her response to his complaint?
Why does she doubt his identity even after his disguise has been lifted?
Her response to his complaint is that she doesn’t break character as many men would appear to look like they could be Odysseus or claim to be Odysseus. She then proceeds on with her test to see if he is actually her husband.
How does Penelope outwit Odysseus in this book? Fully describe Penelope’s test and how Odysseus “passes” it.
Penelope’s test is to tell Eurycleia, who is the maid in the palace to move the bed Odysseus built with his bare hands outside of the bedchamber for him to sleep on. Odysseus passes it because he knows that the bed that he built cannot be moved by anyone except an immortal. He confronts her about it and tells her everything that he did to build the bedchamber as well as their pact and pledge, their secret sign that he built into the bed.
What explanation does she give for not acknowledging Odysseus sooner?
Penelope tells Odysseus that she was not able to warm up to him on sight because a lot of men committed fraudulent acts and had claimed to be Odysseus, so she was cautious of everyone on whether or not the men had noticed their secret sign. She then warms up to him and she finally knows that he has returned home after the gods had separated them for twenty long years.
Analyze the epic simile in the lines below. What is being compared? And how is this simile a powerful and fitting image for the conclusion of the Odyssey?
Now from his breast into his eyes the ache
of longing mounted, and he wept at last,
his dear wife, clear and faithful in his arms,
longed for as the sunwarmed earth is longed for by a swimmer
spent in rough water where his ship went down
under Poseidon’s blows, gale winds and tons of sea.
Few men can keep alive through a big surf
to crawl, clotted with brine, on kindly beaches
in joy, in joy, knowing the abyss behind:
and so she too rejoiced, her gaze upon her husband,
her white arms round him pressed as though forever.
Happiness is compared to the hardships and devastating experiences that Odysseus had endured during his voyage home. This is a powerful simile and a fitting image for the conclusion of the Odyssey because the whole story was filled with tragedy and hardships and it leads to closure so it was appropriate to compare the two in an epic simile. It also demonstrates the strength of their everlasting love, and their commitment by emphasizing how immense the struggles both partners went through to get to where they are.
We then had a pair of summary questions to wrap up the lesson
Summation:
How does Penelope’s test for Odysseus establish their fidelity toward each other while finally providing closure for Odysseus and his journey?
-Penelope’s test for Odysseus establishes their fidelity towards each other by showing how strong their bonds are through the secrets that they share. This allows Penelope to finally open up and to embrace the emotions he had kept locked away for so long, providing closure for Odysseus and his journey because he finally knows that he is home with his wife whom he loves dearly.
How does Odysseus’ journey and its conclusion align with the perspective of the journey expressed in Eliot's poem; from the Do Now?
Odysseus’ journey and its conclusion aligns with the perspective of the journey expressed in Eliot’s poem from the Do Now since they both inflict similar objectives. The perspective of journey expressed in Eliot’s poem is that a journey requires you start from a state of immaturity and foreignness in order to learn and acquire knowledge from experiences through trial and error. In Odysseus’ journey, that is certainly the case as his hubris was checked throughout the voyage. At the beginning of his voyage home, he is excessively prideful of himself and taunts Polyphemus which was unnecessary. Near the end of the voyage home to Ithaca, Odysseus has been more logical in how he acts and informs the men not to eat Apollo’s cattle as there will be major reparations that they will make. Conclusively, Odysseus’ journey and Eliot’s poem uniformly share the same perspective of a journey.
ENRICHMENT
The Odyssey by Homer | Book 23 Summary and Analysis [2:18]
Reflection:
These two lessons have taught me a tremendous amount of the important concepts of the Odyssey: revenge and fidelity. Concepts that I had previously never really cared to acknowledge much about. I learned about what revenge meant in society today, and what it means in ancient societies such as Ancient Greece. I was able to detect the discrepancies of the perceptions the two societies had about the concept of revenge. Back in Ancient Greek, it was viewed as something that was fair and it was rather common. In our modern society, it’s something that has been outcasted and viewed as immature whereas forgiveness is seen as more mature. Movies nowadays have a character who seeks revenge that is upon their downfall, typically the villain. I was also able to interpret what a journey was and what made a journey as well as critical characteristics. Such factors were that you have to start at a place of ignorance and it has to be foreign to you. Throughout a journey, you will learn through experiences and gain knowledge. With this being said, I learned about fidelity throughout the Odyssey as Odysseus was faithful to Penelope for all these years he was gone. The ordeal in which Penelope realizes that the stranger is actually Odysseus added on what true fidelity between partners were as they were both loyal to each other and they had perseverance in their relationship despite being apart for twenty years with other people wanting to be with them respectively. We learned about these notions as they are some of the principle lessons displayed in the Odyssey that Homer probably wanted to lecture his audience about. Learning about this would better help me understand morals later on in life when I find myself in those situations. When I come across a situation in which someone committed some act upon me, I would think twice before I act and I wouldn’t seek revenge as it is outdated in today’s society on top of being childish. In addition, the lesson on fidelity might come into play in the future. With this lesson, I would know how to properly act, behave, and trust someone. I also grasp the concepts of each better now that I have learned these lessons. Overall, this lesson was a rather virtuous one, demonstrating the importance of values and ethics.
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