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 Greek 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?
Classmates Answers:
“Nowadays we are taught to forgive people. Be more mature in the situation, revenge isn’t always the way to go no matter how attempting. Revenge is frowned upon, confrontation and solving the problem is better. The phrase, Revenge is like Medicine, shows the power you feel when you get to take revenge or action against the person who messed you over, however, it isn’t the best way to solve problems. In the case of a Hammurabi code, I do somewhat agree with it. When a possession of yours gets stolen from you, in this case it would be okay to take something back, however, in more extreme scenarios, I think it would be unreasonable and should just result in prison.
“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 he 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 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 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 ?
Combined = The epic simile here is that Odysseus strings the bow as gracefully as a musician turning his lyre. He was elegant, graceful, his movements and stringing of the bow were fluid, and skilled. Odysseus' heroic qualities are being highlighted here and he is finally being presented as a strong hero/king after all the humiliation he experienced in his 20 years of travel back to Ithaca.
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 was biased and painted Odysseus participating in a one-man fight. It wasn’t considered a fair fight since none of them had weapons, and Odysseus had just finished them all.
TEAMWORK
Odysseus believes Apollo is watching over him. He wants Apollo to help him because, if not, the suitors will kill him. He seeks Apollo for luck or a blessing since he was the god of Archery. Antinous is the first to die. The suitors' initial reaction was for shields/cover to defend themselves because they did not want to die next. Eurymachus tries to persuade Odysseus to spare him and the other by blaming Antinous for their crimes, he says that he was the leader. Eurymachus also offers wine and food as pay. The three crimes are 1. they tried to take his city Ithaca while he was away 2. They enjoyed and spoiled themselves in his palace 3. He tried to take his wife. I believe that Odysseus denies Eurymachus’ request to provide restitution for all they have consumed because he thinks that providing cattle and land isn’t suitable enough for their punishment.
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 by 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)
I think that Eliot wanted to say that in order to gain something you must be able and willing to sacrifice something for it. In order to gain a new thing you must be able to lose your possessions.
TEAMWORK:
Odysseus is made to look like a young king again by Athena. At first, Odysseus is unhappy with Penelope since when his true identity was revealed, she didn’t seem to remember or recognize him. She explained to him that in the past there have been many people that tried to trick her into believing that they were Odysseus when they truly weren’t. To see if it was the real Odysseus she tells him she moved the bed he had made himself to see if he would get enraged.
Reflection
What did I learn?
Why did I learn it?
How will I use what I learned?
In these lessons I have learned that revenge is similar and can be compared to Hammurabi’s code. (In the sense that perpetrators could get an extreme and severe punishment for any crime that has been committed.) In Ancient Greek, whatever punishment had been given, it wasn’t given to the extent of whether it was fair or not but if it would satisfy the person the crime was committed against. A lesson to be learned is that there is nothing to gain if you don’t lose something as a result. In this scenario, Odysseus had to go through a process of losing his men and murder to be able to go back home to Penelope. The troubles that have been faced by Penelope while Odysseus was gone had been introduced and explained as well. Penelope had been lied to numerous times by people claiming to be her husband, Odysseus. At the end, the sacrifice Odysseus made had led him back home safely to his wife. The lesson of understanding that the loss of things is necessary to gain something in return will give me a mindset that hardships are necessary. In the end, the hardships will have led me to a better place than I was in the start.
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