Blogger #10, Vincent Chen, 4/16/2021, Period 2, Day A

 Blogger #10, Vincent Chen, 4/16/2021, Period 2, Day A 

The Odyssey 

Aim: How can an understanding of Greek myths and heroes prepare us for our examination of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey?

 

Do Now: WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION

Brainstorm the qualities that you feel belong to a “hero”.  What do you believe might  be a working definition of “hero” you could share with the class.

Chloe: A hero is someone who is not afraid to do something others are afraid of. 

Julia: A hero is hardworking. 

Ayah: Selfless. 

Fiona: Someone who perseveres. 

William: Someone who saves lives. 

Asdaq: Someone who overcomes their own flaws. 

 

There is a wide and varying range to define the word hero. To each person, the word hero and its meaning is changed. But how does this fit into the lesson, The Odyssey? The Odyssey is an epic poem which describes the story of the Trojan war, it is filled with heroes and villains. While one side might say that character is a hero, the other side might oppose. It is a matter of opinion and perspective. 

WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION: 

What (if anything) do you already know about Greek heroes and Greek mythology?

<--- Goddess Athena guiding hero Perseus. 

Asdaq: Greek heroes are terrible people. They are sometimes selfish. 

Ayah: Majority of the heroes are in some way related to the gods. 

Jerry: There are many sons and daughters of the gods; demigods. 

Ms. Peterson reminds us that in the stories there are also the appearance of many monsters who try to get in the way of the heroes. 

Some Important Gods to know...

• Zeus: The God of the sky, lightning and thunder. King of the gods on Mount Olympus 

• Hades: God of the underworld/Lord of the Dead,  his wife is Persephone (Per- Se- Phon- ni)

• Athena: Daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, courage, battle etc. 

• Poseidon: God of the sea and earthquakes

• Hermes: God of travelers and thieves, messenger of the gods. 

• Ares: God of war

• Hera: Goddess of marriage, wife of Zeus. 

• Apollo: God of music, sun, medicine etc.

• Artemis: Apollo’s twin, Goddess of the hunt, childbirth, wild etc. 

From Ms. Peterson’s slides: 

• Ancient cultures used mythology belief systems much the same way that people use modern religion. 

• The Greeks believed completely in the existence of gods and goddesses (polytheism)

• Believed that gods took an active interest in human life

• Gods behaved in human ways (possessed human characteristics)

• Respect for the gods was essential for success and survival 

• Greek culture also known for hero-worship

• Hero might be the town’s founder or a historical figure who played a major role in an important battle 

Many ancient myths are oral based stories. They are passed down from generation to generation by the mouth. They were also a form of entertainment. 

There are two epic poems in Greek history: The Odyssey and The Illiac, both of which is written by Homer. 

<----- A statue of Homer

Epic Poems: An Epic poem is a long narrative about a hero and the adventure they went through. 

From Ms. Peterson’s slides: 

What makes a poem EPIC?

• They begin “in medias res” (in the middle of things)- uses a flashback to explain important action that occured before the story. 

• Flashback: the epic hero recounts his adventures in a scene that interrupts the sequence of events in a narrative to relate earlier events.

• Has a vast setting, covers many nations (and the underworld)

• Features lengthy, formal speeches

• Contains divine interventions—THE GODS!

• Features heroes that embody the values and morals of the civilization

CLASS DISCUSSION

Why would an author/storyteller choose to use these elements?

Asdaq: Starting at the climax is a great cliffhanger. 

Ayah: To abbreviate the story, a flashback can be used. 

Valerie: A flashback can be used to show how a hero came to be. 

Jerry: The gods that appear in the story can show that it is important. 

What makes a hero epic?

• They can have superpowers, like flight, super strength, and super speed. 

• They are not perfect, still have a flaw.

• Must persevere through difficult times. 

• On a quest for his people.

• Villains will try to interfere.

• Physically beautiful 

Is the word “ Hero” overused? 

“By the Encyclopaedia Britannica of 1911, the word had come to be applied "generally to all who were distinguished from their fellows by superior moral, physical or intellectual qualities." As a result, scholars argue: “[it is difficult to] grasp the ancient Greek concept of hero and now go beyond the word's ordinary levels of meaning in casual contemporary usage.”

Team / Class discussion: Is the Term Hero overused?

Ayah’s group: It can be overused but when people deserve it, it is not overused. They have earned it. 

Hao’s group: Hero is overused because people call each other heroes too often. 

REFER TO THE AIM

Reflection: Throughout this lesson, I have a better understanding of the word hero and epic poems. This lesson showed me that for different people, the word hero is also different. One might say that a hero is someone who selflessly helps others while another person might say a hero is someone who saves lives, like Batman. However throughout the course of the lesson, my opinion of the hero changed from someone with superpowers to someone who endures and never gives up. I feel that people who have a strong will will always succeed, therefore making them a hero. In epic poems, such as The Odyssey, the hero is always someone who is brave, strong and handsome. Someone like that is very rare in the real world. In our world, heroes come in all different shapes and sizes, and they don’t need to be descendants of the gods or related to the gods. However both in the Epic poems and my opinion have one point of similarity, heroes are still humans. They are not perfect, but they strive to be. That is one point that will make someone a hero.