Aim: How are ancient Greek values of respect and loyalty for family revealed in the episodes, “Twenty Years Gone…” & “Argus” in Homer’s Odyssey?
Do Now: (Whole Class Discussion) Consider the following quotes; How do they relate to “Twenty Years Gone...”?
Daria started off the conversation, mentioning how in Odysseus’ absence many suitors appeared before Penelope, but she stayed loyal and never stopped being faithful to him. The suitors wanted Odysseus’ wealth, but Penelope refused to give in. Daria believed that this was what showcased Odysseus and Penelope’s true family bond.
A member of Team Five then added that family is a group of people who care deeply about one another and love each other deeply. This was said as an addition to what Daria had said about Penelope’s loyalty to Odysseus despite having no knowledge whether or not he was alive.
Finally, Natalia added that throughout his entire journey Odysseus never gave up on the thought of home. His end goal of returning never shifted, no matter how drastic things became. He was always determined to return, no matter how many years it took him, because he wanted to get back to his family.
Following the class discussion, we moved to a recap of “Twenty Years Gone…”. The main points covered were as followed:
Athena disguises Odysseus as an old beggar, rags, wrinkles and all the works.
Athena acts as Odysseus’ “Guardian Goddess” (Odysseus represents many of her well known traits, such as being knowledgeable in battle and acting wise.)
Telemachus does not originally believe the beggar is his father until Athena transforms him back to his true self.
Telemachus tells Odysseus of the many suitors vying for Penelope’s attention.
The two hatch a plan to rid their home of the suitors.
After the recap, we moved on to learning about motifs.
What is a Motif?
A motif is something very commonly seen in all forms of media. It is a recurring image, phrase, or anything that can have symbolic significance in a story. Motifs are a repeating pattern, frequently producing and later reinforcing the theme of a story. However, a motif differs from a symbol because it is repeated and is significant to the plot.
A Motif Can Be…
A collection of objects that appear multiple times throughout a plot to place emphasis on the theme.
A singular object that appears multiple times, placing emphasis on the item.
A collection of seemingly random objects to subtly draw attention to the theme.
Symbolism, Motif & Theme [12:53]
We continued on to watch the video to gain a better understanding of the difference between symbolism, motif and theme.
Symbolism- The use of an object, person, or idea to represent something else in the story.
(Ex. In Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Snow White is described to have rosy cheeks and lips to demonstrate to the viewer that she is young and beautiful.)
Motif- A recurring element in a story that reinforces the theme. It typically holds symbolic significance and can be utilized to produce the theme and mood of the story.
((Ex. In Frozen, there is the constant image of doors/ windows being closed. This is used to represent how Anna and Elsa were always divided by a door, Anna on the outside (the truth about Elsa being kept from her). Elsa was always on the inside (locked away and hiding from the world). The theme continues through the whole story, Anna opening the doors of “love” when she thinks she’s found her true love. Elsa slamming the door behind her, when she says she is finally free.))
Theme- The author’s message or lesson for the reader. (NOT THE MAIN IDEA!!!)
(Ex. Love is an idea, simply a concept with no lesson/theme. Love at first sight isn’t real is a lesson, it teaches the reader something.)
“Argus”
We read the next section in the Odyssey, a page and a half that tells the story of Odysseus’ pet dog, Argus. Before Odysseus had left for the war at Troy, he had trained Argus as a pup. However, in his twenty year absence, once the dog’s previous owner passed, it was forgotten and left to fend for itself. By that point in the story, the dog was barely clinging to life, but could distinguish the voice of his beloved master despite his disguise. Odysseus mourns the dog for a moment, before composing himself to move along. Argus, having finally seen his master return home, feels death overtake him and passes away in a pile of waste.
Group Discussion
Why doesn’t Odysseus greet Argus?
My group and I agreed that Odysseus didn’t greet Argus because he was disguised, and greeting the dog would show that he was familiar with it. If he had gone to interact with his old pet, then he could have blown his cover and destroyed the plan.
Explain why or why not Argus’ death (just when Odysseus returns) is a coincidence?
My group had come to the unanimous agreement that Argus’ death was most certainly not a coincidence. We had concluded upon two main theories. The first theory was that Argus had waited so long for his master to return, that when he finally saw Odysseus again, he could pass in peace. The other, more popular, theory was that Athena had killed Argus because he recognized Odysseus and could put the whole mission in jeopardy. Athena was Odysseus’ “Guardian Goddess” and would have eliminated any threats, such as an old pet recognizing its master.
What does the treatment of Argus (in Odysseus’ absence) suggest about being faithful to one’s memory?
We had found this question to be quite curious. Relating it back to the Do Now, we could instantly see the difference between a family’s memory and the memory of simple fame. Odysseus’ family (Penelope, Telemachus) had not forgotten him and cherished his memory, refusing the suitors and trying to find a way out. The people of Athens (the slaves and servants), had no reason to care for a man who disappeared twenty years ago, and would not care for his old, unable dog. However, most curiously, the dog still remembered his master’s voice after all those years, and despite his weak state, still attempted to seek him out. Argus clearly saw Odysseus as family, and based off of Odysseus’ pain for the dog, he did as well.
Enrichment
The Odyssey by Homer | Books 13-14 Summary and Analysis [2:39]
The Odyssey by Homer | Books 15–16 Summary and Analysis {3:09]
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