The Odyssey (1/3) 9/7/ b. Odyssey 1 1

Transcription

1 The Odyssey (1/3) Speak, [Muse], of the cunning hero, the wanderer, blown off course time and time again... Speak of all the cities that he saw, the minds that he grasped, the suffering deep in his heart at sea... (1.15) The Theme Odysseus and his wanderings Andra or the man is the first word in the Greek Text An epic about a hero and his adventures In some ways this is a broader theme than the focused theme of Achilles wrath and its results Why is he wandering? All the Greeks offended Athena and the gods at the sack of Troy; Odysseus later directly offended Poseidon by blinding his son Atasthalia or recklessness A secondary theme of the Odyssey, individuals and groups make their fate worse by wrong choices and reckless behavior Odysseus himself Odysseus men Penelope s suitors Hybris, sinful arrogance or excessive pride Justified pride was not negative for the Greeks, but it could exceed proper bounds Theodicy or the justice of the gods 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey 1 2 5b. Odyssey 1 1

2 The Hero Premier speaker of words and doer of deeds His name derives from the Greek odyssomai, to be wroth against or to hate e.g., Hom. Od (Lombardo 1.68): Why is Odysseus so odious, Zeus? or Why do you hate Odysseus so much, Zeus? Being a clever speaker suggests craftiness and intelligence Odysseus epithtet, polytropon, can mean skilled, resourceful, wily, clever, etc. Be careful not to import too many of our values sometimes Odysseus is commended for lying! Not perfect, suffers at times from hybris himself Issue of faithfulness to home, family, self Greek double standards? 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey 1 3 Structure: in medias res Prologue, opening of book 1 Concilium Deorum or council of the gods, book 1 More developed than that in Iliad 1 The Telemachy, The Deeds of Telemachus, books 1 4 The Wanderings, books 5 12 Ogygia (Calypso s island) Scheria (Alcinous, Nausicaa, and the Phaeacians) Flashback to the wanderings from Troy to Thrinacia, the island of the sun god s cattle The Homecoming, books A full half of the book! 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey 1 4 5b. Odyssey 1 2

3 Families as Literary Foils Clytemnestra is a contrast to Penelope, Telmachus strives to emulate Orestes 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey 1 5 Aegisthus and the Issue of Fate What was the Greek conception of destiny? The tension between fate and free will grew and changed throughout Greek history How did it compare with our concepts of predestination versus free will? Could a man make his fate worse? Mortals! They are always blaming the gods for their troubles, when their own witlessness (atasthalia) causes them more than they were destined for! Take Aegisthus now. He marries Agamemnon s lawful wife and murders the man on his return knowing it meant disaster because we did warn him... Now he s paid in full. (Lombardo ) 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey 1 6 5b. Odyssey 1 3

4 The Telemachy A coming of age story Telemachus becomes a hero by having trying to stand up to the suitors to become the man of the house, by speaking in public meeting, by going on a potentially dangerous journey, etc. An aristeia of sorts How does it accomplish the purpose of an epic? Stresses that the accepted values apply to all ages, encouraging young Greeks to emulate Telemachus The educational value of Homer in later Greece 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey 1 7 Telemachus and Penelope What is the situation in the home of Odysseus? What is Telemachus dilemma? What qualities of Penelope make her a match for Odysseus? 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey 1 8 5b. Odyssey 1 4

5 Telemachus in Ithaca What is the situation in Ithaca in Odysseus absence? Without the king, how does the law of basileia, in the broader sense of social order, apply? Who is in charge? Who ensures social order? Society is out-of-order without the king... Xenia too suffers Suitors abusing hospitality Their chief, Antinous, whose name means Mr. No-Mind! Telemachus indignant that a guest (Athena in disguise) is made to wait ( ) Note the pattern: a guest is invited in, fed, made comfortable, and only after the fact asked who he is! In Book 2 [omitted by Lombardo] Telemachus calls the men of Ithaca to assembly One had not been held in Odysseus absence Telemachus coming-of-age opportunity to be a speaker of words The expedition to search for his father that he proposes was dangerous allowed him to be a doer of deeds 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey 1 9 Books 3 4: Telemachus Journey [Pylos, the realm of wise and good king Nestor is in order, serving as a foil for Ithaca] How is xenia exemplified in these books? Menelaus and Helen in Sparta Weeping heroes in epic... Helen s story Odysseus in disguise foreshadows his return to Ithaca Menelaus homecoming [the suitors plot against Telemachus] 9/7/2005 5b. Odyssey b. Odyssey 1 5