The Odyssey Part 1 - Ms. Ragland's English Class - Home

11Motivation2Prepare an Anticipation Guide (seeGeneral Resources, pp. 8–10) withthe following statements:The Odyssey Part 1 The best travel is one that is wellplanned and has no surprises. Good leaders are people who canthink on their feet. Fear is an excellent motivator.Homer It is important to be able to adaptto changes.Give students a copy of the preparedAnticipation Guide and have studentsmark their responses in the Mecolumn. Have students discuss thestatements in pairs or groups andmark the Guides again in the Groupcolumn.Concept ConnectorLearning ModalitiesVisual/Spatial LearnersEncourage students to use the illustration on p. 950 to get a sense ofthe challenges facing Odysseus andhis men as they try to sail home toGreece.2About the SelectionThe Odyssey is a classic adventurestory. It combines realistic elementsof historical events with wildly imagined scenes of fantastic places andcreatures. The epic also includes skillful characterizations. Odysseus, forexample, represents the model epichero: A leader of courage, daring andwit, he pursues his goal—to returnhome after many years of war—inthe face of many setbacks. However,he is also overly curious, foolishlycocky, and clever to the point ofbeing tricky.3Critical ViewingAnswer: The painting suggests thatthe adventures will involve seafaringand great danger. The dark colors ofthe painting create an ominousmood.950Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus, 1819, J.M.W. Turner, The National Gallery, LondonStudents will return to theAnticipation Guide after completingPart 1 of the Odyssey.34Critical Viewing Do the images in this painting evoke feelings ofhope or doom? Explain? [Analyze]950 Themes in Literature: HeroismWord AnalysisCall students’ attention to the vocabulary wordplundered in line 4. Explain that it came fromthe Germanic word plünderen-, meaning “topillage” or “to rob of household goods,” andthat the word came into wide usage during theThirty Years’ War, around 1630. Explain thatsoldiers often took “spoils” or valuable posses-sions, from the cities they defeated. Troy, therefore, would have been plundered of its valuables by the victorious Greek army.Tell students to look for other words thatrelate to wartime, such as stronghold, valor,stormed, enslaved, and muster.

4HumanitiesUlysses Deriding Polyphemus,before 1830, by J.M.W. TurnerTurner began as a watercolor painter,influenced by the baroque landscapepaintings of the seventeenth century.Ulysses Deriding Polyphemus wasexhibited at the Royal Academy in1829. Use this question for discussion: How does this painting help youunderstand the story?Possible response: The paintingshows the tension and energy inthe Greeks’ escape from Cyclops’Island.5In the opening verses, Homer addresses the muse of epicpoetry. He asks her help in telling the tale of Odysseus.551015Sing in me, Muse,1 and through me tell the storyof that man skilled in all ways of contending,the wanderer, harried for years on end,after he plundered the strongholdon the proud height of Troy.2He saw the townlandsand learned the minds of many distant men,and weathered many bitter nights and daysin his deep heart at sea, while he fought onlyto save his life, to bring his shipmates home.But not by will nor valor could he save them,for their own recklessness destroyed them all—children and fools, they killed and feasted onthe cattle of Lord Helios,3 the Sun,and he who moves all day through heaventook from their eyes the dawn of their return.Of these adventures, Muse, daughter of Zeus,4tell us in our time, lift the great song again.Note: In translating the Odyssey, Fitzgerald spelled Greeknames to suggest the sound of the original Greek. In theseexcerpts, more familiar spellings have been used. For example,Fitzgerald’s “Kirkê,” “Kyklops,” and “Seirênês” are spelled hereas “Circe,” “Cyclops,” and “Sirens.”Literary AnalysisThe Epic Hero1. Muse (myØz) any one ofthe nine goddesses of the arts,literature, and sciences; thespirit that is thought to inspirea poet or other artist.2. Troy (tr¡) city in northwestAsia Minor; site of the TrojanWar.Vocabulary Builderplundered (plun» dßrd)v. took goods byforce; looted3. Helios (hè« lè äs«) sun god.4. Zeus (zØs) king of thegods.6What city didOdysseus and his menplunder?from the Odyssey, Part II Remind students of other heroesthey have encountered in theirreading. Have the class discusswhat makes characters appearespecially “heroic.” Then ask students what qualities of Odysseusmark him as a hero.Answer: Odysseus has a “deepheart” and he bravely fights tobring his shipmates home. Have students review the description of epic hero on p. 948. Discussthe phrase “skilled in all ways ofcontending” in line 2, whichmeans, in essence, “versatile.” Askstudents to explain how beingskilled in many ways can be aheroic quality.6Reading CheckAnswer: Odysseus and his menplundered the city of Troy.951Support for Less Proficient ReadersEnrichment for Advanced ReadersPoint out that this page describes events thatwill be recounted during the telling of the epic.Ask students to summarize the page, then tellwhat they can infer from it.Point out to students that reading the legends,epics, myths, and folk literature of a culture willhelp them understand a culture. The Odysseyprovides historical background as well ascultural insights. Discuss students’ responses atthe end of each day’s reading.951

7Literary AnalysisEpic HeroCHARACTERS Discuss with students howOdysseus’ speech on p. 953 servesto introduce him and to illustratehis character. Point out that givesdetails of his background andchildhood in this opening speech.Alcinous (al sin» ò ßs)—king of the Phaeacians, to whom Odysseus tells his storyOdysseus (ò dis» è ßs)—king of IthacaCalypso (kß lip» sò)—sea goddess who loved OdysseusCirce (s†r» sè)—enchantress who helped Odysseus Ask students where his home wasand why he holds it dear.Possible response: His home isIthaca, which has a view of otherislands. He says that it was rocky,but good for a boy’s training.Zeus (zØs)—king of the godsApollo (ß päl» ò)—god of music, poetry, prophecy, and medicineAgamemnon (ag« ß mem» nän«)—king and leader of Greek forcesPoseidon (pò sì« dßn)—god of sea, earthquakes, horses, and storms at seaAthena (ß thè» nß)—goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare Ask students to name qualitiesthey associate with heroism.Answer: Students may say thatbravery or determination is a heroicquality.Ask students the Literary Analysisquestion on page 953: For whatquality does Odysseus say he isfamous?Possible response: Odysseus isfamous for his guile, or cunning,which makes him effective in bothwar and peace.Polyphemus (päl« i fè» mßs)—the Cyclops who imprisoned OdysseusLaertes (là †r» tèz«)—Odysseus’ fatherCronus (krò» nßs)—Titan ruler of the universe; father of ZeusPerimedes (per» ß mè« dèz)—member of Odysseus’ crewEurylochus (yØ ril» ß kßs)—another member of the crewTiresias (tì rè» sè ßs)—blind prophet who advised OdysseusPersephone (pßr sef» ß nè)—wife of HadesTelemachus (tß lem» ß kßs)—Odysseus and Penelope’s sonSirens (sì» rßnz)—creatures whose songs lure sailors to their deathsScylla (sil» ß)—sea monster of gray rockCharybdis (kß rib» dis)—enormous and dangerous whirlpoolLampetia (lam pè» shß)—nymphHermes (h†r» mèz«)—herald and messenger of the godsEumaeus (yØ me» ßs)—old swineherd and friend of OdysseusAntinous (an tin» ò ßs)—leader among the suitorsEurynome (yØ rin» ß mè)—housekeeper for PenelopePenelope (pß nel» ß pè)—Odysseus’ wifeEurymachus (yØ ri» mß kßs)—suitorAmphinomus (am fin» ß mßs)—suitor952IThemes in Literature: HeroismWords from Greek MythologyThe names and actions of the characters listedmay be more meaningful to students if they arefamiliar with examples that have enteredEnglish usage. Have students look up the wordsodyssey and siren and use these words in asentence that shows their general meaning.Challenge students to find the derivation ofother words from mythology, including atlas,echo, mentor, and morphine.952

8Sailing from Troy Point out that the desire to returnhome drives all of the action in theOdyssey.Ten years after the Trojan War, Odysseus departs from thegoddess Calypso’s island. He arrives in Phaeacia, ruled byAlcinous. Alcinous offers a ship to Odysseus and asks him totell of his adventures.7202583035Critical ThinkingInterpret“I am Laertes’5 son, Odysseus.5. Laertes (là †r» tèz«)Men hold meformidable for guile6 in peace and war:this fame has gone abroad to the sky’s rim.6. guile (gìl) n. craftiness;cunning. Explain that Calypso and Circe aretwo enchantresses. Calypso is a seanymph who holds Odysseus underher spell for seven years. Circeturns Odysseus’ men into pigs.7. Ithaca (iª» ß kß) island offthe west coast of Greece.Literary AnalysisEpic Hero For whatquality does Odysseussay he is famous?My home is on the peaked sea-mark of Ithaca7under Mount Neion’s wind-blown robe of leaves,in sight of other islands—Dulichium,Same, wooded Zacynthus—Ithacabeing most lofty in that coastal sea,and northwest, while the rest lie east and south.A rocky isle, but good for a boy’s training;I shall not see on earth a place more dear,though I have been detained long by Calypso,8loveliest among goddesses, who held mein her smooth caves, to be her heart’s delight,as Circe of Aeaea,9 the enchantress,desired me, and detained me in her hall.But in my heart I never gave consent.Where shall a man find sweetness to surpasshis own home and his parents? In far landshe shall not, though he find a house of gold.8. Calypso (kß lip» sò) seagoddess who loved Odysseus.9. Circe (s†r» sè) of Aeaea(è« è ß)10. Ilium (il è ßm) Troy. Ask students how Odysseus feelsabout his home on Ithaca. Whydoes he stay with Calypso andCirce when he is so eager to returnto return to Ithaca? Draw students’attention to the second paragraph.Answer: Odysseus is eager toreturn to his home. He says that he“never gave consent” to stay withCalypso or Circe, indicating that hewas under a spell and never in control of his own actions.9Reading CheckAnswer: Alcinous, king of thePhaeacians, asks Odysseus to tell hisstory.What of my sailing, then, from Troy?4045What of those yearsof rough adventure, weathered under Zeus?The wind that carried west from Ilium10brought me to Ismarus, on the far shore,a strongpoint on the coast of Cicones.11I stormed that place and killed the men who fought.Plunder we took, and we enslaved the women,to make division, equal shares to all—but on the spot I told them: ‘Back, and quickly!Out to sea again!’ My men were mutinous,1211. Cicones (si kò« nèz)12. mutinous (myØt»’n ßs)adj. rebellious.9Who has askedOdysseus to tell histale?from the Odyssey, Part II953Strategy for Less Proficient ReadersDisplay the Series-of-Events Chain (GraphicOrganizer Transparencies, p. 239), and havestudents chart the story that Odysseus relates.Fill in the first box of the organizer with thefollowing sentence from p. 953: “The wind thatcarried west from Ilium brought me toIsmarus.”Guide students as they list events thatOdysseus describes, for example, his men’sbattles with the Cicones, his arrival on theisland of the Lotus-Eaters, and his encounterwith the Cyclops. You may suggest that students write the names of the islands orcreatures in each box as they encounter them.On a second reading, they can go back and jotdown what happened to Odysseus and his menat each place or with each creature.Tell students that when they completetheir Series-of-Events Chain, they will have arough outline of the major events in Odysseus’tale.953