Odyssey

1.      Give significant background information about the author or the literary piece

Answer:

After well over 2,500 years, we still cannot say for sure who created the Odyssey, exactly how it was composed, or precisely when it was written. Even though there is little autobiographical information in the epic and not much else to go on, we can make some educated guesses based upon research by top scholars.

Most early Greeks had no doubt that there once was a single individual named Homer to whom they attributed authorship of The Iliad, The Odyssey, and the "Homeric Hymns," poems celebrating the ancient Greek gods. Although some seven different cities claimed to have been his birthplace, many thought Homer might have come from the island of Chios off the western coast of Asia Minor. In ancient times, a family bearing his name and living there was said to consist of his descendants.

Furthermore, because Homer composed his works in a form that blended Ionic and Aeolic dialects, it is likely that he was a native or resident of the western part of Asia Minor. He probably was a bard or rhapsode (a specialist in performing epics). Tradition has it that he was blind, a theory based largely on his portrayal of Demodocus, the blind singer of the Phaeacians (8.51), a passage in the "Hymns," and the somewhat romantic notion (partly supported by fact) that many such performers were blind.

By the second century BC, editors of the epics had raised what we now call the "Homeric Question." At issue are the authorship, origin, and means of composition of the works. Differences were noted in the styles and language of The Iliad and The Odyssey. Over the years, some critics have complained that the subjects and themes are too diverse for a single author. Some scholars even suggest that the works were the creation of a group. The dispute continues today.

In the past century, however, the preponderance of opinions seems to be on the side of single authorship. Some defend single authorship by citing William Shakespeare's varying approaches to King Lear and The Tempest, which deal with fading kings but in contrasting ways. Others point out that The Iliad appears to have been composed first and demonstrates the work of a younger man while the Odyssey is more mature and reflects an older author. Still others cite folk influences and the various themes and content as justification of conflicting styles.

During the late 1920s and early 1930s, an American scholar named Milman Parry revolutionized classical studies by demonstrating conclusively that both The Iliad and the Odyssey were composed in an oral, formulaic style based on tradition and designed to help the rhapsode perform a long piece from memory. The poems were recited, or more likely sung, to audiences in the way that similar works are presented in the Odyssey. The performer often accompanied himself with a lyre. Metrical phrases were used as mnemonic devices, and everyday language was altered to fit this poetic language. That would account for the "elevated style" that has long been attributed to the works.

Parry's discovery clearly alters how readers look at the authorship of the epics. Some scholars, like Harold Bloom (Homer's Odyssey, 1996, p. 8) think that Homer, if he existed, was no more than an editor or organizer of poems created by others, perhaps over generations. Others, such as Seth L. Schein (Reading the Odyssey, 1996, p. 4 ff.), credit the poet with considerable creativity while welcoming the evidence of oral tradition. Schein points out that Greeks apparently had access to the Phoenician alphabet by the third quarter of the eighth century BC and that a poet trained in the oral tradition could have written down (or dictated to a scribe) The Odyssey as readers now know it. He sees literary (written), as well as folk or traditional influences, in the creation of the epic.

Date of Composition

Although some scholars still maintain that the epic was written in its present form in the sixth century BC in Athens, mounting evidence indicates an earlier date. The weight of the scholarship implies that The Odyssey was probably composed and possibly written down about 700 BC. The most convincing argument is that The Iliad was written first. Both epics probably were created, in the form we know them, by the same poet — a theory that is consistent with the views of those who see unusual genius, as well as technical similarities, in each work. While this poet may have composed each work completely, he probably borrowed metrical phrases and content from other bards. These elements, after all, were the rhapsodes' tools in the oral tradition, belonging to all. Although relying significantly on folk tradition and devices of oral creativity, the version of The Odyssey that we now have seems to have been influenced most strongly by a single poet, probably a veteran rhapsode, who likely dictated it to a scribe or wrote it down himself.

2.      Write the synopsis or summary of the literary text

Answer:

The epic poem of Odysseus begins ten years after the capture of Troy in Ithaca, his homeland. In his palace a large group of suitors have arrived and taken up residence to court Penelope, Odysseus’s wife. She, however, does not wish to remarry and makes them wait while her son Telemachus searches for just cause and a good reason to banish them from their home. All the while, Antinous plots to kill Telemachus and remove his opposition in the palace.

However, lost in the Mediterranean is Odysseus still trying to return home. Trapped on the island of Ogygia by the nymph Calypso, he wishes to return to his family but does not have the means to as he has lost his crew and ship. The Gods of Olympus continue to debate what they shall do about Odysseus, but Athena takes the initiative to visit and help his son, Telemachus. She arrives and convinces Telemachus to censure the suitors for their behavior and convinces him to travel to Pylos and Sparta. He learns while there that Odysseus is still alive and trapped by Calypso. While Telemachus prepares to return, Antinous puts his plans in motion to kill him.

Zeus finally decides to rescue Odysseus from Calyspo’s island and sends Hermes to convince Calypso to let him leave. He finally sets sail home, but is quickly shipwrecked again by Poseidon, the God who he had angered when Odysseus blinded his son Polyphemus, the Cyclops. Athena steps in to save Odysseus and brings him to the island of Scheria where he is found by Nausicaa, Princess of the Phaeacians. He reveals who he is to the King and Queen here and they immediately agree to help him return home. They first want to hear his story though.

Odysseus thus describes the months of travel that led him to the island of Calypso and then to Scheria. He begins with his trip to the Land of the Lotus Eaters, followed by the trip and battle of wits with Polyphemus, Poseidon’s Cyclops son. He describes the time he spent with Circe and their love affair as well as the journey past the Sirens and their tempting call. He continues to describe how he traveled to the underworld to speak with Tiresias the prophet and the fight with Scylla, the sea monster. Finally, after his tale is complete, Odysseus returns to Ithaca.

When he first arrives in Ithaca, he searches out Eumaeus, the swineherd. With Eumaeus’ assistance he finds and reveals himself to Telemachus as well. They then begin plotting to take back the palace and kill the suitors.

Odysseus arrives at the palace as a beggar and is immediately treated poorly. His nurse, Eurycleia recognizes him but does not reveal that she knows. Penelope also notes the beggar’s appearance and believes he might be her long lost husband. However, she is not sure, so she puts together an archery contest, the winner of which will be allowed to marry her. Whoever can string Odysseus’s bow and fire an arrow through twelve axes will be declared the winner. Only Odysseus was ever able to do so in the past. The suitors all fail before Odysseus is able to accomplish the feat. He then turns the bow on the suitors and kills every one of them.

Finally, Odysseus reveals his identity and reunites with his family. He then visits his father Laertes and after successfully repelling the angered families of the suitors he killed, Athena arrives and peace is restored to Ithaca with the epic coming to a close.

3.      List down three questions that come to mind while reading the text, then choose one explore it more fully

Answer:

1.      Who is your favorite female character and why? Consider immortals as well as mortals.

2.      A major theme in The Odyssey is reciprocity: people getting what they deserve. Explain how this theme affects the main characters: Odysseus, Penelope, Antinous, Telemachus.

3.      What is the strike point of the Odyssey for reader? Why?

I would like to answer question no 3. One of the first things that strikes many readers about the Odyssey is that we are clearly here in the presence of a very sophisticated story teller who is manipulating certain conventions of fiction in remarkable ways. For instance the narrative line of the Odyssey lays down two stories initially—the first one focusing on Telemachus and Penelope and events in Ithaca, and the second, which does not begin until Book V, focusing on the hero Odysseus. And when we begin to follow Odysseus's adventures, we have to keep close track of where we are, because the narrative uses a number of flashbacks, interruptions, and time shifts. The two narrative lines come together when the father and son are reunited in Book XVI, and the two stories march together to their common conclusion, although even here there are repeated shifts from one part of the action to another and back again (e.g. from Odysseus and Eumaeus out on the estates to the suitors in the palace to Penelope in her rooms and back again).

4.      Explain the emotion that literary text awoke in you or which you felt while or after reading the piece.

Answer:

After reading the text, I found that The Odyssey is more on entertaining and   comedy. It is structure and the vision of life that structure offers and celebrates. The term comedy does not, strictly speaking, necessarily mean that the work is funny (although it often is). In terms of structure, the term comedy refers most simply to way the conflict in a story is resolved. If we acknowledge that stories usually begin with a normal situation being upset, so that the central characters have to deal with a transformed reality, then the comic story will typically follow the adventures of a hero or heroine who seeks to regain an upset normality. In other words, he wants to go home again. The Odyssey provides the first great model of this vision. Odysseus is displaced, his domestic normality is upset, and he wants to get home. But many things stand between him and home—external obstacles which threaten to destroy him and inner obstacles which threaten to so sap his endurance and his faith in the voyage home that he will give up.

5.      Copy a part of literary text (sentence, paragraph, dialogue) which is striking, puzzling or enlightening for you and why?

Answer:

"Tell me, Muse, of the man of many devices, who wandered far and wide after he had sacked Troy's sacred city, and saw the towns of many men and knew their mind."

It is interesting because  During the Trojan War, he posed as a beggar to enter the city; he also initiated the ruse of the giant wooden horse filled with Greek soldiers, a story retold by the bard Demodocus, not realizing that the hero himself is present, during the visit to Phaeac.

6.      Identify the theme of literary piece.

Answer:

There is a strong theme of homecoming (nostos) in the Odyssey, because Odysseus is on a journey home after the Trojan war has finally ended.

The theme of temptation as a psychological peril is portrayed by the sirens who lure sailors to their deaths by seduction. They represent the ideal audience—they sing about the most glorious moment of your life, thus tempting you to stay the hero or warrior they are portraying you as. Your own weakness makes you vulnerable; your greatest weakness comes from inside you.

Another significant theme is that of disguise, in the case of the gods; they disguise themselves so that they can interact with mortals. Athena in particular assumes many disguises including a shepherd, a girl, Telemachus, and Mentor. Odysseus is also able to disguise his identity, though not physically; by telling Polyphemus his name is 'Nobody' so that he will not be identified as the one who blinded the Cyclops. He also disguises himself as a beggar when he returns to Ithaca to protect himself from being killed by the Suitors.

Hospitality (xenia) is also a recurring theme as fundamental as the heroic code in the Odyssey. During that time, beggars or travelers often knocked on a stranger's door in hopes of procuring a place to stay. There are specific steps for proper hospitality beginning with the feeding of the guest, which is of utmost importance since food is rare at that time and beggars beg for food, not money. Before the food is given, a bath is offered to the stranger, done by a woman or a servant—often different depending on the status of the visitor. After the food is given, the beggar is asked who he is and where he is from and stories are exchanged. Next, they are offered a bed to sleep on and it is understood that they can stay overnight and at the most another night. When the beggar is leaving, there is an exchange of gifts, if the beggar does not have a gift to give, they will still be given one.

7.      Write the critique of the works using an appropriate literary approach or theory (Example: Feminism, Marxism, formalism, behaviorism, etc)

Answer:

I would like to approach my critic using sociology approach. First of all, is that this poem is a wonderful celebration of things which human beings have always particularly cherished, even today in these very different times. When we read this work we find in its value system and vision of the world a confirmation of many things we would most like to celebrate as well.

And what are those things? Well, briefly put, they are the peaceful joys available in a world in which the main concerns of human beings are family, friends, works of art, good food, conversation, hospitality, leisure, entertainment—a life dedicated to human warmth, security, and pleasure in good company, especially in our own families and communities. Again and again in the Odyssey we witness scenes where these qualities are celebrated and endorsed. The world may often be dangerous, the main characters may be growing older, and we are certainly conscious of evil lurking here and there; nevertheless life is full of joys, and it is entirely right and proper that we should find in them the guiding purposes of life.