A Critical Approach to Worlds' Classics-Homer's The Odyssey-Part-1 World Literature in Translation

1. Homer’s The Odyssey
MA-IV- World Literature in Translation
Lecture-1
Prof. O. P. Budholia
&
Dr. Naveen K Mehta
Department of English
Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies, Barla,
Raisen (MP)

2. Homer: An Introduction
• The epic poet Homer was one of the greatest
early Greek poets.
• Legend stated that he was blind and recited his
poems as he traveled from one place to another.
• True identity is unknown. Likely a bard or
rhapsode.rhapsode.
• He was born approximately between 750 – 700
BCE, possibly somewhere on the coast of Asia
Minor.
• Homer passed his stories on via traveling story-
tellers called “rhapsodes.”

3. Homer: An Introduction
• He is the legendary author of the Iliad and the
Odyssey, two epic poems that are the central
works of ancient Greek literature.
• The Iliad is set during the Trojan War, the ten-year
siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek
kingdoms.kingdoms.
• The Odyssey focuses on the ten-year journey
home of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, after the fall of
Troy.
• The Odyssey was likely composed 500 years after
the Trojan War.

4. The Odyssey: An Introduction
• An Epic poem, the Odyssey, represents the
journey of Odysseus after the fall of Troy.
• The Odyssey is regarded as a sequel to the
Iliad.
• It is divided into twenty-four books and is• It is divided into twenty-four books and is
concerned with the epic journey of the Greek
Hero Odysseus and the adventures and
troubles he faces on his way home to Ithaca
from Troy.
• Homer uses the Epic form to narrate the great
story of Odysseus.

5. Main Characters
• Odysseus – main character (protagonist). War hero from Trojan war.
Upset Poseidon and isn’t permitted to go home to Ithaca, where he is
king.
• Penelope – Odysseus’s wife, queen of Ithaca. She’s been w/o him for 20
years (10 during Trojan War, 10 while he was lost at sea).
• Telemachus – Son of Odysseus and Penelope.
• Athena – the Goddess of Wisdom who really likes Odysseus and is
trying to help him get back home… despite the fact that he has angered
other gods.other gods.
• Menelaus and Helen – Helen is the one who cheated on her husband,
Menelaus, and caused the Trojan War.
• Calypso – a nymph (part goddess) who lives on an amazing island in the
ocean where Odysseus washes up.
• Aeolus – God of Wind who gives Odysseus a bag of powerful wind to
help him get home.
• Teiresias – a blind seer (fortuneteller/psychic) who resides in the
underworld/land of the dead.
• Laertes – Odysseus’s father

6. Greek Name Roman Name Role
Zeus Jupiter King of Gods, God of the Sky and Weather
Hera Juno Goddess of Marriage
Poseidon Neptune God of the Sea, Earthquakes, Horses
Demeter Ceres Goddess of Agriculture and Grain
Apollo Apollo God of Music, Prophecy, Healing and Light
Artemis Diana Goddess of Hunting, Animals and Children
Greek and Roman Gods and Goddesses
Artemis Diana Goddess of Hunting, Animals and Children
Athena Minerva Goddess of Wisdom, War and Craft
Ares Mars God of War and Battlelust
Aphrodite Venus Goddess of Love, Beauty and Fertility
Hermes Mercury God of Messengers, Trade and Thieves
Hephaestus Vulcan God of Metalworking and Fire
Dionysus Bacchus God of Wine and Festivity
Eros Cupid God of Love and sexual desire
Hades Pluto God of dead and King of the underworld

7. The Trojan War: A Summary
• Trojan War, in Greek mythology, war between the Greeks and the people
of Troy .
• The war began after the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen , wife
of Menelaus of Sparta. When Menelaus demanded her return, the Trojans
refused.
• Menelaus then requested his brother Agamemnon to lead an army against
Troy, led by the greatest Greek heroes— Achilles,
Patroclus, Diomedes , Odysseus , Nestor , and the two warriors named Ajax .
In order to win favorable winds for the journey, Agamemnon sacrificed his• In order to win favorable winds for the journey, Agamemnon sacrificed his
daughter Iphigenia to Artemis. The winds came and the fleet set sail for Troy.
For nine years the Greeks destroyed Troy's surrounding cities and countryside,
but the city itself, well fortified and commanded by Hector and other sons of
the royal household, held out.
• Finally the Greeks built a large hollow wooden horse in which a small group of
warriors were concealed and persuaded the Trojans to take the horse within
the city walls.
• At night the Greeks returned; their companions came out of the horse and
opened the city gates, and Troy was destroyed.

8. The Odyssey: Summary
• Ten years after the Fall of Troy, and twenty years after the
Greek hero Odysseus first set out from his home in
Ithaca to fight with the other Greeks against the Trojans.
• Odysseus’ son Telemachus and his wife Penelope are
surrounded with over a hundred suitors who are trying to
persuade Penelope that her husband is dead and that she
should marry one of them.
• Encouraged by the goddess Athena Telemachus sets out• Encouraged by the goddess Athena Telemachus sets out
to look for his father, visiting some of Odysseus’ erstwhile
companions such as who have long since arrived home.
• They receive him sumptuously and recount the ending of
the Trojan War, including the story of the wooden horse.
• Menelaus tells Telemachus that he has heard
that Odysseus is being held captive by the nymph
Calypso.

9. The Odyssey: Summary
• Odysseus is being held "prisoner" by the goddess
Calypso, who desires Odysseus' "companionship."
• Despite the benefits that come with being held captive
by a frisky goddess, Odysseus begs for his freedom and
longs to be in Ithaca with his wife and son.
• With a little persuasion from Zeus and Hermes, Calypso
relents and sends Odysseus on his way.
• Poseidon, still angry at Odysseus, brings about a storm• Poseidon, still angry at Odysseus, brings about a storm
and Odysseus is washed up on the Island of the
Phaecians where he tells his tale to Alcinous, king of
the island.
• Having listened with rapt attention to his story, the
Phaeacians agree to help Odysseus get home, and they
finally deliver him one night to a hidden harbour on
his home island of Ithaca.

10. The Odyssey: Summary
• Odysseus returns home disguised as a beggar, with a little help from
Athena.
• Odysseus reveals himself to Telemachus who has just returned from
Sparta and they plot to destroy the suitors.
• Penelope, disgusted by the suitors’ behavior summons the beggar
(Odysseus in disguise). The beggar predicts Odysseus’ return.
• Penelope devises a contest: she will marry whichever suitor can string
Odysseus’ bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe handles .Odysseus’ bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe handles .
• They all fail. Odysseus in disguise strings the bow, shoots the arrow,
reveals himself, and kills the suitors.
• Then, finally, Odysseus reveals himself to Penelope and the following
day, he also reveals himself to his elderly father Laertes.
• Odysseus and Penelope are reunited, as are Odysseus and his aging
father, Laertes.
• Athena makes peace with the suitors' vengeful friends and families,
avoiding civil war. Odysseus is home at last.

11. THANKS
For Any Doubt
Contact on Mobile/E-mail to:
Prof. O. P. BudholiaProf. O. P. Budholia
or
Dr. Naveen K Mehta