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If we're going to discuss Classical literature, and we must, we cannot avoid a discussion of Homer's "The Odyssey."
The Odyssey is an epic poem by the ancient Greek poet Homer, which tells the story of the Greek hero Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the fall of Troy. On his journey, Odysseus must overcome numerous obstacles, including the wrath of the sea-god Poseidon, as well as challenges posed by mythical creatures and unfriendly mortals.
Spoiler alert: With the help of the goddess Athena, he ultimately triumphs and returns home to his kingdom of Ithaca, where he is reunited with his wife and son.
The poem is considered one of the foundational works of Western literature.
Y2Mate.is - A Long and Difficult Journey, or The Odyssey Crash Course Literature 201-MS4jk5kavy4-1080p-1654754790565.mp4Watch the crash course to get an overview of The Odyssey before we delve into analyzing some of the text.
Since The Odyssey has (obviously) been translated from its original Greek, it's a bit more difficult to discuss the language and word choice, as much of this depends greatly on the translator. Translations from "classical scholars" like Richmond Lattimore or Robert Fitzgerald tend to retain more of the original language and structure of the poem, but can be more difficult to understand for readers who are not familiar with classical Greek.
For the purpose of our evaluation of Classical literature, we'll look at Books 9-12 using the SOAPStone Strategy.
In Books 9-12 of The Odyssey (part of "The Wanderings" which includes books 5-12), the hero Odysseus continues his journey home after the Trojan War.
In Book 9, he arrives on the island of the Phaeacians, where he is welcomed and given gifts.
In Book 10, he tells the Phaeacians the story of his wanderings, including his encounters with the Cyclops, the Sirens, and the sorceress Circe.
In Book 11, he continues his story, describing his journey to the underworld and his encounter with the ghost of the prophet Tiresias.
In Book 12, he finally reaches home and is reunited with his family. However, he must then face and overcome the challenges posed by the suitors who have been courting his wife, Penelope, in his absence.
Here is a graphic overview of The Wanderings that will be helpful before you jump into the text.
Read books 9-12 of The Odyssey.
After you've read each book, complete a SOAPStone analysis for either book 10, 11, or 12. An example SOAPStone for book 9 has been provided for you below:
Book 9 SOAPStone:
Speaker: Homer, the ancient Greek poet who is credited with composing The Odyssey
Occasion: The events of Book 9 take place during Odysseus' journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War
Audience: The original audience for The Odyssey would have been the ancient Greeks, who would have been familiar with the characters and events of the poem
Purpose: The purpose of Book 9 is to continue the story of Odysseus' journey and to introduce the character of Polyphemus, the Cyclops
Subject: The subject of Book 9 is Odysseus' encounter with Polyphemus and his escape from the Cyclops' cave
Tone: The tone of Book 9 is adventurous and suspenseful, as Odysseus must use his wits to outsmart Polyphemus and escape from the cave.
3.02 Assessment:
Choose either book 10, 11, or 12 and prepare a rhetorical analysis using the SOAPStone Strategy.
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