Activity 1

Odyssey 9: What was most memorable or intruiging about what you read or heard in Prof. Giannapoulou's lectures about who tells the story, who claims the space as host or guest, and why?

During the time we have been studying Odyssey 9, Prof. Giannopoulou's lectures have given me a significant amount of insight and perspective upon Odysseus and his journey with the Cyclops.

• Considering the main narration is from Odysseus, who is stranded with his men in the presence of a Cyclops, he places a "hero vs villan" perspective in which he (guest) has the intention to escape from the Cyclops (host). As Odysseus tells the story of his journey, he focuses his attention to the lives the Cyclops live, naming them as "lawless brutes" whose land is "unsown, unplowed" (120, 122). Odysseus places an automatic pessimistic atmopshere pertaining to the Cyclops, in which he calls them "brutes"- one who is savage and violent- with neither etequitte nor a civilized manner. In relation to their land as "unsown", Odysseus implies this disorganized and agresssively mannered livlihood of the Cyclops.

• Prof. Giannopoulou's lecture connects Odysseus's judgement towards the Cyclops to the underlying meaning in which Odysseus feels he is superior to the Cyclops or rather- the hero in this story. This is most relevant with the knowledge that it is most obvious one would not point out one's faults if they in similarity are one of their own faults as well. Therefore considering Odysseus namely explicates pessimistic judgements of the Cyclops, the Pheasians (he speaks towards) continue to became more skeptical of Cyclops rather than Odysseus himself. This is seen throughout his tales when he speaks to the Phaeasians, he gives continuous negative characteristics of the Cyclops and Polyphemus.

• One of the most inruiging parts of analysis found through Prof. Giannopouou's lecture is which though Odysseus feels he is the "good guy" in this account, he ironically juxtaposes his own judgement of "good" character when he violates Xenia- the steps observed by the host with a guest. He claims he is the guest as he enters the Cyclops territory but impertinently juxtaposes this position and he "explores" his hosts "den", making "'away with the cheeses.." and telling his men to "drive the lambs and kids from the pens" (253- 254) without awaiting to complete Step 1 of Xenia- host welcomes guest. Thinking about this, we as readers gain a deeper predicament of Odyesseus. He, being a decedent from a very honorable family would relatively sound like he would be a respectable man. But seeing as he holds himself very high, these actions he takes almost juxtapose him as a supposed honorable hero.

• I feel Odysseus's character can be connected to different films even one being Iron man. Iron man, like Odysseus is a hero for mutiple purposes, saving people from evil, yet Iron man tends to be very arrogant and holds himself very high on a pedastal as he is a very wealthy and succesful business man and came from a father who was also wealthy. In similarity, Odysseus comes from a lineage of gods and power and like Iron man though he is a hero, his actions are almost impulsively arrogant and smug like violating xenia feeling he has the right to because he feels the Cyclops aren't civilized enough to even do the steps of Xenia therefore he does it himself, showing what kind of person Odysseus really is.

The idea in which there are guests and hosts I feel can be even related to cultural aspects. In different cultures, people welcome or percieve a guest or host in different ways. Such as in my own hispanic culture, the host is the owner holding the gathering or whatever it may be under their own roof, and as a host, the cutlure is for the host to serve and offer anything to the guest, even taking their jacket or coats of their hands. As a host, my culture consists of holding the guest in a higher status than the host themselves. Similarly I can see this connection with Xenia in the Greek culture, where the host openly welcomes the guest and follows a generous sequence of steps that respects the guest.

Works cited:

Homer, et al. Homer's Odyssey. Clarendon Press, 1886.

Reflection:

As I continue to learn and explore this website and its abilities, I feel confident that through this space provided I can exert my own ideas and thoughts to others. Being able to place my own crativity within my writing, this opportunity strengthens my abililty to persuade or highlight the importance of certain aspects I find throughout the year, whether it be through the works we read or the concept of Worldbuilding itself. SImilarly, at this moment I feel I am only "getting started" on how to express my ideas of World building, but as the year continues, I plan to be accurately knowledgable in both works and the theme of Worldbuilding in which our ideas though may seem small at this moment, but can produce a greater outcome and connection between our imagination and our reality at any given moment.