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Love and War - Background for the Odyssey (Troy Trailer)

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Todays Notes Today there are many video clips in the later half of the notes. If you want to watch the entire movie, the answer is no. If you complain, I will stop using videos

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Length and Major Plot Points 11, 300 LINES 24 Parts 3 MAJOR PLOTS: 1.What happens in Ithaca to his son & his wife, Penelope, as they wait for his return. 2.His 10 years of wandering 3.He returns to Ithaca and joins forces with his son, Telemachus, to destroy their enemies.

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The Odyssey is an epic poem translated from Greek by the American poet, Robert Fitzgerald.

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Bards Storytelling was a popular art form in ancient Greece 800-601 B.C. A)The BARD (rhapsode) or storyteller held a place of honor in society. B)He became a member of a particular OIKOS or household which included a king or nobleman and his family. Why would a storyteller receive so much praise and fortune? Its sort of like how we worship celebrities in magazines and on television.

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Epics: Illiad & the Odyssey Ancient Greece produced TWO epics: 900-700 B.C.a.) The Iliad (730 B.C) b.) The Odyssey (700 B.C) *considered the first great works of Western Literature The Odyssey is named for its hero, Odysseus, who is also known as Ulysses. The Iliad is named for the setting, Ilium or Troy.

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Homer Both epics are by a poet named HOMER (Homeric means majestic) A.Know almost nothing about him (no concrete evidence that he ever existed.) B.Seven cities claim to be his birthplace C.He was said to be blind D.From island of Chios

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Both epics are made up (fiction) about the most famous event in Greek history, THE TROJAN WAR, which occurred about 1200 B.C. (the real one)

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Causes of the War

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The Real TROJAN WAR The cause of the real TROJAN WAR was about economics. Greece was a mountainous country with rocky soil, so trade was very important for survival.(What cant you do with rocky soil?) Troy was located at the entrance of the Black Sea, and Troy controlled trade if either let the ships pass or not. They charged stiff fees to ships and grew rich from it. The Greeks saw no reason they should not save the fees, so the Greeks invaded and laid siege to Troy to destroy it. (Using context clues, what does it mean to lay siege?)

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Homers Fictional TROJAN WAR TROJANS: King Priam and Queen Hecuba had two sons: 1) Hector: chief warrior in Trojan army (name means to bully or to threaten) 2) Paris Pariss mother dreamed he would cause the ruin of Troy, so Priam and she decided to have the child killed. They entrusted the task to a herdsman. He couldnt bring himself to kill the pretty child. He left him exposed on a mountainside expecting him to die. Paris was found by a shepherd and raised as one (Who does that sound familiar too?).

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Aphrodites Gift Aphrodite offered Paris the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Troy, as his wife. - Hera and Athena were bitterly offended and became enemies of Troy. -While visiting Troy, Paris was recognized as the Kings lost son. -All wanted Helen. There were so many that her father, King Tyndareus, was afraid to choose one that they would all unite against him.

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Helen of Troy She was what we would call Bad Her father, a king, made all the other kingdoms swear to always stand up for HELENS husband if he was ever wronged. (In other words, imagine if your girl was so fine that if she cheated on you, every other dude who thought she was fine would join you to beat down the guy she cheated with..) They accepted the oath, and Helens father chose MENELAUS, brother of Agamemnon the king & powerful ruler of Greece.

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Warnings Unheard - King Priam had daughter CASSANDRA to whom Apollo had given the gift of prophecy. Later, Apollo grew displeased with her because she would not return his love, so he spoiled the gift by arranging it so that although she always prophesied the truth, no one would ever believe her. When Paris was taken back into the family, Cassandra prophesied that he would bring ruin of Troy (to :53 secs) no one believed her.ruin of Troy

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Paris and Helen -The goddess Aphrodite led Paris to the city of Sparta to follow through on her deal. -Menelaus and Helen accepted him as a guest, and he was treated with every courtesy (they were nice to the guy..).

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Mr. Steal Yo Girl - Aphrodite caused Helen to fall in love with Paris while Menelaus left them there in trust and went off to another city. - Helen went back to Troy with Paris and stayed with him throughout the war (10 years ).Helen went back to Troy with Paris

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Menelaus Gathering the Troops -Menelaus returned and found Helenkidnapped by Paris -He asked all of the heroes (previous guys who vowed to help) to join him on war to get Helen.

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Armies would send forth their best warrior. Whoever won the one on one fight would be declared the victor.

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Paris vs. Menelaus Paris is challenged to a fight by King Menelaus, Helens husband, so they may avoid a full scale war.

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But Paris is a ladies man, not a skilled warrior.

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Achilles It was foretold by soothsayers that the Greeks could not win unless they had the help of ACHILLES, who was next to HERCULES as most famous Greek hero.ACHILLES He was a mighty, skilled warrior whom no one could defeat.

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As a child, his mother made him nearly invincible (Achilles vs. Boagrious) And hes kind of a jerk

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Odysseus - Kings & soldiers all over Greece, like ODYSSEUS sailed to Troy to bring back Helen. -Odysseus did not want to go since his wife had just had a baby. -The Greeks felt they needed him since he was known for his intelligence and shrewdness.

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Odysseus contd ODYSSEUS plans: 1. Leave huge wooden horse filled with Greek warriors outside gates of Troy. 2. Trojans believe the Greek ships have sailed; they think the horse is an offering to the gods. 3. Trojans bring the horse within their gates. 4. Greeks slip out and open gates for their army.slip out and open gates 5. FALL OF TROY

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The Odyssey The Odyssey takes place the last days of the TROJAN WAR. Gods become angry with Odysseus. They vow that he will have a long & difficult journey home. As a sailor, which God would be the absolute worst to tick off?

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Wrath of an Angry God Poseidon is angered because: 1.He supported the Trojans in the Trojan war and Odysseus was a member of the Greek forces that defeated the Trojans. 2.Odysseus blinds Poseidons son. Odysseus son is 20 years old when Odysseus returns

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What Do You Think? Based on all the knowledge you have thus far about "The Odyssey" you will write a 2 paragraph, brief, prediction summary of how they you think the epic will "play out". I will be taking this up for a grade.