The Odyssey revisting and classic, Study notes of English Language

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Chapter 1 The Odyssey Homer Introduction to the Author Homer is the name ascribed by the ancient Greeks to ne legendary author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic joems which are the central works of ancient Greek iterature, Many stories surround the life of the man called Homer,the most widespread being that he was a olind bard from Ionia. The Homeric question – who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey- continues to be debated even today. It is generally accepted that the poems were composed at some point around the late eighth or early Seventh century BC in Greek. From antiquity untilthe present day, the influence of the Homeric epics on Western Civilization has been great, inspiring many of its most famous works of literature, music, art and film. There have been a wide number of translation of homer's work Introduction to the Poem These two epic poems, consisting of over 30,000 lines, are based on traditional poetic stories that were told orally, often accompanied by lyre music. They were passed down from many generations, years before they were written. Partly a sequel to Iliad, the Odyssey focuses on the journey home of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, after the fall of Troy, Both of the Homeric poems begin with an invocation to the Muse. The poet in the Odyssey asks her to sing of”the man of many ways”. Unlike Iliad, Odyssey is written in more of a conversational story-telling style. Homer enriched his descriptive story with liberal use of similes and metaphors, which has inspired a long path of writers behind him, His structuring device was to start in the middle-in medias res- and then fill in the missing information via remembrances. It Is widely recognized as one of the great stories of all time, and has been a strong influence on later European, especially Renaissance, literature. The poem focuses on the Greek hero Odysseus and his long journey home to Ithaca following the fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War. In his absence, it is assumed Odysseus has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors who compete for Penelope’s hand in marriage.

Summary Odysseus’ journey to return home to Ithaca after the battle of Troy takes ten years. Among his many trials during this quest, Odysseus must first escape imprisonment by Calypso on the island of Ogygia, endure a battle with the Cyclops, survive a descent to Hades, and suffer the god Neptune’s bitter wrath at sea. He goes through many trials, all the while Penelope his wife faithfully waiting for him but not knowing if he is still alive. With the help of Hermes and Zeus, and his son Telemachus, Odysseus is finally home, in his rightful place at the palace. In the section under study, Telemachus and Odysseus Meet at the swineherd’s hut after Odysseus sheds his beggar disguise) They form a full ambush plan to get rid of the suitors. The suitors decide to murder Telemachus when he comes home, after they receive news of his landing. Telemachus’ quest to find his father has clearly matured him. He is willing to help his father kill all the suitors and restore Odysseus to the throne