Special thanks to Kristen Grandfield, Yale - New Haven Teacher Institute
Welcome
Heroes, horrors, divine interventions, human imperfections, the tug and pull of yearning for home and adventuring away from home combine to give The Odyssey elemental appeal to students of varying ages. The breadth of this epic poem, the genius of its rhapsode, can best be seen by the timeless interest of students who follow the ‘long-tried, royal’ Ithacan as he struggles from Troy to home.
The Odyssey can be appreciated for more than the narrative. For any class reading a story of twenty-four book, a variety of activities offers diversion and interest:
Should not a student have a nodding acquaintance with the geography of the Mediterranean? For here is the world of Homer, the site of Troy, the island of Ithaca, and the conjectural landfalls of Odysseus and his crew.
Should not a student research the excavations of Heinrich Schliemann at Hisarlik and Mycenae? For the Greeks were at war in the ever volatile Near East and at home in the Peloponnesus.
Should not a student examine pictures of artifacts and relate what has been found to what has been read?
For here may be seen gold cups, tripods, and bronze swords inlaid with silver and ivory, the kinds of guest gifts a king might confer upon the stranger at his door.
Should not a student know the hierarchy of Greek gods and goddesses? For here is a civilization that offers libations to the gods, believes in intervention by them, and abides by advice and auguries from the gods. In short, one hopes that his class is temporarily but totally immersed in the period c. 1200-700 B.C., the age of Homeric culture.
Learning Objectives
Our primary learning objective is reading this epic poem and understanding its narrative element.
The secondary objective, ‘total immersion’ in the spirit of the age, is no less important and gives the student a deeper appreciation. What we hope to achieve is a balance and compatibility between the actual reading of the poem and activities which enhance and reinforce its meaning. So much of literature includes references to classical mythology because authors learned Latin and Greek or read popular translations of myths.
Assignments
The reading of this story offers the teaches an opportunity to hone the skills of his class in the following areas:
vocabulary—Words particularly representative of myths selected from the text
geography—The Journey of Odysseus may be traced so that the student learns the area of the Mediterranean
memorization—The Greek gods and goddesses and their Roman counterparts
oral reports—These afford the students an opportunity to develop poise and diction
written reports—Students have to research places made famous in the story and classicists who continue to study the myths and the sites of the myths. The students’ reports should emphasize critical thinking.
outlining—Students practice form and content
Dramatic Readings of Odyssey Chapters
Bonus Chapters (Extra Credit)
Reflection: main takeaways from today's lesson?