English 1 Midterm Review / Final Review

• Epic – a long narrative poem in an elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero
• Deus ex machina – p. 628

  • Meaning "god from the machine", the gods could appear in different parts of the plot and help to resolve conflict.

  In the case of the Odyssey, any time a god (Athena) interferes to help Odysseus continue his journey is an example of the trope.
• Xenia (p. 222)

  • Definition: Hospitality, covers the whole relationship between guests and hosts, and between strangers and those who take them in.
  • The fundamental criterion for civilized society in The Odyssey
• Examples of Xenia in the Odyssey

  • The group of 108 men who slouch around Penelope show poor xenia and are eventually stricken with their bitter death.
  • Conversely, Eumaeus presented great xenia when taking Odysseus in, even while he was disguised as a beggar.
• Kleos – Glory, fame (especially as conferred by poetry); that which is heard.
• Nostos – Return or homecoming
• Timê – Honor, especially the external, visible tokens of honor bestowed on a warrior by his peers
• Ekphrasis – A literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art.
• 700 BCE – The Iliad and The Odyssey were written, or set down, around that time
• Important themes of The Odyssey

  • The Power of Cunning over Strength (cleverness)
  • The Pitfalls of Temptation (pride and lust)
  • Loyalty/Perseverance (Odysseus and his perseverance to come home)
• Important themes of the Iliad

  • The Glory of War (Achilles, Agamemnon)
  • Military Glory over Family Life (Hector)
  • The Influence of Fate
• Compare and Contrast Odysseus ( The Odyssey )and Achilles (The Iliad)

   In the Iliad, the epic surrounds the theme of Achilles's wrath and how it has affected those around him. In the Odyssey, we encounter Odysseus and his journey home to Ithaca. We see Odysseus as a strong, intelligent, and loyal warrior. Achilles is shown to be very abrasive whenever he is faced with grief, such as Patroclus's death. Odysseus was saddened and homesick when he was trapped with Calypso, but he didn't exactly try to fight against her.
• Compare and Contrast Odysseus and Achilles

  Odysseus shows his ability to be crafty and thoughtful in the Odyssey, while Achilles seems to solve conflict with violence, as he fights those who have wronged him. Achilles seems to go head first in situations, while Odysseus strategizes before going into battle. Achilles and Odysseus are strong warriors who fight battles using their methods. They also fought on the Greek side of the Trojan War and seemingly relied on the gods for aid.
• The Iliad and the Odyssey were likely written down in Homeric Greek.
• Epithets: Describe the qualities traits and histories of various characters
• The Iliad and the Odyssey were both written by Homer