Background of "The Odyssey" by LOUISA LECROY

Background of "The Odyssey" by LOUISA LECROY https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc Take notes! Much of this will be helpful in understanding who's who. en-us 2021-03-03 15:16:39 UTC 2025-11-03 10:36:30 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f30a.png Historical Context louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295212290

Immediately follows the events of The Illiad, which was about the Trojan War

Follows Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who is known for being very clever, curious, and pretty full of himself (selfish, prideful, etc.)

After winning the Trojan War with the Greeks, Odysseus and his crew set sail for home, but plan to seek adventure on their journey back.

After making the Gods angry with his selfish and careless behavior, The Odyssey begins with Odysseus being "held captive" by the sea nymph, Calypso.

]]> 2021-03-10 21:07:55 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295212290 Important Characters louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295236797

Odysseus: King of Ithaca, Son of Laertes

Penelope: Wife of Odysseus, Queen of Ithaca

Telemachus: Son of Odysseus & Penelope, Prince of Ithaca

Athena: Goddess of wisdom, warcraft, and reason

]]> 2021-03-10 21:15:43 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295236797 Approximation of Ithaca's location louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295255442 2021-03-10 21:21:52 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295255442 Greek Gods louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295261644

Aphrodite: Goddess of love and beauty

Athena: Goddess of wisdom, war, and reason

Artemis: Goddess of the hunt

Ares: God of war (bloodlust)

Apollo: God of light, art, prophecy, and knowledge

Poseidon: God of the sea

Hades: God of the dead/Underworld

Hera: Goddess of marriage and birth/Queen of Olympus (also Zeus's sister-wife)

Zeus: God of thunder and sky/King of Olympus (father to many)

In Greek mythology, the Gods are known to be very human-like. They are petty, jealous, and flawed. Oftentimes, humans are at the forefront of the God's wrath for just about anything the Gods don't like. Sometimes, the Gods would look after individual humans (almost like a pet), like Athena does with Odysseus.

]]> 2021-03-10 21:23:57 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295261644 Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295291198 2021-03-10 21:34:22 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295291198 Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Reason louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295293499 2021-03-10 21:35:11 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295293499 Ares, God of War (Blood) louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295296649 2021-03-10 21:36:19 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295296649 Apollo, God of.. A lot louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295301830 2021-03-10 21:38:09 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295301830 Poseidon, God of the Sea louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295304073 2021-03-10 21:39:03 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295304073 Hades, God of the Dead louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295305694 2021-03-10 21:39:36 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295305694 Zeus & Hera louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295309730 2021-03-10 21:41:07 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295309730 Two Sides to Every Story louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295315289 There are two main plots in The Odyssey: Odysseus's 10-year journey home and the trouble that Penelope and Telemachus face at home on Ithaca.

Odysseus

Thirsts for adventure and fame (like he doesn't have enough already)
Because of careless and prideful behavior, he makes the Gods mad and what should have been a short journey home turns into a 10-year... "odyssey".
Along the way home, he faces monsters, sea nymphs, witches, sirens, Gods and Goddesses, etc.

Penelope & Telemachus

Because Odysseus takes forever to get home, his family and town start to doubt if he will ever return. They're not sure if he's dead, abandoned them...
Suitors to the throne arrive to woo Penelope so that they can become the next King of Ithaca (they do NOT like Telemachus, the Prince).
Telemachus goes to search for his dad because the suitors are starting to get really aggressive with Penelope.
Penelope, a Queen who is just as clever as her husband, comes up with a way to hold the suitors off while waiting for her husband's return home.

]]> 2021-03-10 21:43:14 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295315289 Important Vocab louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295334427

Epithets: a word or brief phrase often used to characterize a particular person, place, or thing

Epic Hero: A man of high social status whose fate affects the destiny of his people. He usually has great strength, quick wit, and is rarely modest.

Epic Poem: Long, narrative poem that tells the tale of the fantastic journey the epic hero faces to return home, achieve glory and goals

]]> 2021-03-10 21:50:16 UTC https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1295334427 Homer: Identity Crisis louisa_lecroy https://padlet.com/louisa_lecroy/b5mwr08xkz86ujkc/wish/1298505944

Nobody is really sure who Homer was or if he even existed.

Theory 1: Blind bard from Ionia (Turkey); a single "genius"

Theory 2: A conglomeration of many anonymous authors

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