The Iliad: The Iliad Agenda: Information about Text Homer Mythological Background


Important Names, Dates and Terminology: Important Names, Dates and Terminology 8th century BCE 1184 BCE Homer Description The Homeric Question Epic Oral Tradition


Important Themes, Motifs and Narratological Elements: Important Themes, Motifs and Narratological Elements CHOICE and PERSUASION THE HEROIC CODE LEADERSHIP TRIANGULAR RELATIONSHIPS SIMILES THE GODS


Do NOT Reduce the Iliad to either:: Do NOT Reduce the Iliad to either: PRIDE Or FATE


Characteristics of Homeric Text:: Characteristics of Homeric Text: Beginning in medias res Cinematic presentation of events and of warfare Look for sense imagery in the text Use of SIMILES Use of PARALLELISM when discussing events, characters and gods


Homeric Cycle: Homeric Cycle Series of texts about Troy Some tell the same stories as the Homeric epics Many tell entirely different stories What still exists contains only a part of the entire story of the Trojan War


Mythological Stories You Need to Know: Mythological Stories You Need to Know Helen and the Suitors Wedding of Peleus and Thetis Hecuba’s Dream of the Burning City Judgment of Paris Assembling the Suitors Sacrifice of Iphigenia


Helen and the Suitors: Helen and the Suitors Helen: daughter of Tyndareus Clytemnestra: daughter of Tyndareus; twin of Helen; (later) wife of Agamenon Penelope: niece to Tyndareus Suitors Agamemnon: king of Argos; son of Atreus; brother of Menelaus Menelaus: brother of Agamemnon Odysseus: king of Ithaka; (later) husband of Penelope Ajax: son of Telemon; great warrior


Hecuba’s Dream of the Burning City: Hecuba’s Dream of the Burning City Priam = Hecuba __________________|___________________ SONS: DAUGHTERS Hektor (m. Andromache) Cassandra Paris (m. Helen) Polyxena Deiphobus Creusa Polydorus 47 other daughters 46 more sons


Wedding of Peleus and Thetis: Wedding of Peleus and Thetis Thetis: water nymph, daughter of Nereus Peleus: mortal man, son of Aeacus, King of Aegina Thetis and Peleus are the parents of Achilles


Wedding of Peleus and Thetis (cont.): Wedding of Peleus and Thetis (cont.) OLYMPIAN GODS Aphrodite: goddess of love Apollo: god of healing, music, prophecy Ares: god of war Artemis: goddess of the hunt Athena: goddess of wisdom, strategy Demeter: goddess of the Harvest Hephaistos: god of fire and metal craft; son of Hera and Zeus; crippled because he was thrown by Zeus Hera: wife of Zeus Hermes: messenger god Poseidon: god of the sea Zeus: king of the gods; (very unfaithful) husband to Hera


Wedding of Peleus and Thetis (cont.): Wedding of Peleus and Thetis (cont.) ERIS: Goddess of Discord, not invited to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis Golden apple inscribed “To the Fairest”


Assembling the Suitors: Assembling the Suitors Agamemnon Menelaus Odysseus Ajax Achilles – the most difficult to find


Gaining a Strong Wind: Gaining a Strong Wind Agamemnon = Clytemnestra ______________|_____________ | | | Iphigeneia Electra Orestes


Key Aspects of the Epic’s Opening: Key Aspects of the Epic’s Opening Emphasis on the 1st word Invocation of the Muse Questions What events are set into motion in the opening 2 pages? Who is who? What are the key words? Are any of the themes mentioned earlier present in this segment of text?


For Next Class: For Next Class You are instructed to wrote a response to something you find difficult in the text. Pick a passage of no more than 20 lines that you find important and/or difficult and write about it. We will use these student-chosen passages as the basis for discussion next class.