from the Odyssey, Part Oneby Homer

translated by Robert Fitzgerald

Introducing the Selection

Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

Reading Focus: Reading an Epic

Writing Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

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from the Odyssey, Part OneIntroducing the Selection

What difference can a journey make in a person’s life?

from the Odyssey, Part One Introducing the Selection

Click on the title to start the video.

from the Odyssey, Part One Introducing the Selection

The Odyssey is a tale of a hero’s long and dangerous journey home.

It is also the story of a son in need of his father and of a faithful wife awaiting her husband’s return.

When we first meet Odysseus, he is a prisoner on the goddess Calypso’s island.

from the Odyssey, Part One Introducing the Selection

Zeus sends his messenger, Hermes, to set Odysseus free, and the adventure begins.

What does the angry Poseidon, god of the sea, have in store for our hero?

[End of Section]

from the Odyssey, Part One Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

An “ordinary” hero saves children from a roaring river or rescues people from a burning building.

You might learn about a hero on the news, or perhaps you admire a hero in your own life.

An epic hero is larger than life, more impressive than an ordinary human being. An epic hero usually has these character traits:

from the Odyssey, Part One Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

• uncommon strength

• exceptional knowledge

• cunning (cleverness)

• courage

• daring

An epic hero often goes on a dangerous journey or quest of discovery.

from the Odyssey, Part One Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

When the hero succeeds—or fails—on that journey, he or she does it on a grand scale.

On the journey, the hero encounters challenges and dangers.

from the Odyssey, Part One Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

The hero experiences conflict as he or she faces forces of nature, gods, and other beings who help or prevent the hero’s progress.

As heroes deal with conflict after conflict, they embody, or personify, the values of the society they represent.

from the Odyssey, Part One Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

For example, a hero’s actions may show values such as bravery, intelligence, or physical strength.

How does Janya represent the heroic quality of physical strength?

from the Odyssey, Part One Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

Read the following passage.

Janya gasped as Adric staggered, then fell. The Ogre King began a slow charge toward Adric, axe raised.

Thinking fast, Janya threw her grappling hook into a great oak, where it caught on a limb. She pulled with all her might. The great tree crashed down into the Ogre King’s path.

Janya uses her uncommon strength to pull down a tree.

Janya gasped as Adric staggered, then fell. The Ogre King began a slow charge toward Adric, axe raised.

Thinking fast, Janya threw her grappling hook into a great oak, where it caught on a limb. She pulled with all her might. The great tree crashed down into the Ogre King’s path.

Read, then listen to, the following passage from the Odyssey.

from the Odyssey, Part One Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

How do Odysseus’s actions show the value of intelligence?

My heart beat high now at the chance of action,and drawing the sharp sword from my hip I wentalong his flank to stab him where the midriffholds the liver. I had touched the spotwhen sudden fear stayed me: if I killed himwe perished there as well, for we could nevermove his ponderous doorway slab aside.So we were left to groan and wait for morning.

In your own words, describe what is happening in this passage.

from the Odyssey, Part One Literary Focus: Epic Heroes and Conflict

[End of Section]

As you read the Odyssey, think about

• the conflicts Odysseus faces

• how he overcomes these conflicts

• the decisions and actions that make him a hero

With long, complex works such as epics, it can be difficult to keep track of characters and events.

from the Odyssey, Part One Reading Focus: Reading an Epic

• paraphrasing

• summarizing

• asking questions

When you read a long work, try these reading strategies:

from the Odyssey, Part One Reading Focus: Reading an Epic

If you are reading a complex passage, try paraphrasing.

Restate the content, but use your own words.

Act as if you’re telling a friend about what has just happened in the story.

from the Odyssey, Part One Reading Focus: Reading an Epic

Read the following passage and restate the content in your own words.

For two days, Argent rode with his news across the grasslands to the foothills of the north. As his horse slowed to climb the rocky pass, Argent surveyed the landscape. The bushes and trees clung to the rocks like men huddling about a fire.

Argent, who has news to deliver, rode across the grasslands on his horse, finally reaching the foothills.

from the Odyssey, Part One Reading Focus: Reading an Epic

Read, then listen to, the following passage from the Odyssey.

Then I sent out two picked men and a runnerto learn what race of men that land sustained.They fell in, soon enough, with Lotus Eaters,who showed no will to do us harm, onlyoffering the sweet Lotus to our friends—but those who ate this honeyed plant, the Lotus,never cared to report, nor to return:they longed to stay forever, browsing onthat native bloom, forgetful of their homeland.

Paraphrase the excerpt.

To be sure you are following the sequence of events, summarize, or briefly note each event, in the order it occurred.

from the Odyssey, Part One Reading Focus: Reading an Epic

First, Odysseus sent three men to find out who lived on

the island.

Then the men met the Lotus Eaters.

The men ate the Lotus plant and forgot about

home.

Ask questions to monitor your comprehension.

from the Odyssey, Part One Reading Focus: Reading an Epic

How did they leave the land of the Lotus Eaters?

What did the men eat?

Why couldn’t the men remember

their home?

Into Action: As you read, use the 5W-How? questions to make sure you understand the epic.

from the Odyssey, Part One Reading Focus: Reading an Epic

[End of Section]

• Who are the main characters?

• What has happened so far, and what might happen next?

• Where and when are the events taking place?

• Why are the events happening?

• How does the epic hero use his talents to resolve the conflict?

Find It in Your Reading

from the Odyssey, Part OneWriting Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

[End of Section]

As you read, write down what you learn about Odysseus.

Is he . . .

• noble or selfish?

• wise or foolish?

• arrogant or humble?

Vocabulary

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

adversity n.: hardship; great misfortune.

profusion n.: large supply; abundance.

adversary n.: enemy; opponent.

formidable adj.: awe-inspiring by reason of excellence; strikingly impressive.

tumult n.: commotion; uproar; confusion.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

When people are faced with adversity in their lives, they may respond in a variety of ways.

Great misfortune might cause one person to become discouraged.

Another person, however, might become motivated to rise above the hardship.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Which of the following would be an inappropriate response to adversity in a friend’s life?

enthusiasm concern thoughtfulness

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Which of the following would be an inappropriate response to adversity in a friend’s life?

enthusiasm

Because adversity is related to great misfortune, enthusiasm would be an inappropriate response.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

If you face a formidable opponent, you likely have respect for his or her skill.

A formidable opponent has strikingly impressive skills that may lead to your defeat.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Would you want a formidable player on your team? Why or why not?

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Would you want a formidable player on your team? Why or why not?

You would likely want a formidable player on your team. His or her awe-inspiring abilities would help your team tremendously.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

If a store’s owner orders too much merchandise, she may be left with a profusion of products that she cannot sell.

She may have to ship the abundance of unsold products back to their manufacturers.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Which image shows a profusion of gumballs?

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Which image shows a profusion of gumballs?

This image shows a large supply, or profusion, of gumballs.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Adversaries at work, Adam and Delia often competed for the most interesting projects.

Tired of their acting like opponents, their boss required them to work together.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Is adversary used correctly in the following sentence?

Paolo embraced an adversary, or close friend, after the soccer match.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Is adversary used correctly in the following sentence?

An adversary is an enemy or opponent, so Paolo would not embrace an adversary after the match. Adversary is not used correctly in this sentence.

Paolo embraced an adversary, or close friend, after the soccer match.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

On your first visit to Manhattan’s Grand Central Station, you might become confused by the tumult of rushing travelers and announcements.

When the train station becomes especially busy at rush hour, the uproar can be astonishingly confusing.

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Which scene would most likely result in a tumult?

a. a lone man watching his favorite team on TV

b. a judge reading a controversial decision to a packed courthouse

c. a couple watching a scary movie

from the Odyssey, Part One Vocabulary

Which scene would most likely result in a tumult?

a. a lone man watching his favorite team on TV

b. a judge reading a controversial decision to a packed courthouse

c. a couple watching a scary movie

The End