Odyssey Test

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT GREEK CULTURE, VALUES, AND RELIGION?
1. The Odyssey is a perfect example of Greek culture in the early centuries. The Greeks had different values than the culture of the 21st century. One thing that stood out was the way they thought of women as opposed to men. Mortal women were marginalized and mainly thought of as servants or maids. They were a lower class. As seen with Penelope, men thought of them as baby-makers. Women could give them sons to rule their kingdom, but in the meantime just clean the house and work the fields. On the contrary, men were thought of as herculean workers who ruled the house. Anything they asked for was brought to them. However, it was also the man's job to defend the house. If they were called to battle they had to fight; if asked to leave to help the world, the must. Affairs were also an interesting difference. Men would be craven if they did not sleep with many women, but women were bad and unfaithful if they slept with one other man.
Work and class were main values they respected. People were classified as one type of person, and that is what they were forever. Gods and goddesses were the highest class. Any mortal, if visited by a god, was honored to be graced by their presence. They could control the world, so everyone wanted to please them. The Greek culture was arranged by hierarchy, and that is the main difference from our culture today. The Greeks were an interesting people, however, their way of life would certainly not work today.

WHAT RESONATED WITH YOU IN READING ABOUT ODYSSEUS' ADVENTURES?
2. When reading about Odysseus' odyssey, many of his adventures on the various islands contained things that were interesting. For example, Odysseus seemed to be quite fearless. Even after blinding Polyphemus, going through the Underworld, and losing all of his men, he was unfazed. That was one thing that resonated with me in a good way. However, more things resonated with me in a negative way than a positive one. The affair ordeal that Odysseus had with Calypso made me mad because of what he said when he returned to Ithaca. He was so scared that Penelope had been unfaithful right after he had had at least two affairs. Even though this was apparently common the the Greek culture, it was still unnerving. Also the fact that Odysseus was so happy with Calypso near the end of his affair bothered me because he was always so in love with Penelope. He seemed to contradict himself in his story, which also stayed with me. He did not seem to be a person to trust. However, the last thing that resonated with me was his cunning ability to trick others. Throughout the story, he was always very smart, but at the end he seemed to use his smarts and brawn in a way that was very impressive. The story of Odysseus was a very interesting story and I did relate to it more than I believed I would in the beginning.

THE EPIC POEM IS DATED NEARLY 3000 YEARS AGO, WHY IS IT STILL RELEVANT?
3. Although The Odyssey was written nearly 3000 years ago, its plot line and interesting concepts of culture make it still relevant in our culture today. The historical significance alone make it Homer's poetry interesting. Today's culture like to know what it was like to live as a Greek in the early centuries, and this helps them understand one side of it. Also, the action and sexuality can translate into modern times. Although these are portrayed differently today, the story makes it known that these were significant ordeals back then as well. It is interesting to see the connection when some would think there could be none. The past can seem so distant and different than today, but The Odyssey shows that it has not changed as much as believed. The poem is a good example of history being referred to and used in modern times. It is used as a reference point, quoted, and used as an archetype for other stories and movies, such as Troy and Oh, Brother Where Art Thou. It is a story that will be continued to be used very far into history.

HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE NARRATOR, THE FICTIVE "HOMER" WHOSE VOICE WE IMAGINE AS SINGING THE VERSES OF THE ODYSSEY?
4. Homer's poetry has led me to believe he was a pretty smart guy. He seems like the kind of person who would get really into the story and be very expressive. His blindness would have led him to use his other sense with sounds and actions. He seems to be someone who would encapsulate each character in their own personality.

WHAT KINDS OF BEHAVIOR ARE TREATED AS COMTENPTIBLE IN THE ODYSSEY?
5. Many things are considered bad or scornful, such as disobeying or angering a god or goddess. You cannot hurt or disobey any of a god's kin or Zeus's kin. For example, if you anger Poseidon, he will make your journey home hell; if you anger Zeus, he will make your island sink. Also, as seen with Penelope, not remarrying after your husband is pronounced "dead" is not looked kindly upon. A woman being unfaithful is scorned, as is stealing other's food, crops, land, and animals.

HOW DOES THE POEM REPRESENT MORTAL WOMEN? SINCE PENELOPE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WOMAN IN THE ODYSSEY, WHAT QUALITIES DOES SHE POSSESS, AND HOW DOES SHE RESPOND TO THE TROUBLES SHE FACES? (Some of the other women are of note, too-Eurycleia the serving woman, the faithless maidservants, Nausicaa the Phaeacian princess, and Helen of Sparta, Menelaus' queen, whose elopement with Prince Paris sparked the Trojan War.)
6. Mortal women are not considered as very high-class people. They are queens to their kings and baby-bearers, or they are maids and servants. Their role is to keep the house and to help the king. It seems that they are very important to the story, but in more indirect ways. Penelope is a very smart woman. She is very quick to think and is a faithful wife to Odysseus. With the suitors, she was very clever to think of the tapestry weaving deal, and even when she had to choose a suitor, she tested them in a way she knew would never work. The women seem to have an unrecognized strength.

HOW DO HOMER'S GODS THINK AND BEHAVE? HOW DO THEIR ACTIONS AND MOTIVATIONS DIFFER FROM A GOD IN OTHER RELIGIONS OF WHICH YOU HAVE KNOWLEDGE? WHAT ROLE DO HOMERIC GODS PLAY IN HUMAN AFFAIRS, AND WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HUMANS WITH RESPECT TO THESE GODS?
7. Homer's gods and goddesses seem to be somewhat arrogant and know that whatever they want is their command. They use this to their advantage to scare, protect, or mess with mortals. Unlike the "god" that is thought of in modern religions, these gods are more human and are more cruel and selfish. They use their powers for both good and bad, as opposed to just good. Homeric gods take pleasure in human affairs and like to get in the middle of them. An example is Calypso with Odysseus. As a god, it was hard for Odysseus to escape her power. With gods, humans know they must obey them to live, for they can control every part of the world: water, wind, sun, death.