Book Nine Handout. Activity 1: Text Structure. Activity 2: Close Reading of Book Nine, In the One Eyed Giant s Cave, pp Grade 9: The Odyssey

Transcription

1 Book Nine Handout The events in Books Nine through Twelve are flashbacks being told to the Phaeacians by Odysseus himself. The events of these books reveal how the trials Odysseus faces develop his character from the end of the Trojan War through his time with the Phaeacians. Activity 1: Text Structure One feature of the epic is beginning in the middle of the story ( in medias res ). Study the graphic below so that you will understand the text structure. What is the effect of Homer s choice concerning how to structure a text and the events within it? By beginning in the middle of things, the reader s interest is piqued. It seems strange that such a famous warrior should be crying for home. Knowing how Odysseus s men ended up creates suspense, compelling the reader to continue in the story. Activity 2: Close Reading of Book Nine, In the One Eyed Giant s Cave, pp Read the opening passage of Book Nine, which is reprinted for you below. Some lines have been removed, but the line numbers follow the original text. Follow the instructions below as you annotate: 1. For your first reading, define the terms that have been bolded for you. Write a synonym or definition directly above the bolded word. 2. For your second reading, use a handbook of mythological terms, the glossary of terms in the back of your text, or the Internet to look up background information for the shaded terms. Write the explanation directly above the term. 3. Finally, use the questions on the right side of the text to guide you as you record your insights and impressions about the text.

2 1 Odysseus, the great teller of tales, launched out on his story: Alcinous, majesty, shining among your island people, singer what a fine thing it is to listen to such a bard as we have here the man sings like a god. questioning 12 But now you re set on probing the bitter pains I ve borne so I m to weep and grieve, it seems still more. Well then, what shall I go through first, 15 what shall I save for last? What pains the gods have given me my share. Now let me begin by telling you my name so you may know it well and I in times to come, if I can escape that fatal day, will be your host, 20 your sworn friend, though my home is far from here. former king I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, known to the world for every kind of craft my fame has reached the skies. Sunny Ithaca is my home. 30 Mine is a rugged land but good for raising sons and I myself, I know no sight on earth than a man s own native country. nymph True enough, Calypso the lustrous goddess tried to hold me back, deep in her arching caverns, craving me for a husband. enchantress So did Circe, holding me just as warmly in her halls, What does the underlined portion tell you about Alcinous? This participial phrase demonstrates that Alcinous is well-respected by his people. What kind of connotation does the word probing have? Why does Odysseus tell his tale? The word probing suggests that Alcinous has been insistent on hearing Odysseus s story; however, Odysseus was the one that requested the song about Troy even though he knew the content of the tune would make him weep. It seems like Odysseus wanted Alcinous to ask him to tell his story. What is the tone (the speaker s attitude toward the subject)? (Hint count how many lines Odysseus uses to introduce himself): Self-assured (6 lines) Pretentious Arrogant Explain the underlined epithet. Who is it describing, and what does it suggest about him? The appositive phrase details that Odysseus is known as the son of Laertes. In this culture, one was known by his family lineage. The appositive phrase describing

3 desiring the bewitching queen of Aeaea keen to have me too. But they never won the heart inside me, never. So nothing is as sweet as a man's own country, his own parents, even though he's settled down 40 in some luxurious house, off in a foreign land and far from those who bore him. No more. Come, filled let me tell you about the voyage fraught with hardship god of gods Zeus inflicted on me, homeward bound from Troy... Troy The wind drove me out of Ilium on to Ismarus, Trojan allies fortress the Cicones' stronghold. There I sacked the city, booty killed the men, but as for the wives and plunder, load that rich haul we dragged away from the place we shared it round so no one, not on my account, would go deprived of his fair share of spoils. 50 Then I urged them to cut and run, set sail, rebellious but would they listen? Not those mutinous fools; drink there was too much wine to swill, too many sheep to slaughter down along the beach, and shambling longhorn cattle. And all the while the Cicones sought out other Cicones, 55 called for help from their neighbors living inland: a larger force, and stronger soldiers too, Calypso communicates her shining beauty. The appositive modifying Circe describes her power over men. What are some of the conflicts that Odysseus has faced? Odysseus has been detained by women who wanted to keep him as a husband. What does Odysseus claim about his experiences with Calypso and Circe? He never actually loved them. Whom does Odysseus blame for his troubles? Zeus The appositive modifying Ismarus explains that this place is fortified and strong. For the rest of the portion on this page, write a summary of events below: On the way home from Troy, Odysseus and his men stopped to raid Ismarus, the home of the Cicones. He allowed his men to steal food, wine, and women, but when it was time to go, his men would not obey. Because they delayed, a strong ally of the Cicones came and slaughtered many of their men. The appositive communicates

4 skilled hands at fighting men from chariots, skilled, when a crisis broke, to fight on foot. Out of the morning mist they came against us 60 packed as the leaves and spears that flower forth in spring and Zeus presented us with disaster, me and my comrades doomed to suffer blow on mortal blow. Lining up, both armies battled it out against our swift ships, both raked each other with hurtling bronze lances. Long as morning rose and the blessed day grew stronger 65 we stood and fought them off, massed as they were, but then, when the sun wheeled past the hour for unyoking oxen, the Cicones broke our lines and beat us down at last. Out of each ship, six men at arms were killed ; the rest of us rowed away from certain doom. 70 From there we sailed on, glad to escape our death yet sick at heart for the dear companions we had lost. But I would not let our rolling ships set sail until the crews had raised the triple cry, saluting each poor comrade cut down by the fierce Cicones on that plain. 75 Now Zeus who masses the stormclouds hit the fleet concealing with the North Wind a howling, demonic gale, shrouding over in thunderheads the earth and sea at once that the neighbors are more in number--there will be trouble for Odysseus and his men. Highlight patterns of violent diction. What was the consequence of the men s choices? Odysseus did not model good behavior for his men. Because of their rebellion, many of them pay with their lives. Describe the battle between Odysseus s men and the Cicones. The allies were warriors with chariots. They were numerous and well-armed, and although Odysseus s men put up a good fight, as the day wore on, they penetrated the Greek lines and killed six men from each ship. For lines 66 end, highlight the patterns of negative diction. Write notes about mood in the margin. The negative diction creates a foreboding mood. The men are feeling pangs of grief and guilt, and as a storm whips up, the emotional atmosphere of the text because ominous. This appositive, full of vivid imagery and participles, communicates the intensity of

5 and night swept dow n from the sky and the ships went plunging..., our sails slashed to rags by the hurricane's blast! 80 We struck them cringing at death we rowed our ships to the nearest shoreline, pulled with all our power. There, for two nights, two days, we lay by, no letup, eating our hearts out, bent with pain and bone tired. the storm. This participial phrase communicates how the sailors row: they are rowing with every ounce of strength all the while cowering at the strength of the storm.

6 Activity 3: Style and Language of Book Nine Part of what makes The Odyssey so compelling is the syntax or sentence structure of the epic. In the Robert Fagles edition, the various phrases used add variety and interest to the story. Review the different kinds of phrases below. Then, go back through the passage and analyze the underlined phrases. For each phrase, label what kind it is, and write the effect of the phrase in the right margin. Phrase Type Definition Examples participle a verb form with an ed or ing added to it that functions like an adjective Crying, Penelope weaved the shroud. Penelope surveyed the forgotten banquet hall. The suitors, insulted, stormed from the assembly place. participial phrase a participle plus other modifiers Cursing his luck, Odysseus tried to command his men. Defeated by the enemy, the troops took to their oars. appositive a word that renames a noun or pronoun Odysseus s son Telemachus had grown up without a father. appositive phrase words that rename a noun or pronoun Odysseus, the master tactician, schemed a plan.