Unit:The Odyssey
Grade:9-10

Day 5:  Book V

Goals:
• The student will learn about the Homeric form of poetry, be able to identify the different devices used, the meter, as well as have the experience of creating their own metric lines.
• The student will know who Homer is and his importance and influence on literary history.
• The student will think critically about literature and its function in history, culture and personal experience.

Materials:
• Handout of Tennyson poem, "Ulysses"
• Art paper/legal size blank paper
• Art/coloring supplies (e.g.-- crayons, markers, colored pencils)

Procedures--

Introduction-- Before we get to the readings for today, we are going to take a little time to talk about a couple of the poetic devices that Homer employs throughout the Odyssey

Lecture/Discussion-- (10 min.) On the meanings of:

Epic/Homeric similie--

an extended comparison made between something of which we have no knowledge and a common thing, so as to provide a description that we, as readers, can relate to. An example form Book V: lines 56-60-- Hermes flying over ocean compared to a gull flying over the ocean.

Epithets--

A stock word of short phrase regularly appiled to some person of thing. E.g.-- "rosy-fingered Dawn," "Grey-eyed Athena," "wise Odysseus." Serve two purposes, a technical one and a stylistic one. Technical-- the meter necessitated the use of extra words. Stylistic-- help audience better visualize what is being narrated, aids the poet in making ocncise characterizations/descriptions, also used to achieve effects of irony and understatement-- e.g.-- the epithet "brave" is constantly applied to the nasty suitors and Antinoos.

Ask students to find examples on their own from the first five books of both of these... ask if they've noticed any other devices (not necessarily by name-- but anything they might have noticed happening a lot as they're reading). If so, take time to talk about those for a bit, if not, then move foward.

Discussion-- (5-10 min.) So, we've now finally met Odysseus, the hero... what is he doing when we meet him? How does this effect our vision of him? How does this reflect his current feelings/state of mind? What is he feeling do you think?

Read Aloud-- (5 min.) Hand out "Ulysses" and read aloud with the class.

Discussion-- (5 min.) Alfred, Lord Tennyson, wrote this poem, "Ulysses," describing Ulysses and his feelings after his return to Ithaca. How do his feelings then compare to those feelings he's had after being on Calypso's island for the past few years? Similar? Different? The same emotions? How does he describe his spirit here? What's this poem about?

Activity-- (20-25 min.) "Making connections"--
Give students a pice of paper and have them fold it into 4 squares.

1. In the first square, choose at least 3 words that you feel are the most powerful of meaningful words in the poem. You can arrange the words in any order or write them in different sizes or styles, whatever you deem appropriate.
2. In the second square, draw in image or images to represent what they feel the poem is all about. Use colors and symbols to represent what you "see" or "hear" in the poem.
3. In the thrid square, respond to the poem, stating your own personal reactions to specific words or lines, much likes a reader's response card-- write about your own thoughts, questions, and feelings about the poem.
4. In the fourth square, write a paragraph comparing Odysseus on Calypso's island with Ulysses in Ithaca.

Closure-- (5 min.) Have a few students share what they've written. Note similarities and differences in response. THEY'RE ALL RIGHT!

Assign selections from Book VI for Day 6.
Turn in papers for written comments and participation points.

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