Homer's Odyssey, created in the 8th century BCE, is one of Western civilizations' most lasting works. It has had a tremendous influence on all aspects of the arts-- some obvious examples are music, literature, and even film. The epic story of a man's long-awaited homecoming after many uears at war and at sea is one that can be appreciated no matter what the age-- because it is a story of universality.
It can be seen not only as one man's journey, but as the journey of man, trying to find his path in life, overcoming obstacles and breaking through boundaries. Odysseus is human-- he makes mistakes like the rest of us. Yet he is clever, smarter, gifted from the gods-- as we It can also be seen as an adventure story. Full of thrills and excitement. Meeting gods, doing battle, going to hell-- and coming back!-- Odysseus does it all. It is also a story reflecting the age-- a sort of history. In reading the Odyssey, one can learn a lot of ancient Greek culture and history, as well as begin to understand better the development of our own culture and our ideas-- about women, family, superstitions, myths and legends, storytelling, writing-- the list can go on and on. The wonderful thing about this work is that it is so accessible. It may be old, but there is always something new to be found in it. There are always new things to be done with it. Thus, it becomes perfect fare for the high school student. It is a classic, but it is fun, and there is so much that can be learned from it. My hope in teaching the Odyssey is to help my students learn not only about Greek history and culture, but through it, also about our own, and about ourselves as human beings. To do this, I have planned a 4 week unit. In it, we will not only be reading the Odyssey, but also reading other, related works that have been created through the ages based upon and inspired by this classic. We will also look at current works-- from comic books to film-- to see how Homer's influence can be found even today. Indeed, we shall even try and figure our what new meanings we can add. Through this manner of integration, I believe that the Odyssey will come to have a lot more meaning for my students, and I think it will help make it seem more relevant to them and where they are in their own lives and cultures.
Odyssey Unit
Main
Rationale
Goals
Calendar
Day 1
Epic Worksheet
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5