1. Getting into a happy mental state with three good things
2. Warming up with a few fun facts about The Odyssey and reading ticket musical chairs
3. Enjoying our first full Socratic Seminar on The Odyssey, Books 5 through 9 (feel free to talk about Books 1-4 as well)
4. Wrapping up with kudos, epiphanies, and lingering questions
HW:
1. For Wednesday:
1. For Wednesday:
- Bring your laptop to class. We'll be looking at your college essay prompts.
2. For Friday:
- Reread Books 10, 11 and 12 in The Odyssey and prepare a Socratic ticket.
- For this week's ticket, please focus on one scene from Books 10, 11, or 12 (in other words, about 3-5 pages). You must use the Wilson translation.
- Fill a page with questions about this scene (diction, allegory, characterization, Foster stuff, etc). You can also ask fewer questions and brainstorm your responses underneath. Handwriting or typing is fine.
- Complete your next poetry response. If you type it, print it before class.
- BRING YOUR COPY OF THE ODYSSEY TO CLASS on Mondays and Fridays. You need to be reading the Emily Wilson version; let me know if you need to check out a school copy.
Thanks for scribing, Zo!
ReplyDeleteOdyssey books V-IX Socratic, Period 5 08/26
What is exile, how is it defined in The Odyssey, is Odysseus exile self-induced?
It is self induced; he gets pride get in the way, ex. killing the cyclops — he could have left and gotten home quicker
Exile in ways we don’t usually consider it, ex. traitors getting sent off. Odysseus, has just gotten lost. The dynamic in Ithaca is more real exile, regarding Telemachus, basically socially exiled.
Odysseus has chances to stop his exile; ex. marry Calypso, etc., due to his choice not to remain loyal to Ithaca
Home is what we value and honour — Odysseus leaving would be treachery; that is what makes it exile; the pain of being away from home
Line 151; seems as though she [Calypso] pleased him, because Odysseus stays for a year — what is the role of choice in this scene?
That first year choice was an illusion to him, he did not seem to have the option to leave, he wanted to go home, but Calypso is much more powerful, but seemingly the idea of choice was taken away. In the end it was Odysseus’ pain there that caused the choice to leave.
There are prophecies of heroes, his fate was not a surprise. These or not human matters, they are godly matters, the question of choice is not an issue.
One could apply this to modern day religion — are our ‘choices’ predetermined’
Was this exile in Odysseus’ head?
Odysseus’ exile causes him to be more resourceful
Exile changed Odysseus, but also his surroundings, ex. inspiring doubt in his wife
Odysseus was kind of a traitor, since he did stay with Calypso, and he betrayed his own morals
Odysseus kills the suitors at the end, shows how his morality changes
Odysseus builds his own morals, builds his own ego, does everything to benefit himself, even if it is in the name of the other people
What is appropriate at war, in ways of honour?
It is important to take into account the time period; a lot of what is portrayed as moral is no longer applicable, ex. killing the suitors back at home. The entire poem is a buildup to his return home, which is portrayed as honourable. Another question of morality is his relationship with Calypso, which isn’t necessarily disputed.
This leads one to wonder — Is Odysseus a good or bad person?