What type of poem is the Odyssey?
About The Odyssey. An epic is a long narrative poem in an elevated style that deals with the trials and achievements of a great hero or heroes. The epic celebrates virtues of national, military, religious, political, or historical significance.
How long does it take to read the Odyssey?
Click to see full answer. Accordingly, how long is the book The Odyssey? The average reader will spend 2 hours and 48 minutes reading The Odyssey at 250 WPM (words per minute).
How many years did Odysseus journey take?
It follows the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War. After the war itself, which lasted ten years, his journey lasted for ten additional years, during which time he encountered many perils and all his crew mates were killed.
What type of meter is the Odyssey written in?
The Odyssey is written in dactylic hexameter. It opens in medias res, in the middle of the overall story, with prior events described through flashbacks or storytelling.
How big is The Odyssey poem?
The Odyssey is 12,109 lines composed in dactylic hexameter, also called Homeric hexameter.
How many pages does The Odyssey?
384The Odyssey (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) 3.8 out of 5 stars....Product Details.ISBN-13:9781593080099Publisher:Barnes & NoblePublication date:05/01/2003Series:Barnes & Noble Classics SeriesPages:3841 more row•May 1, 2003
How long is The Odyssey in words?
How Long Would It Take to Read the Most Treasured Classics of Our Time?TitleWord CountHoursThe Odyssey by Homer134,5609Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier135,2859The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri168,00011Great Expectations by Charles Dickens173,1301246 more rows•Jul 25, 2019
How long is The Odyssey story?
Main Story If you only want to experience the deep narrative, it will take you around 44 hours. Of course, the time will vary slightly on your skill level and perhaps your difficulty setting. But you can safely expect to spend about 40-50 hours with the game before seeing one of Odyssey's several endings.
Is The Odyssey long?
The Odyssey is an epic, a very long poem on a single subject. Some epics were composed in order to be performed from memory, and so they include poetic devices to make them more memorable. And many epics, probably including The Odyssey, were written to be performed to musical accompaniment.
Is The Odyssey a long read?
The average reader will spend 9 hours and 1 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).
How many lines is Odyssey?
It was composed of 12,109 lines written in dactylic hexameter (sometimes referred to as “Homeric hexameter”)—that is, each line consisted of six feet, or metrical units, and each foot consisted of a dactyl (a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables).
Is The Odyssey hard to read?
It is an easier read. Perhaps more due to the prose than the setting. Setting wise, one would think the Odyssey would be harder to follow with all of the different locations, as opposed to simply being Troy, the field and the beaches. However, there are fewer characters to keep straight.
How long will it take me to read The Odyssey?
The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 6 hours and 54 minutes to read The Odyssey by Homer.
How long is The Iliad poem?
12,000 linesLength. Iliad 12,000 lines. Odyssey 15,000 lines. The division into 24 books was done later, perhaps at Alexandria.
How many chapters is The Odyssey?
In the case of the Odyssey, the books are much like chapters. The following is a list of all 24 chapters and a brief summary of their contents.
Why is The Odyssey a poem?
The Odyssey, like its companion poem, The Iliad , is an epic poem, meaning an exalted story of a warrior-like hero's journey and dealings with the gods, told in a formal poetic structure.
What is the Odyssey?
The Odyssey is an epic poem in 24 books traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. The poem is the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca...
Where does the Odyssey take place?
The majority of the Odyssey takes place on and around the Aegean Sea before concluding in Odysseus’s kingdom of Ithaca.
How was the Odyssey originally performed?
The Odyssey was intended for oral performance. The poem was likely transmitted through generations of oral poets well before it was written down. I...
What are the most popular English-language translations of the Odyssey from the 20th century?
Among the most notable English-language translations of the Odyssey produced in the 20th century were those by Robert Fitzgerald (1961), Richmond L...
Did the Odyssey actually happen?
While there is no conclusive evidence supporting the historicity of the Odyssey’s story and its characters, it has been proposed that geographic el...
How many books are there in the Odyssey?
The Odyssey is an epic poem in 24 books traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. The poem is the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who wanders for 10 years (although the action of the poem covers only the final six weeks) trying to get home after the Trojan War.
Who translated the Odyssey?
A best-selling verse translation by Robert Fagles (1996) was praised for employing language both contemporary and timeless. In 2017 Emily Wilson became, according to her publisher, the first woman to translate and publish the Odyssey in English.
How many lines are there in the dactylic hexameter?
It was composed of 12,109 lines written in dactylic hexameter (sometimes referred to as “Homeric hexameter”)—that is, each line consisted of six feet, or metrical units, and each foot consisted of a dactyl (a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables).
Where does Odysseus land?
He suffers a shipwreck and lands on the shore of Scheria, the land of the Phaeacians. In Books IX–XII Odysseus tells the Phaeacians of his harrowing journey as he has tried to find his way home. Finally, Books XIII–XXIV, the second half of the poem, find Odysseus back in Ithaca, facing unexpected obstacles and danger.
Where does the story of Telemachus take place?
The reader begins in the middle of the tale, learning about previous events only through Odysseus’s retelling. The first four books set the scene in Ithaca. Telemachus is searching for news of his father, who has not been heard from since he left for war nearly 20 years earlier. Telemachus seeks out two men who fought with Odysseus in ...
Is Odysseus' father still alive?
Telemachus seeks out two men who fought with Odysseus in the war at Troy, Nestor and Menelaus, and discovers that his father is, indeed, still alive. The second four books (V–VIII) introduce the main character, Odysseus, as he is being released from captivity by the nymph Calypso on the island of Ogygia.
How many lines are there in the Odyssey?
The Odyssey is 12,109 lines composed in dactylic hexameter, also called Homeric hexameter. It opens in medias res, in the middle of the overall story, with prior events described through flashbacks and storytelling. The 24 books correspond to the letters of the Greek alphabet; the division was likely made after the poem's composition by someone other than Homer, but is generally accepted.
Who translated the Odyssey?
The poet George Chapman finished the first complete English translation of the Odyssey in 1614, which was set in rhyming couplets of iambic pentameter. Emily Wilson, a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, noted that, as late as the first decade of the 21st century, almost all of the most prominent translators of Greek and Roman literature had been men. She called her experience of translating Homer one of "intimate alienation." Wilson writes that this has affected the popular conception of characters and events of the Odyssey, inflecting the story with connotations not present in the original text: "For instance, in the scene where Telemachus oversees the hanging of the slaves who have been sleeping with the suitors, most translations introduce derogatory language ("sluts" or "whores") [...] The original Greek does not label these slaves with derogatory language." In the original Greek, the word used is hai, the feminine article, equivalent to "those female people".
What do the Phaeacians do to Odysseus?
Having listened to his story, the Phaeacians agree to provide Odysseus with more treasure than he would have received from the spoils of Troy. They deliver him at night, while he is fast asleep, to a hidden harbour on Ithaca.
What are the omens in the Odyssey?
Omens occur frequently throughout the Odyssey. Within the epic poem, they frequently involve birds. According to Thornton, most crucial is who receives each omen and in what way it manifests. For instance, bird omens are shown to Telemachus, Penelope, Odysseus, and the suitors. Telemachus and Penelope receive their omens as well in the form of words, sneezes, and dreams. However, Odysseus is the only character who receives thunder or lightning as an omen. She highlights this as crucial because lightning, as a symbol of Zeus, represents the kingship of Odysseus. Odysseus is associated with Zeus throughout both the Iliad and the Odyssey.
How did the Homeric texts influence the Iliad?
The Odyssey and the Iliad formed the basis of education for members of ancient Mediterranean society. That curriculum was adopted by Western humanists, meaning the text was so much a part of the cultural fabric that it became irrelevant whether an individual had read it. As such, the influence of the Odyssey has reverberated through over a millennium of writing. The poem topped a poll of experts by BBC Culture to find literature's most enduring narrative. It is widely regarded by western literary critics as a timeless classic, and remains one of the oldest works of extant literature commonly read by Western audiences.
What is the hexameter of the Odyssey?
The Odyssey ( / ˈɒdəsi /; Greek: Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, Attic Greek : [o.dýs.sej.ja]) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still read by contemporary audiences. As with the Iliad, the poem is divided into 24 books.
How did Gilgamesh reach Siduri's house?
Gilgamesh reaches Siduri's house by passing through a tunnel underneath Mt. Mashu, the high mountain from which the sun comes into the sky. West argues that the similarity of Odysseus' and Gilgamesh's journeys to the edges of the earth are the result of the influence of the Gilgamesh epic upon the Odyssey.
When was the Odyssey written?
Composed around 700 BC, The Odyssey is one of the earliest epics still in existence and, in many ways, sets the pattern for the genre, neatly fitting the definition of a primary epic (that is, one that grows out of oral tradition). The hero is long-suffering Odysseus, king of Ithaca and surrounding islands and hero of the Trojan War.
What is the name of the novel that Odysseus wrote?
Many critics consider James Joyce's Ulysses (1922), which uses Odysseus' Latin name ("Ulysses") for the title and places a very flawed non-hero in Dublin, to be the most important novel of the twentieth century.
What does Odysseus say when he stubs his toe in the garden?
If an Ithacan stubs his toe in the garden, he may say, "Some god sent that rock to alter my path!". Odysseus himself is proof that, if the gods choose, anything might happen, even to a king. Story Background.
What is the first thing Odysseus does after leaving Troy?
The first thing that Odysseus does after leaving Troy, for example, is to sack Ismarus, stronghold of the Cicones. In addition to plunder, he captures the women.
What does Athena do to Odysseus?
Although Athena intervenes on Odysseus' behalf repeatedly throughout the epic , her curse originally causes his wanderings. With Odysseus gone, all that he has — his kingship, his wealth, his home, and his wife and son — is in jeopardy.
What are some literary devices associated with the Odyssey?
The Odyssey also employs most of the literary and poetic devices associated with epics: catalogs, digressions, long speeches, journeys or quests, various trials or tests of the hero, similes, metaphors, and divine intervention . Although few contemporary authors attempt to compose epics, the influence of the genre and of The Odyssey is extensive.
What is the name of the poem that begins in the middle of the story?
Calliope is the Muse most often associated with epic poetry. Having invoked the Muse, the epic poet then begins in the middle of the tale; teachers sometimes use a Latin term, in medias res ("in the middle of things"), to identify this technique.
What book is Odysseus in?
Books 1-4: Telemacheia. The Odyssey begins with an introduction that presents the theme and the protagonist of the work, Odysseus, emphasizing the wrath of Poseidon towards him. The Gods decide that it’s time for Odysseus, who is being held captive by the nymph Calypso on the island of Ogygia, to come home.
Where does the story of Odysseus take place?
One narrative takes place in Ithaca, an island whose ruler, Odysseus, has been absent for twenty years. The other narrative is Odysseus’ own journey back home, which consists both of present-day narrations and recollections of his past adventures in lands inhabited by monsters and natural wonders.
What happened to Odysseus after finishing his account?
After finishing his account, Odysseus receives even more gifts and riches from the Phaeacians. He is then transported back to Ithaca on a Phaeacian ship overnight. This enrages Poseidon, who turns the ship to stone once it’s almost back to Scheria, which in turn makes Alcinous swear that they will never help any other foreigner again.
What island does Odysseus fall asleep on?
Yet, as Odysseus approaches Scheria, the island of the Phaeacians, Poseidon catches a glimpse of him and destroys his raft with a storm. After swimming for three days, Odysseus makes it onto dry land, where he falls asleep under an oleander tree.
How did Odysseus escape?
Odysseus escaped by using his cleverness to trick Polyphemus, then blinding him. With this act, Odysseus inspired Poseidon's wrath, as Polyphemus was a son of Poseidon. Next, Odysseus and his fellow seafarers met Aeolus, the ruler of the winds.
Where did Odysseus find his companions?
After a disastrous first venture in the land of the Cycones (the only population in The Odyssey that is also mentioned in historical sources), Odysseus and his companions found themselves in the land of the Lotus-eaters, who attemped to give them food that would have made them lose the will to get home.
Why did Zeus send Hermes to Calypso?
Zeus sends his winged messenger Hermes to the island of Calypso to convince her to release her captive Odysseus, whom she wanted to make immortal. Calypso consents and provides assistance by helping Odysseus build a raft and telling him the way. Yet, as Odysseus approaches Scheria, the island of the Phaeacians, Poseidon catches a glimpse of him and destroys his raft with a storm.
Overview
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the Iliad, the poem is divided into 24 books. It follows the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War. After the war itself, which lasted ten years, his journey lasted for ten additiona…
Synopsis
The Odyssey begins after the end of the ten-year Trojan War (the subject of the Iliad), from which Odysseus, king of Ithaca, has still not returned due to angering Poseidon, the god of the sea. Odysseus' son, Telemachus, is about 20 years old and is sharing his absent father's house on the island of Ithaca with his mother Penelope and the suitors of Penelope, a crowd of 108 boisterous young men who each aim to persuade Penelope for her hand in marriage, all the while reveling i…
Structure
The Odyssey is 12,109 lines composed in dactylic hexameter, also called Homeric hexameter. It opens in medias res, in the middle of the overall story, with prior events described through flashbacks and storytelling. The 24 books correspond to the letters of the Greek alphabet; the division was likely made after the poem's composition by someone other than Homer, but is generally accepted.
Geography
The events in the main sequence of the Odyssey (excluding Odysseus' embedded narrative of his wanderings) have been said to take place in the Peloponnese and in what are now called the Ionian Islands. There are difficulties in the apparently simple identification of Ithaca, the homeland of Odysseus, which may or may not be the same island that is now called Ithakē (modern Greek: Ιθάκη). The wanderings of Odysseus as told to the Phaeacians, and the location of the Phaeacia…
Influences
Scholars have seen strong influences from Near Eastern mythology and literature in the Odyssey. Martin West notes substantial parallels between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odyssey. Both Odysseus and Gilgamesh are known for traveling to the ends of the earth, and on their journeys go to the land of the dead. On his voyage to the underworld, Odysseus follows instructions given to …
Themes and patterns
Homecoming (Ancient Greek: νόστος, nostos) is a central theme of the Odyssey. Anna Bonafazi of the University of Cologne writes that, in Homer, nostos is "return home from Troy, by sea".
Agatha Thornton examines nostos in the context of characters other than Odysseus, in order to provide an alternative for what might happen after the en…
Textual history
The date of the poem is a matter of some disagreement among classicists. In the middle of the 8th century BCE, the inhabitants of Greece began to adopt a modified version of the Phoenician alphabet to write down their own language. The Homeric poems may have been one of the earliest products of that literacy, and if so, would have been composed some time in the late 8th century BCE. I…
Influence
The influence of the Homeric texts can be difficult to summarise because of how greatly they have impacted the popular imagination and cultural values. The Odyssey and the Iliad formed the basis of education for members of ancient Mediterranean society. That curriculum was adopted by Western humanists, meaning the text was so much a part of the cultural fabric that it b…