![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Introduce some of the additional elements of traditional epic poems, such as the formal and florid language, their opening with an invocation, or the use of epithets (such as "fleet-footed Achilles"). What is the hero's relationship with his homeland (whether that place is ancient Greece or the imaginary Middle Earth)?.Can students identify ways in which the behavior of the epic hero might be teaching the reader a lesson, or presenting an example for them to follow?.Is the hero a remote figure, or is he or she someone readers identify with?.Are there discernable patterns in the answers?.Have students compare and contrast their answers. Once students have completed the charts, ask them to share some of the results with the rest of the class. Ask them to work together to fill in examples of each of the epic hero cycle elements on their charts. Divide students into small groups, where they will chose a story from the list they are all familiar with, such as the Lord of the Rings. A brief list of epic stories might include:ĭistribute the charts listing the major elements of the Elements of the Epic Hero Cycle (PDF). Draw students' attention to the ways in which they have come in contact with epic stories rooted in ancient Greece, such as the recent movie Troy. Ask students to suggest stories that fit the epic hero cycle, and introduce the class to stories with which they may be less familiar. Compile a list of stories that follow this pattern. While they may not be familiar with some epic stories, they probably are familiar with the Star Wars series of movies, or the Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series of books, which they may be surprised to learn also follow an epic hero cycle. Review with students the definition and elements of epic poetry found at the Glossary of Literary Terms.Īsk students what other stories they know or have heard of that follow a similar pattern of action and components described in the definition of epic poetry. Homer’s name can be translated from a word that means blind, but the vivid imagery of the Iliad and the Odyssey suggest that the author of the poems must have had sight at some point in his life.Activity 1. The language of the Iliad and the Odyssey suggest that Homer came from the western coast of the modern nation of Turkey. Modern scholars believe the Iliad and the Odyssey are based on oral legends, but the epics are often attributed to a storyteller named Homer. As the Trojans slept, Greek soldiers emerged from their hiding place inside the wooden horse, opened the city gates, and began to burn the sleeping city. After a great victory celebration of their defeat of the Greek army, the people of Troy slept for the night. The joyous Trojans opened the city gates and pulled in the giant statue. The Greek navy pretended to sail away, but they only sailed out to a hidden location. The Greeks left a huge wooden horse as a peace offering to the Trojans. The war began after a Trojan prince named Paris kidnapped Helen.Īccording to the Odyssey, the Trojan War ended when the Greeks pretended to give up their quest for Helen. The Trojan War was fought over Helen, who according to legend was the beautiful daughter of Zeus and the wife of the king of the Greek polis of Sparta. The two oldest surviving examples of Greek literature are the Iliadand the Odyssey, epic poems that describe the Trojan War, a conflict between the Greeks and the city of Troy that the epics say was fought almost 1200 years before the Common Era.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |