1. What have you learned about Greek culture, values, and religion? Address the roles of women and men, honor and virtues, gods and goddesses, etc. (200 words)
I've learned that in Greek culture Gods and Goddesses rule everything. Gods and Goddesses rule religion because the men and women pray to them. Gods made it hard for Oddyesseus to return home in a certain amount of time. Posiedon, god of the sea, destroyed his boat. Athena, the daughter of Zeus, was the reason that Odysseus went on the voyage. In the book Poseidon told Odyesseus that without Gods there is no man.
In Greek the role of a man is to be the head of the house. Men grow stocks for food. Women on the other hand are responsible for cooking, cleaning and respecting who ever comes in there house. It is a rule for people to accept gifts even though do not want to.
2. What resonated with you in reading about Odysseus’ adventures? Why? (100 words)
The adventures seemed to be out of the ordinary. HIs adventures envolved one eyed monsters, birds with the head of a woman, three headed canibal monsters, even Goddesses that pursued him into doing things he didn't want to do. Odysseus did have ordinary times like fighting in the war between Sparta and Troy. Bringing victory for Sparta because they defeated the Trojans.
3. This epic poem is dated nearly 3000 years ago, why is it still relevant? (100 words)
This epic poem is going on because its the first piece of literature written.This should be cherished because of that reason. Literature is fine art just written down. Something old should always be remebered. Maybe thats the reason why The Odyssey is still going on.
4. How would you characterize the narrator, the fictive "Homer" whose voice we imagine as singing the verses of the Odyssey?
I could see Homer as a very old man, with alot of wisdom and of course blind. He would probably be as brave as Odysseus.
5. What kinds of behavior are treated as contemptible in the Odyssey?
The type of behavior was kind behavior. You must respect those who bring gifts to you and also accept the gifts
6. How does the poem represent mortal women? Since Penelope is the most important woman in the Odyssey, what qualities does she possess, and how does she respond to the troubles she faces? (Some of the other women are of note, too-Eurycleia the serving woman, the faithless maidservants, Nausicaa the Phaeacian princess, and Helen of Sparta, Menelaus' queen, whose elopement with Prince Paris sparked the Trojan War.)
It shows that mortal women have respect for others even though they do mess up. Penelope stayed faithful to her husband for 20 years. She faced the disrespect she got from the arrogant Suitors that wanted everything that her husband worked hard for.
7.How do Homer's gods think and behave? How do their actions and motivations differ from the conception of god in other religions of which you have knowledge? What role do the Homeric gods play in human affairs, and what is the responsibility of humans with respect to those gods?
Homer's Gods behave in ways that seem to believe that man are trulyt nothing without them. Without the god of the sea there would be no water. Without the god of the wind there would be no air for them to drink. Without the Goddesses there would be no love or no understanding of things. Humans respect Gods because they bring everything to them.
