The Odyssey Study Guide

The Odyssey is an epic poem attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. Most likely composed in the late 8th century B.C.E., it is the second-oldest-known work in Western literature. (The oldest-known work is Homers Iliad, for which The Odyssey is considered a sequel.) The Odyssey first appeared in English in the 17th century and has been translated more than sixty times. Many of the words and phrases employed by Homer are open to a wide range of interpretation, causing not-insignificant differences between translations. Fast Facts: The Odyssey Title: The OdysseyAuthor: HomerDate Published: Composed during the 8th century B.C.E.Type of Work: PoemGenre: Epic Original Language: Ancient GreekThemes: Spiritual growth, cunning vs. strength, order vs. disorderMajor Characters: Odysseus, Penelope, Telemachus, Athena, Zeus, Poseidon, CalypsoNotable Adaptations: Ulysses by Lord Tennyson (1833), Ithaka by C.P. Cavafy (1911), Ulysses by James Joyce (1922) Plot Summary At the start of The Odyssey, the author addresses the Muse, asking her to tell him about Odysseus, the hero who spent more time traveling back to his Greek home than any other Greek hero at the Trojan War. Odysseus has been kept captive by the goddess Calypso. The other gods, except Poseidon (god of the sea) fell sympathy for Odysseus. Poseidon hates him because he blinded his son, Polyphemus. The goddess Athena, Odysseus’ protector, convinces her father, Zeus, that Odysseus needs assistance. She disguises herself and travels to Greece to meet with Odysseus’ son, Telemachus. Telemachus is unhappy because his home is beset by suitors who want to marry his mother, Penelope, and take over Odysseus throne. With Athenas help, Telemachus sets out to search for his father. He visits other veterans of the Trojan War, and one of his father’s old comrades, Menelaus, tells him that Odysseus is being held by Calypso. Meanwhile, Calypso finally releases Odysseus. Odysseus sets out on a boat, but the vessel is soon destroyed by Poseidon, who harbors a grudge against Odysseus. Odysseus swims to a nearby island where he is warmly greeted by King Alcinous and Queen Arete of the Phaeacians. There, Odysseus recounts the story of his journey. Odysseus explains that he and his companions left Troy on twelve ships. They visited the island of the lotus-eaters and were captured by the cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon. When making an escape, Odysseus blinded Polyphemus, inspiring Poseidons wrath as a result. Next, the men nearly made it home, but were blown off course. They first encountered a cannibal, and then the witch Circe, who turned half of Odysseus men into pigs but spared Odysseus thanks to the protection provided to him by the sympathetic gods. After one year, Odysseus and his men left Circe and reached the edge of the world, where Odysseus summoned spirits for advice and learned of the suitors living in his home. Odysseus and his men made their way past more threats, including the Sirens, a many-headed sea monster, and an enormous whirlpool. Hungry, they ignored warnings and hunted the sacred cattle of the god Helios; as a result, they were punished with yet another shipwreck, stranding Odysseus on Calypsoâ€℠¢s island. After Odysseus tells his story, the Phaeacians help Odysseus disguise himself and travel home at last. Upon returning to Ithaca, Odysseus meets his son Telemachus, and the two men agree that the suitors must be killed. Odysseus wife Penelope arranges for an archery competition, which she has rigged to guarantee Odysseus win. After winning the competition, Odysseus slaughters the suitors and reveals his true identity, which Penelope accepts after putting him through one final trial. Finally, Athena saves Odysseus from the vengeance of the dead suitors families. Major Characters Odysseus. Odysseus, a Greek warrior, is the protagonist of the poem. His journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War is the primary narrative of the poem. He is a somewhat non-traditional hero, as he is known more for his cleverness and cunning than his physical strength. Telemachus. Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, was an infant when his father left Ithaca. In the poem, Telemachus goes on a quest to figure out his fathers whereabouts. He ultimately reunites with his father and helps him kill Penelopes suitors. Penelope. Penelope is the loyal wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus. Her cleverness equals that of her husband. During Odysseus 20-year absence, she devises numerous tricks to stave off the suitors who seek to marry her and gain power over Ithaca. Poseidon. Poseidon is the god of the sea. He is angry with Odysseus for blinding his son, the cyclops Polyphemus, and makes various attempts to hinder Odysseus journey home. He can be considered Odysseus primary antagonist. Athena. Athena is the goddess of cunning and intelligent warfare, as well as the crafts (e.g. weaving). She favors Odysseus and his family, and she actively helps Telemachus and advises Penelope. Literary Style As an epic poem written in the 8th century B.C.E., The Odyssey was almost certainly intended to be spoken, not read. It was composed in an ancient form of Greek known as Homeric Greek, a poetic dialect specific to poetic compositions. The poem is composed in dactylic hexameter (sometimes referred to as epic meter). The Odyssey begins in media res, starting off in the middle of the action and providing expository details later. The non-linear plot leaps back and forth in time. The poem employs flashbacks and poems-within-a-poem to fill in these gaps. Another key feature of the poems style is the use of epithets: fixed phrases and adjectives that are often repeated when a characters name is mentioned—e.g. bright-eyed Athena. These epithets serve to remind the reader about the characters most important essential traits. The poem is also notable for its sexual politics in that the plot is driven as much by the decisions made by women as it is by male warriors. In fact, many of the men in the story, like Odysseus and his son Telemachus, are passive and frustrated through much of the story. By contrast, Penelope and Athena take numerous active steps to protect Ithaca and assist Odysseus and his family. About the Author There is some disagreement about Homer’s authorship of The Odysseyï » ¿. Most ancient accounts refer to Homer as a blind poet from Ionia, but todays scholars believe more than one poet worked on what we know today as The Odyssey. Indeed, there is evidence that the final section of the poem was added much later than the previous books. Today, most scholars accept that The Odyssey is the product of several sources that were worked on by several different contributors. Sources â€Å"The Odyssey - Homer - Ancient Greece - Classical Literature.† Oedipus the King - Sophocles - Ancient Greece - Classical Literature, www.ancient-literature.com/greece_homer_odyssey.html.Mason, Wyatt. â€Å"The First Woman to Translate the Odyssey Into English.† The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Nov. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/magazine/the-first-woman-to-translate-the-odyssey-into-english.html.Athens, AFP in. â€Å"Ancient Find May Be Earliest Extract of Epic Homer Poem Odyssey.† The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 10 July 2018, www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jul/10/earliest-extract-of-homers-epic-poem-odyssey-unearthed.Mackie, Chris. â€Å"Guide to the Classics: Homers Odyssey.† The Conversation, The Conversation, 15 July 2018, theconversation.com/guide-to-the-classics-homers-odyssey-82911.â€Å"Odyssey.† Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 July 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odyssey#Structure.

The Ideal Strategy for World Literature Essay Topics

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Solar Panels vs. Trees Free Essays

Solar Panels Vs. Trees Many consumers have several questions if whether or not if their neighbors can block access to their solar panels with shading. In the case of Solar vs. We will write a custom essay sample on Solar Panels vs. Trees or any similar topic only for you Order Now Trees, the trees are the ones that block the solar panels from direct sunlight. Both these men are environmentally friendly. â€Å"In terms of loving the environment it seems that neither one can top the other. † (NPR 62) When it comes to the decision of cutting down trees to get sunlight for solar panels, which one seems to have the upper hand in this situation? I believe Mr. Treanor should have the upper hand in this situation involving his trees and Mr. Vargus’s solar panel installation. Mr. Treanor trees had been planted first and Mr. Vargus did not seem to mention the fact that the trees were interrupting the growth of the corn he had planted. There are several reason as to why Mr. Vargus is wrong in filing the lawsuit against Mr. Treanor. Mr. Vargus used his knowledge of the Solar Shade Act after the matter of knowing his neighbor’s trees were casting a long shadow over his property. Mr. Vargus never informed Mr. Treanor of his findings. It was only after the tree had grown to its full height that Mr. Vargus installed the solar panels that he offered Mr. Treanor that he would pay for the tree to be cut down himself. Since Mr. Treanor planted the redwood trees first. The one immense mistake he made was the fact that he did not do his research so that he could be well acquainted with the redwood trees and to see precisely how tall the redwood trees grow and the environment that they need to be grown in. He also did not consider any of the risk factors that could possibly occur when planting a redwood and living in one of the areas that has a high risk of earthquake. For someone that has never seen a redwood tree, it can be larger than life. The average redwood tree can amount up to three hundred and seventy five feet tall. These trees have been present before man himself came on earth. If a live redwood were to fall over it will continue to grow. At that point if the tree that has fallen over has not been disturbed will continue to grow and produce even more redwoods trees. First of all, redwoods depend on 30 percent of fog to water their every need. The fog is absorbed directly into leaves and all the way down to their roots. Living in certain parts of California especially one of them being Santa Clara means we hardly receive any of this fog except our large amounts of sunshine. Living in Santa Clara also means you live close to the San Andres fault line. If an earthquake were to occur the redwood tree that Mr. Treanor planted could easily break from the ground and fall onto one of his neighbors houses. Therefore producing a larger amount of redwoods. Although there is cause for several complications, redwoods are of necessity in our environment. Originally Redwoods covered 2 million acres in the forest. Today there is about 117,000 acres left. â€Å"There is an urgent need to restore these damaged lands so they will once again resemble majestic ancient forests and provide homes for animals that rely on them. (All About Redwoods)† Even though Mr. Treanor did not take the necessary precautions he should have, Mr. Vargus should have brought his discovery to Mr. Treanor and proceed to develop a plan in which they both would have come to a compromise. When Mr. Vargus first attempted to plant his corn he knew he needed sunlight to ensure its growth. Mr. Vargus planted his corn closet to the fence line where the shade was more evident. Mr. Vargus knew at that moment that the corn that he planted would not grow due to the amount of shade that was covering the side of his house. At that precise moment he was indifferent of the situation with the growth of Mr. Treanors trees. It was later that Mr. Vargus spent thousands of dollars to install the solar panels after the fact of the matter that he was well informed of the Solar Shade/Rights Act. This act was created to perform a solar access structure. This law that included security was â€Å"to allow sunlight and prevent shading of systems and to limit the ability homeowner associations and governments† from solar energy resources. Mr. Vargus did offer to pay $10,000 to have the trees cut down. He was also well informed of the Solar Shade Act law and took advantage of the situation. What he did not take into consideration was the fact that trees one; two and three had been planted before the installment of his solar energy system. They had been there before he made his attempt to plant his corn plant. The Solar Shade Act was to provide limited protection to solar energy owners from shading that has been caused by any other resources. This law was to prevent property owners from allowing a blocking to their solar energy system prior installment. Resources planted after prior installment was and should to be removed. Shading is only allowed to block 10 percent of the solar energy systems on a neighboring property during certain hours. This applies to existing or newly planted trees that do not cast an overlooking shadow within the first year f installation. The Solar Rights Act allows us to balance the essential needs of each individual solar system owner along with other property owners by allowing the development of solar access rights. The SRA limits its conditions and restrictions that are enforced by homeowners and local government agencies on solar installations. The also creates legal rights to solar interest and requires local agencies to help preserve the cooling and heatin g opportunities in developing new projects. The California Solar Rights Act of  1978 does not necessarily bar reasonable restrictions  on solar installations, but it does establish its legal right to exercise a solar convenience. Which defines that energy systems are met with its requirements. It is to also control the government ordinances that would confine solar energy systems. The California Solar Shade Control Act was passed in the late 1970’s after â€Å"the oil crisis and lines at the gas stations† (NBR 62) made an impact on lawmakers and made them aware of the importance of alternative energy use. In the result of the oil crisis there were many states that adopted laws to encourage and promote renewable energy resources, which incorporated solar energy. In the recent years there has been a large amount of renewed energy. Many homes today have solar panels installed. There are more than 60 million Americans that are limited to the growth of solar energy use which bring about the Solar Shade Act and making it the most popular in homeownership. These laws have been in place for more than 30 years. The Solar Rights Act fought to promote and support the wide-ranging use of solar energy systems and to defend and help aid the right to use to the sunlight, which is an essential component to operate our solar energy systems. Even though the law is more than 30 years old, the Solar Rights Act is a large contributory factor that plays a significant role to California’s strong policy commitment to solar energy, and it is also the foundation for the act that is of relevance to all of us today and helps to continue its support for California’s solar energy programs. How to cite Solar Panels vs. Trees, Papers