Pickett Odyssey

Trojan War

Nov 7, 1200

Summary
The Trojan War was waged by the Greeks against the city of Troy for the purpose of retrieving Helen and returning her to Menelaus. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is a Greek hero of the Trojan War who left his wife, Penelope, and infant son Telemachus to fight in the war. After the Trojan War ended, Odysseus and his men begin their long journey back home.

Trojan War

Nov 7, 1200

Analysis
I would say that Odysseus learns the value of family. Odysseus understands that the ending of the Trojan War means he is to go back home to his family. His trials and tribulations to that end prove his loyalty to his family. This helped developed the theme that the war stirred the imagination of the ancient Greeks more than any other event in their history.

Lotus-Eaters

Nov 12, 1200

Analysis
Something that Odysseus lost was that eating the lotus plant causes Odysseus' men to lose memory and all desire to return home. Odysseus learns that some of his men are weak. They would rather live in the land of the Lotus-Eaters than to return home. This is a lesson for Odysseus.

Lotus-Eaters

Nov 12, 1200

Summary
Lotus-Eaters are a group of people who had forgotten their purpose in life and who gave in to the peaceful apathy that came with eating the lotus. The Lotus Eaters gave Odysseus's men and Odysseus a plant to eat but whoever ate it lost hope to go home that is why they pose a threat. Odysseus didn't want to go further in the incident because he had to leave because if they stayed his men may have eaten the plant and lost hope of home.

Cyclops

Nov 15, 1200

Summary
The cyclops Polyphemus refuses to treat him well and eats some of his men. Using a strong liquor, Odysseus gets the cyclops and his servant Silenus drunk. The Cyclops' bad behavior sets into motion a chain of events that will change the lives of Odysseus, his soldiers, and his family forever.

Cyclops

Nov 15, 1200

Analysis
Something Odysseus lost when fighting the cyclops was six of his men the cyclops ate his men. One of the lessons Odysseus learns is the danger of arrogance and pride. Odysseus is quite full of himself because he has tricked the cyclops. The theme of the cyclops in the odyssey is Pride it is the act of thinking you are better than others and in Greek times it meant putting yourself above the gods. An example is Polyphemus had a choice to help Odysseus but his pride got in the way.

Aeolus-Bag of Wind

Nov 17, 1200

Analysis
Something Odysseus gained with Aeolus was getting the bag of wind to go home. Something he lost was not getting another bag of wind because Aeolus thinks he is cursed. Odysseus learns that his men does not trust him. He thinks his men doesn't trust him because they thought that Aeolus had secretly gave Odysseus a bag of silver and gold.

Aeolus-Bag of Wind

Nov 17, 1200

Summary
Aeolus was the keeper of winds and king of the Island of Aeolia. Aeolus gives Odysseus a bag of wind to return to Ithaca. Odysseus wants another bag of wind but Aeolus he thinks that Odysseus and his men are cursed by the Gods. Aeolus was described as a minor god.

Circe

Nov 19, 1200

Summary
Odysseus goes to Circes hall to save his men. Hermes gives Odysseus a plant to resist Circe's sorcery. Circe releases Odysseus men after Turing them into pigs but persuades Odysseus to stay. After a while they want to go home. Circe says she will help them but only if Odysseus alone descends into the land of the dead to seek the prophet Teiresias.

Circe

Nov 19, 1200

Analysis
Odysseus learns that what he wants the most is to be with his wife Penelope. He also learned some self control. During the odyssey Circe helps develop the theme of heroic struggles. I think that she develops the theme of heroic struggles because Circe was a real challenge.

Sirens

Nov 22, 1200

Summary
Once Odysseus returns to Circes island she warns him of the dangers of his journey. Circe warns the men of the Sirens, beautiful bird like women whose music enchants men so that they can kill them. Also that no sailors has ever survived the lure of the sirens. So Odysseus gets his men to tie him down and the more he tries to go towards them the more his men tie them down.

Scylla and Charybdis

Nov 22, 1200

Summary
Now Odysseus has to navigate his ship through Scylla and Charybdis and the giant whirlpool. To avoid one of them you would have to encounter another. So when they avoided Charybdis they had to encounter Scylla. Then he loses many men to Scylla. Later, when he is on the raft by himself and he comes back and faces the two monsters again. This time he got sucked in by Charybdis he survives though by holding a tight grip on to a fig tree.

Sirens

Nov 22, 1200

Analysis
The encounter with the sirens help develop the theme of self control and being smart. Odysseus idea of the beeswax and tying himself up demonstrates self control because without the beeswax and tying himself up means he wouldn't have control over himself. Something Odysseus loses during the encounter with the sirens is that he wants to here the sirens sing.

Scylla and Charybdis

Nov 22, 1200

Analysis
Something Odysseus lost during encountering Scylla and Charybdis is six of his men. Something Odysseus gained was that he survived being swallowed by Charybdis. Both Scylla and Charybdis gave the theme of dangers confronting the Greeks. To be between them means to get caught up into two unpleasant monster.

Helios' Cattle

Nov 23, 1200

Analysis
Something Odysseus lost was the ship and his men. During this event Odysseus learned was helplessness and vulnerability. He feels this way because his ship is destroyed by Zeus and Odysseus is cast to sea. Something Odysseus gained was that he was still alive.

Helios' Cattle

Nov 23, 1200

Summary
Circe warns Odysseus not to touch Helios's precious cattle, lest he seek revenge. Odysseus men didn't listen and at the cattle. Odysseus was asleep and his men were eating cows. So Helios' ask Zeus to punish them. Zeus destroys the ship killing all but Odysseus.

Suiters/Home

Nov 23, 1200

Eurycleia announces Odysseus return to Penelope. Penelope suspects a trick from the Gods and decides to test Odysseus. Telemachus chides her for doubting Odysseus identity. She tells Telemachus that she and Odysseus share secret signs. Only Odysseus can move their bed and since they haven't seen each other in twenty years she doesn't know if it is him because suitors come to her and pretend to be him.

Suiters/Home

Nov 23, 1200

Analysis
Odysseus came home after twenty years, only to find that his house is over run by suitors. Thankfully, the goddess Athena helps Odysseus reclaim his home by coming up with a plan to kill the suitors, which mostly involves Odysseus becoming mad enough to defeat the foul suitors. The theme of the Odysseus with the suitors is vengeance He takes revenge on the suitors for their lack of respect towards his household.