荷马史诗《奥德赛》Odysseyppt课件.ppt

nThe Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad. nThe poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second oldest extant work of Western literature, the Iliad being the oldest. nOdysseus s heroic trait is his cunning intelligence; he is often described as the Peer of Zeus in Counsel.nWhen being the opposition of the gods, Odysseus is shrewd, tough, clear-sighted, experienced. And he is intensely self-reliant, confident of his own powers against the buffetings of fate. The poem mainly focuses on the Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the fall of Troy. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War.nOn their way home, the god of the sea, Poseidon, was angry with Odysseus for blinding his son Cyclops, and then curses Odysseus to wander the sea for ten years, during which he would lose all his crew.nThey suffered the storm and were completely annihilated. Finally with his wit and courage only Odysseuss ship escaped. Odysseus gets Polyphemos drunk and escapesnThe next island is home of the witch Circe. Circe gave the crew a potion to drink, which turned them into pigs. Odysseus used a special herb to counter the effects of the potion, and remained unchanged. nImpressed by this, the witch promptly fell in love with him, and she offered directions to the Underworld.nIn Hades of the Underworld, Odysseus met the spirit of his mother who had died of grief during his long absence. nFrom her, he knows it is assumed he has died. His wife Penelope, who had remained faithful and his son must deal with a crowd of 108 boisterous young men, the Suitors, whose aim is to persuade Penelope to marry one of them and eat up his wealth.nThey skirted the land of the Sirens, who sang an enchanting song that normally caused passing sailors to steer toward the rocks and sink. nAll of the sailors except for Odysseus, who was tied to the mast as he wanted to hear the song, had their ears plugged up with beeswax. nThey suffered a shipwreck. All but Odysseus were drowned; he clung to a tree above Charybdis and washed ashore on the island. nHe was compelled to remain there as Calypsos lover for nearly seven years until she was ordered by Hermes to release Odysseus.nOdysseus comes back home while suitors who occupy his home want Penelope to give up on her husband and remarry.nPenelope agrees to marry the man who can win the contest of stringing Odysseus bow and shooting an arrow through a dozen axes. nThe only man who can do it is Odysseus who disguised as a beggar. He then turns his arrows on the Suitors and kills them. Odysseus and Penelope are together again.