Blog post 13

For our last week of reading the odyssey, we got to choose what to write about. I chose to write about the importance of epithets inside of the odyssey. Epithets are a type of formulaic language that help describe a character. The typical formation of these epithets are Adjective-Noun then a name, for example clear headed Telemachus. These epithets were a very important part of these greek stories, because the stories were all told orally and they wanted to sound like song. By including epithets, it adds an element of rhythm to the song/story. Another reason is that since the stories are told orally, the epithets give the individual characters titles to help the characters get stuck in the audience's head. In conclusion, the Greek story of Odysseus and other works from that era would not be complete without epithets because of how much they contributed to the story.

blog post 12

Foreshadowing of the suitors fate - The Odyssey

This week for the Odyssey we were supposed to read chapters 17 - 20. The prompt I chose to write about was that In Book 17, there is a lot of foreshadowing of what will happen to the suitors. Find three examples of this (quote them in your post), and explain what you think this means for the fate of the suitors.” It is still up to speculation as to what the fate of the suitors will be, but through reading some important quotes some of the characters strongly express their viewpoint on the suitors. Early on in the book, I read this quote from Telemachus “Peiraeus, we don't know how things will turn out. Should the suitors treacherously kill me at home and among them divide my family's wealth, I would rather you keep these gifts.” Page 258. Here he is speaking with Peiraeus and he shares that he might be a little frightened on the suitors behalf, of them viciously murdering him. After Odysseus travels to the palace disguised as a beggar, things get a little heated with one of the more aggressive suitors Antinous, and soon after Antinous attacks Odysseus, he says this to him, “May death come to Antinous before marriage does.” This quote reveals Odysseus’ anger in the heat of the moment and also suggests plans he may have for the future towards the suitors. Page 271. Towards the end of the book, as Penelope is challenging one of the suitors she yells “Go ahead and call the stranger for me! Didn’t you see my son sneeze at my words? That means death will surely come to the suitors, One and all.” This quote gives a direct accusation from Penelope that the suitors will indeed die, and that the sneeze from telemachus confirms it.