Wednesday, April 18, 2018
"The Iliad" & "The Odyssey" What Do We Think?
With reference to The Iliad/Odyssey Video, what did it make you
contemplate regarding archetypal patterns? Homecoming? Pride? The hero?
Divinities? Heroic Code? Guest/Host? Hubris? Other? Please quote from
either text or the video. Please complete this blog response by 2:30p.m. on or before April 24th.
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22 comments:
One of the points that this video spotlights is the now seemingly strange relationship people of those times had with travelers. It was considered normal back then to offer food and home to strangers because there was much less risk to it. This is deeply rooted in the guest/host relationship piece of the heroic code, because without this social norm of giving aid to strangers on the road, it would never have been included.
Both Illiad and the Odyssey connect to bravery and honor, through the Heroic Code, but the Illiad more pertains to guest/host interactions. According to the video, "Xenia" was known as taking in random travelers. Which we'd consider dangerous, but then, both people would benefit. The host would learn information about the world outside him that he perhaps didn't know, but the guest gets a place to stay, it's mutual.
This video really showed me how the Greeks really valued Xenia. If people didn't follow it, then the video said something along the lines of it bringing bad luck to the travellers or among those lines. I think it's interesting to see that people were so into this belief and it was a part of their culture. I think this relates to the guest host relationship considering that the guest stole the wife of the man who he was staying with.
The focus of Xenia in the Iliad is interesting, it's something unheard of to most of us today, but can be seen prevalently in Greek Mythology such as when Zeus and another god disguised themselves as mortals waiting to obtain shelter from humans to congratulate them. We also see the guest/host relationship being strained or abused, such as Perseus and Jason being in the castles of kings where conflict arose or when Psyche broke Cupid's trust after he gave her love and let her be a guest in his home.
Some things the Iliad makes me contemplate are the factual details of the war. I know to the Greeks, Troy was a legendary city but how far did the Trojans' domain extend? How was Troy able to amass enough forces to protect the city? How did logistics work for the Greeks when organizing an army? Did the soldiers know they were fighting because of romantic dispute? These are the things that I contemplate which could be described as the archetypes of war. I also contemplate the factual background behind the Trojan Horse. I think heroism will be a common theme in the story for multiple heros because Troy is considered such a legend.
The odyssey made me contemplate that even people withe strongest city/state pride and hate every opposing power, are still humanized and are still forced to be kind to all even strangers. Which is apart of the hero's code which would show that Homer wanted people to be just more them human. This is shown in the act of 'Xenia' or hospitality to strangers.
Some things the Iliad makes me contemplate are the factual details of the war. I know to the Greeks, Troy was a legendary city but how far did the Trojans' domain extend? How was Troy able to amass enough forces to protect the city? How did logistics work for the Greeks when organizing an army? Did the soldiers know they were fighting because of romantic dispute? These are the things that I contemplate which could be described as the archetypes of war. I also contemplate the factual background behind the Trojan Horse. I think heroism will be a common theme in the story for multiple heros because Troy is considered such a legend.
Up to where the video paused, the Illiad had a host/guest relationship. This relationship stems from people not wanting to travel if there is no hospitality along the way, due to the fact that travelers would not be guaranteed a bed to sleep in or a hot meal, if there was no hospitality, no one would travel at all. Diomedes and Glaucas found that Diomedes' grandfather, provided hospitality to Glaucas' grandfather, and thus the two became friends and said they would not fight each other due to the host/guest hospitality relationship between their family histories. There is also the part where Paris goes to the house of Menelaus and claims guest rights.
After watching the video it gave me some insight as to how important Xenia was to the Greek. I think this just made the city at the time a much better place and happier to live in. It was not sketchy or a bad thing to give homeless or strangers a place to stay and or food. It is a good concept for back then but I do not believe today's society would be fit for that rule.
This video made me think about how Xenia relates to the guest/host relationship of mythology, and how it is something that exists in a lot of stories about heroes. It's interesting because today, most people would be paranoid to do something like this due to mistrust and security concerns with strangers. However, this also shows how they had a strong sense of community back then, and concern for others.
The Odyssey shows Hubris because Odysseus when leaving the island with the giant yells out his name because he thinks he is safe and has defeated the Giant. However, the giant hears him and tells his father, Poseidon. This causes Odysseus to experience many more problems along the way as a punishment from Poseidon. The Iliad says a lot about guest/host relationships, and how people should provide hospitality to guests.
After watching the Iliad/Odyssey I am contemplating hubris a lot. The big example is when during the voyage, Odysseus knows that he is going to an island with the many-headed monster and knows that 6 of his men will die. But he still goes to this island without telling his men because he wants to complete his voyage. This makes me think about hubris a lot because he has self confidence but he is not thinking about the rest of his men because he wants to do this for himself only.
Its an important battle between Trojans and the Greeks as for it took courage and bravery.So then the Iliad connects to the guest host relationship element because it talks about hospitality when traveling.Which they need to conqueror there battles because talking and location is important.
The relationship represented in the Iliad explains the importance of a guest/host culture. In the Iliad this guest/host relationship plays to the benefit of the entire population; as travelers come through towns they can depend on residents to host them and the hosts depend on the guests to inform them of what’s going on in the outside world. This makes me think about how each person in the relationship depends on the other to survive, how both are crucial to the function and balance of society in terms of population as well. Without outside information hosts can not know when they need to take cautionary measures to save themselves from an outside threat and guests can not survive without a place to stay.
One of the main points I noticed was the Homecoming. It seemed like a very glorious and special event for the hero. I feel as though it was a main focus to the stories. It is when a hero comes back to where he originated from to gain glory for completing something close to impossible. The video also highlighted the fact that there were relationships between travelers and the hero.
The Odyssey has a lot in the story that relates to Hubris. The biggest example come from Odysseus when he leaves the island with the giant, yelling out his name because he thinks he is safd from the giant. The giant ends up hearing him and tells his father, Poseidon. This causes Odysseus to experience many more problems along the way as a punishment from Poseidon. The Iliad is all about guest/host relationships. When people come through the town, the townspeople are supposed to treat them like they are royalty and so people are happy while they are there.
The relationship that is represented in the Iliad shows the importance of a guest/host relationship. It was a social norm to offer people there housing while people are traveling on the road.
The video makes me look at the different themes of mythology such as hubris. It is interesting that Odysseus tells the cyclops his name bringing about a lot of his troubles. the hubris is a large theme in all many epics.
The video also tells explains how noble mortals are because we suffer death and pain and the gods are less noble because they do not suffer as we mortals do. The gods represent the different emotions and thoughts of us humans.
After. watching this video. I noticed that lilac shows the true important role of value. Like for example the guest/host theme they showed in the video. For example offering a place for people to stay.
It is interesting the importance of Xenia. You can see how much people actually care and believe so much in Greek Myth and how far they are willing to persue
Everyone goes through their own Odyssey through life. Our adventure through life is an Odyssey. The Lilac shows the actual importance of it's value and how it connects with the Guest/Host concept.
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