Module 7: The Epic - The Odyssey
The Travels of Odysseus
In this module, you read selections from the Odyssey, one of the greatest epics in human history. Take a few moments to reflect on the first line in the Odyssey shown here.
Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who traveled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy.
You now know that the Odyssey is primarily about the travels of Odysseus. As you know, many of the ancient Greek stories were maintained in an oral tradition and were not written down until much later. In modern times, writers have access to any number of technologies to record and communicate their experiences. For this assignment, you will need to pretend that you are Odysseus on his journey in the Odyssey; however, you have access to modern technology to record your travels through a travel blog, or web log. A blog is an online journal, which allows authors to create entries detailing different topics.
Your blog entries should meet the following criteria:
- You will need to create at least four entries for your blog.
- Each entry should be five to eight sentences in length.
- Each entry should address one of the three required topics below, and then one of the topics of your choosing.
- Your blog should be written in the first person, as if you are Odysseus encountering the people, events, and ideas throughout his journey in the Odyssey.
- Each blog entry should be accompanied by at least one image. You may draw or design these images, or you may use copyright-free digital images that you find online.
Required and Suggested Topics
Three of your blog entries should address the following topics:
- The blinding of the cyclops Polyphemus
- Odysseus's trip to the Underworld
- Odysseus's trip through the Strait of Messina and his encounter with Scylla and Charybdis
For your fourth entry, you may choose from the following topics:
- Meeting Circe and his time with her
- The encounter with the Sirens
- The time Odysseus spends with Calypso
Each blog entry should include three to four observations about the associated topic, along with expressive words to describe your adventure. You will need to use at least one Homeric epithet and one Homeric simile. Your blog should be creative, informative, accurate, and well-organized. Before you begin, access the Odyssey Blog Rubric to make sure that you include all of the items required for full credit. You may need to use resources outside of this course to complete this assignment, so please submit a Works Cited document with your assignment submission. If you need assistance, visit the Developmental Module for information on citing any resources that you use.
Options to create your blog include the following:
- Utilize a word-processing, presentation, paint, or graphics program to assemble your blog, and then submit your blog to the assignment's dropbox.
- Use an online blog composition tool, and follow prompts provided by the website to create and name your blog, and add your entries. When you have completed your blog, you may record the link on a word processing document for submission to the assignment's dropbox.
- Use a mobile or computer-based application to create your blog and email or export the final product for submission to the assignment’s dropbox.
Once you have completed your blog entries, please submit your work to the dropbox.
Once you have completed this module, please complete the module test.