Module 7: The Epic - The Odyssey

A mosaic of Odysseus and the Sirens from the 2nd century AD

Everyone loves a good story full of action and adventure, with daring heroes, vile monsters, and damsels in distress. In this module, you will read excerpts from the 24 books of one of the greatest action/adventure stories that world literature has to offer. Homer’s The Odyssey conveys the fantastical and arduous journey home of Odysseus from the Trojan War. This module will focus on how to read and understand the genre of the epic, as well as elements specific to Homer’s style of writing.

Getting Started

The story told in The Odyssey contains many popular figures from Greek Mythology. How many do you already know? In this interactivity, try to see how many of the Greek gods, goddesses, heroes, and monsters you can identify. Click the player button to begin.

 

 

 

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.

clause	Homeric simile
conjunctive adverb	independent clause
dependent clause	omniscience
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