The Telemachus and Epic Conventions (copy)

Telemachy

The first four books of the Odyssey.

Odysseus

Telemachus’s father, missing king of Ithaca, skilled and clever, held captive on Ogygia.

Telemachus

Odysseus and Penelope’s son who embarks on a journey to find his father.

Penelope

Odysseus's wife, Telemachus's mother, and queen of Ithaca who yearns for Odysseus.

Eurycleia

The loyal nurse of Telemachus and Odysseus, providing care and guidance.

Eurymachus

One of the suitors of Penelope, characterized as arrogant.

Antinoos

Leader of the suitors, known for his arrogance and contempt for Telemachus.

Laertes

Odysseus's father who mourns for him.

Calypso

A nymph who holds Odysseus captive on Ogygia, representing temptation and longing.

Athena

The goddess of wisdom and war strategy who helps Odysseus return home.

Zeus

The main god of the pantheon, associated with thunder and lightning.

Poseidon

The god of the sea, who is not favorable to Odysseus.

Menelaus

The king of Sparta, husband of Helen, and brother of Agamemnon, aids Telemachus.

Nestor

King of Pylos, father of Antilochus, who helps Telemachus.

Helen of Troy

Menelaus's wife, whose beauty sparked the Trojan War.

Pisistraus

Son of Menelaus who assists Telemachus on his journey to Sparta.

Agamemnon

The king of Mycenae and brother of Menelaus, killed by his wife's lover.

Clytemnestra

Agamemnon's wife and sister of Helen.

Proteus

An old prophetic sea god who can shapeshift, encountered by Odysseus.

Medon

The faithful herald of Odysseus.

Ithaca

The home island of Odysseus and Penelope.

Troy

The setting of the Trojan War, besieged for ten years.

Pylos

The kingdom ruled by King Nestor, which Telemachus visits.

Ogygia

The island where Calypso keeps Odysseus captive.

In Media Res

A narrative technique where the story begins in the middle of the action.

Invocation of the Muse

A literary device used to inform the reader of the subject matter.

Stock Epithets

Adjectives or phrases that describe a character, used in epic poetry.

Divine Intervention

Instances of gods interfering in human affairs.

Epic Digressions

Recaps of previously known stories that are not essential to the plot.

Heroes embodying cultural values

Concept where heroes in epics represent the values and ideals of their culture.

Definitive Meter

A rhythmic pattern of one long syllable followed by two short syllables.

Homer Similes

Complex comparisons of everyday things, adding depth to the narrative.

Epic Battles

Extended confrontations between opposing forces.

Descent into the Underworld

A narrative moment where the hero descends to the underworld, marking a low point in their journey.