HONR 101 - The Odyssey + The Penelopiad VOCAB

andra

the man

gendered; first word of the poem —> shows patriarchy in the poem

polytropos

two meanings:

twists and turns (odysseus turned around on way home)

intelligence (has undertones of trickery)

nostos

return; homecoming

main theme of the story

metis

cunning or wisdom

odysseus defining attribute

kleos

fame; reputation; glory

what Homeric warriors seek, their motivation; a way of transcending mortality

kleos always comes with a cost (pain, suffering, loss)

arete

excellence, virtue, fulfillment of potential

not gendered, everyone and thing can have arete

charis

grace, beauty

the most common gift from the gods to humans; evokes wonder from onlookers

1. hybris

2. menis

hybris leads to menis

1. excessive pride

2. divine wrath

excessive pride leads to divine wrath

moira

fate, the overall shape of a human’s life + when they will die

gods know about but cannot change moira —> their knowledge does not equal power

xenia

hospitality, guest/host relationship

guests bring a gift (often information) in exchange for hospitality from the host

there is an order: provide for the guest, then ask questions

shows one is civilized

lochos

ambush

lochos leads to nostos —> ambush leads to homecoming / return

me tis

no one

but metis = cunning

when odysseus says he is me tis (no one), he shows his metis (cunning)

physis

nature

nature has knowledge / knowledge of nature

homophrosyne

like mindedness

odysseus (name)

pain man / pain

odysseus not only endures pain, but causes other in his orbit to experience it too

anagnorisis

recognition

tears accompany recognition

apostrophe (writing)

a literary device where there’s a direct address to a person or thing (“And you, Eumaus”)

used to single out a character as being particularly important

hedgehog / porcupine’s dilemma

something we need also causes us harm

like odysseus and kleos; he needs it, but he’s caused pain as well

penelope (name)

duck

connected to her trauma; saved from drowning by ducks