Lecture Notes: The Odyssey - Book One

Setting and Context

• Mount Olympus: The opening scene is set here.
• Characters Introduced:
  • Zeus: God of gods.
  • Athena: Zeus's favorite child, goddess of wisdom.
  • Hermes: Messenger god.
  • Odysseus: Protagonist, stranded from home.
  • Penelope: Odysseus’s wife, waiting in Ithaca.
  • Telemachus: Odysseus’s son, now 20 years old.

Main Events

• Divine Discussion:

  • Zeus and Athena discuss the fate of Odysseus.
  • Decision made for Athena and Hermes to help Odysseus return home.

• Situation in Ithaca:

  • Penelope remains hopeful for Odysseus’s return.
  • The palace is overrun by 108 suitors and disloyal servants.
  • The suitors consume resources and create chaos.

Themes Introduced

• Gods' Influence:

  • The gods watch over and intervene in human affairs.

• Hope:

  • Penelope’s continued belief in Odysseus’s return.
  • Her nightly unraveling of Laertes's shroud to delay remarrying.

• Hospitality (Xenia):

  • The suitors exploit the hospitality custom, overstaying their welcome.

• Justice:

  • Current disorder in Ithaca; the need for Odysseus to restore order.

Developments

• Athena’s Intervention:

  • Disguises herself to speak to Telemachus.
  • Encourages Telemachus to address the suitors and seek out Odysseus.

• Telemachus’s Role:

  • Begins to assert himself, taking steps to reclaim his home and family.

Key Takeaways

• The gods are planning to assist Odysseus's return.
• Penelope’s resilience and hope are central to the narrative.
• The concept of hospitality is critical yet exploited by the suitors.
• Themes of justice, family, and the divine influence underpin the narrative trajectory.

These notes capture the essence of Book One of the Odyssey, focusing on the divine involvement in human affairs, the chaotic situation in Ithaca, and the themes of hope, hospitality, and justice. Telemachus's emergence as a key player in addressing the suitors and seeking his father is highlighted as a pivotal development in the narrative.