Homer: Odyssey
In this course, we discuss four key themes in Homer's Odyssey. In the first module, we concentrate on the concept of oral poetry - the idea that the Odyssey was not originally written down, but passed orally from generation to generation - and the impact the poem's unique origin on its final, written form. In the second module, we explore the theme of the Homeric hero, arguing that Odysseus represents a totally different kind of hero to that seen in the Iliad. In the third module, we turn our attention to the concept of 'hospitality' or 'guest-friendship' - the Greek concept of 'xenia', while in the fourth and final module, we explore the theme of 'homecoming' in the poem.
What this playlist includes:
14 lectures across 3 courses.
All resources designed and delivered by university academics and researchers.
Courses and Lectures
1. Homer: Odyssey
Prof. Edith Hall
Durham University
Durham University
2. Homer: Odyssey
Prof. Barbara Graziosi
Princeton University
Princeton University
2.1. The Man of Many Turns – 10:25
2.2. Plot and Structure – 10:56
2.3. Justice and the Gods – 09:14
2.4. Women, Clothes and Monsters – 10:01
2.5. A Journey to the Underworld – 08:50
3. Homer: Odyssey
Prof. Richard Jenkyns
University of Oxford
University of Oxford
3.1. The Nature of the Poem – 08:26
3.2. Two Kinds of Odysseus – 07:28
3.3. Society and Morality – 08:58
3.4. Gods, Goddesses and Women – 07:42
3.5. Nausicaa and Penelope – 11:07
What Next?
Check out these other playlists within Classics & Ancient History:
