Unit 4

English 201:    Masterpieces of Western Literature

.Unit 4 Reading

Course Reading

Entry Page

Introduction

Background

.Explication

Questions

Review

Questions: 
Chat:  

• Explain Eurymakhos' motives in addressing TEL (p. 286).
  What does he mean in saying:
  1.440  it is on the gods' great knees
  who will be king in sea-girt Ithaka.
  What does Eurymakhos hope to learn from TEL?  Explain his attitude towards TEL.
• Who is proposed as a model for TEL?  Someone of approximately his age.  What did this person do & what is the suggestion for TEL?
• The world of The Iliad is too violent to support civilized life.  How much better is the world of OD's manor?  This world is the product of exclusively feminine values.  PEN & Eurykleia coddle TEL.  The suitors are nothing so much as spoiled children who laugh at authority & respect nothing.  Thus Eurymakhos mocks Halitherses, a diviner or man of God who prays for & prophesizes OD's return:
  2.186    Old man, go tell the omens for your children
              at home, & try to keep them out of trouble.
              I am more fit to interpret this [life] than you are.
  2.207    we fear no one,
              certainly not TEL, with his talk;
              & we care nothing for your divining, uncle,
              useless talk
• After the Greeks take Troy & restore Helen to her husband, MEN fails to return to Argos (their home) with her.  Instead he ends up in Egypt to make another fortune in sea traffic (3.320).  Why is this propitious?  What would likely have happened if MEN had quickly returned home with Helen?  How do you know?  What text supports your conjecture?
• Explain the story of Proteus (the Ancient of the Sea) 4.370.

Short Answers: E-mail your answers.  Make sure the subject line says: unit04.

1. What is "the staying power of oarsmen"?
2. Who does Hermione marry?  Hermione is mentioned at 4.12 but Homer does not give the answer.  Look her name up in your Dictionary or another reference book on Greek mythology & tell me who she was promised to (engaged to) & who she married.  Two names & who their fathers were.
3. Who is Polykaste?
4.  "He goes amid the seals to check their number 
   & counts them all,
    he lies down like a shepherd with his flock."
     Who is this?
5. "I'm the only senior in the company.
   The rest are boys who shipped for friendship's sake."'
   Who is this?
 

 Go to the top & click on the last section: Review above.