HOW TO USE THIS STUDY GUIDE
Book-It Repertory Theatre’s Arts and Education Program closely aligns its performances and learning materials with research-based reading instruction. The purpose of this study guide is to engage students in the Book-It Style®, literacy objectives, and hands-on activities that support the comprehension of The Odyssey.
LITERACY OBJECTIVES ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE MAKING SELF-TO-TEXT CONNECTIONS VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
FIRST: READ THE STORY
As part of Book-It’s touring package, your school has received a copy of the story that serves as a permanent resource for your library.
REFLECTING & EVALUATING
THEMES & CONCEPTS ORAL TRADITION
SECOND: SELECT ACTIVITIES
Select one or all of the activities and adjust them to fit your students and classroom needs. Some activities are designed for teachers to lead students through an interactive process; directions and support materials are included for successful facilitation. Others are handouts for independent student work or to be used for whole-class instruction.
CHARACTER ARCHETYPE MYTHOLOGY PERSEVERANCE
THIRD: KEEP READING!
Standards for the study guide and Performance: Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts*: R.CCR.1, R.CCR.2, R.CCR.3. R.CCR.4, R.CCR.6, RI.CCR.5, L.CCR.4, SL.CCR.2 Washington EARLs in Theatre: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 *Exact standards depend upon grade level, reading the text, and instructional shifts to meet the Standard Study Guide Written and Compiled by: Maddie Napel, Primary Teaching Artist Additional Contributions and Study Guide Edited by: Annie DiMartino, Director of Education
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An important note on the Book-It Style® The use of narrative, particularly third-person narrative, is a hallmark and founding principle of Book-It Repertory Theatre productions since the company’s inception in 1987. Book-It’s approach to narrative text on ®stage is known throughout theatre communities regionally and nationally as the Book-It Style . Book-It adaptations provide an experience of the book unlike any other adapted work. By preserving the author’s original language, Book-It adaptations capture the essence of the novel’s original intent and tone, while celebrating the author’s unique voice. Actors in a Book-It Style production perform narrative lines in character with objectives and intentions as they would with any line of dialogue in a standard play. Narrative lines are delivered with motivation to other characters, as opposed to a detached delivery straight out to the audience as a narrator. Book-It adapters will often divide descriptive narrative amongst several characters. This arrangement and editing process is a result of purposeful exploration and development over the last 29 years of the company’s artistic history, and overseen by Founding Co-Artistic Directors Jane Jones and Myra Platt.
SCRIPT EXAMPLE:
ate and drank and took Odysseus’s things, whom they believed to be dead.
TELEMACHUS n Ithaca, trouble was brewing in the noble house of Odysseus.
PENELOPE To keep the suitors at bay, Queen Penelope made excuses and tried to trick the men so that she could delay making a choice.
PENELOPE For some time, the palace had been occupied by men TELEMACHUS who all wanted to marry my mother, Penelope
ANTINOUS Odysseus has been gone for nineteen years. He is either dead or lost forever. Therefore, you must pick the best and most generous of your suitors. Marry him and go live in his house. Then, Telemachus can enjoy his natural inheritance.
PENELOPE and gain control over Ithaca. Enter Antinous. TELEMACHUS Day and night, the suitors
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THE STORY & CHARACTERS
Story Synopsis ................................................................................. 5 Characters in the Story ....................................................................... 7 About the Author: Homer .................................................................... 8 About the Director and Adaptor: Annie DiMartino ...................................... 11 In Conversation with: Catherine Cornell, Set Designer ................................. 12 Activity: Theatrical Design ................................................................. 15
CONTEXT
Greek Gods .................................................................................... 16 The History of the Trojan War ............................................................. 18 The Science Behind the Myth............................................................... 20 The Odyssey in Adaptation ................................................................. 21 The Hero’s Journey .......................................................................... 22 Self-to-Text: Staying True to Yourself .................................................... 24
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Map Making: Odysseus’s Route ............................................................. 25 Greek Masks ................................................................................... 27 Oral Storytelling: Then and Now ........................................................... 30 Additional Resources ........................................................................ 31
INTRODUCTION TO BOOK-IT REPERTORY THEATRE’S ARTS & EDUCATION PROGRAM:
Book-It’s Arts and Education Program is dedicated to inspiring people of all ages to read. We tour a diverse range of stories to schools, libraries, and community venues throughout Washington state, conduct long-term residencies in schools, offer teacher professional development for school staff, and present low-cost student matinées of our mainstage shows. What you will see and hear at a Book-It performance is literature spoken by the characters as if it were dialogue in a play—actors speak both the narration and the dialogue. Book-It takes the written word back to its roots—storytelling!
OUR MISSION
To provide an interactive relationship between youth and literature through diverse theatrical productions and educational programs that promote the joy of reading, enhance student and teacher learning, and inspire the imagination. 4
STORY SYNOPSIS The Odyssey, by Homer, is an epic poem following the travels and travails of Odysseus, king of Ithaca and hero of the Trojan War, on his journey home from Troy. The original Greek is a tiny bit longer than one of Book-It Rep’s Arts and Education’s typical touring stories—a common translation by Robert Fagles would take someone reading 300 words a minute nearly eight hours to read! The following, therefore, is a synopsis of Annie DiMartino’s adaptation of the Odyssey, not the epic as a whole. Our story begins with an announcement from Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. She has succeeded in pleading Odysseus’s case before the gods; after years of harsh persecution from Poseidon, he will be allowed to return home to his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus. Penelope has stayed faithful to Odysseus throughout his nineteen-year absence, but she is plagued by suitors wishing to marry her, and her patience is wearing. Under tremendous pressure from her suitors, she devises a contest—whichever suitor can string and shoot Odysseus’s bow will become her new husband and Ithaca’s new king. Odysseus, appearance altered from his years of traveling, arrives home and introduces himself as a traveling poet, intending to evaluate his family’s faithfulness before announcing his return. Penelope asks her husband-indisguise to tell her a tale of Odysseus, and so begins the story of Odysseus’s travels.
First, his story takes us to the island of Polyphemus the cyclops. Odysseus and his men are captured and held in Polyphemus’s cave, ostensibly to be eaten. They plot their successful escape, getting Polyphemus drunk and encouraging him to remove the boulder blocking their exit to let his sheep out to graze.
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Next, the sailors arrive on the island of Circe, the enchantress. Odysseus sends some of his sailors out as scouts-- Circe tempts these men with poisoned food and drink that turns them into pigs. Hermes, the Greek gods’ herald and messenger appears to Odysseus with an antidote. Again, Odysseus and his men leave the island and journey onward.
Finally, after passing the sirens, dangerous creatures who attempt to lure sailors to their death with their melodies, Odysseus and his men arrive home in Ithaca. The flashback complete, we return to the day of Penelope’s contest. Odysseus, still in disguise, succeeds at stringing and shooting his own bow. He is recognized at once and welcomed home with joy.
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Pre-Show Discussion Questions:
Think about a time that you missed someone. How did that feel? Can you imagine if you, like Odysseus, had to spend nineteen years separated from the people you love? The Odyssey is full of myth, magic, and monsters. What other stories do you know that feature myth? That feature magic? Monsters?
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What are some of the challenges that artists might face adapting this story for the stage? How do you imagine they might depict Circe changing the sailors into pigs? The Gods appearing to Odysseus? Why do you think this story continues to be told today? What might we still have to learn from this tale of adventure on the high seas? This story is told, in large part, through flashback. What other stories do you know that have employed this literary device? Why is it effective here? 6
CHARACTERS IN OUR STORY With a cast of three actors for our production and over twenty-five named characters in Homer’s original epic, some difficult decisions had to be made. The following characters appear in our adaptation of the Odyssey—watch for ways in which our actors change costume, voice, and physicality to differentiate between characters.
Telemachus- Odysseus and Penelope’s son, a loyal young man who objects to his mothers’ suitors scheming to steal his inheritance Odysseus- king of Ithaca and a hero of the Trojan war; he spends our story traveling from place to place searching for his way home
Head of Odysseus, early 1st century CE, artist unknown
Athena- the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, law and justice, civilization, and warfare; she begins our story by pleading Odysseus’s case to Zeus, the king of the gods Antinous- an arrogant suitor of Penelope
Eurylochus- Odysseus’s second in command, he travels with Odysseus back to Ithaca Sailors- Sailors under Odysseus’s command Sirens- Dangerous creatures who lure sailors to their death with their haunting melodies
Penelope- Odysseus’s wife and queen; she remains faithful throughout his nineteenyear absence Circe- An enchantress who tempts Odysseus’s men with food and drink and turns them into pigs 7
Penelope, 5th Century BCE, artist unknown
About the Author: Homer
(https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/homer) Little is known about the life of Homer, the author credited with composing The Iliad and The Odyssey who is arguably the greatest poet of the ancient world. Historians place his birth sometime around 750 BC and conjecture that he was born and resided in or near Chios. However, seven cities claimed to have been his birthplace. Due to the lack of information about Homer the person, many scholars hold the poems themselves as the best windows into his life. For instance, it is from the description of the blind bard in The Odyssey that many historians have guessed that Homer was blind. The Odyssey‘s depiction of the bard as a minstrel in the service of local kings also gives some insight into the life of the poet practicing his craft. What is undeniable is that the works of Homer proved to be the most influential not merely for the poets of ancient times but also for the later epic poets of Western literature. There is much evidence to support the theory that The Iliad and The Odyssey were written by different authors, perhaps as much as a century apart. The diction of the two works is markedly different, with The Iliad being reminiscent of a much more formal, theatric style while The Odyssey takes a more novelistic approach and uses language more illustrative of day-to-day speech. Differing historical details concerning trade also lend credence to the idea of separate authors. It is certain that neither text was written down upon creation. By the eighth century BCE written text had been almost entirely forgotten in Greece. Both The Iliad and The Odyssey conform to the diction of a purely oral and unwritten poetic speech that was used 8
Homer, 2nd Century CE, Roman, Artist Unknown
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before the end of that century. Indeed, some scholars believe the name “Homer” was actually a commonly used term for blind men who wandered the countryside reciting epic poetry. Although Homer has been credited with writing a number of other works, most notably the Homeric Hymns, the same uncertainty about authorship exists. It is assumed that much of the poet’s work has been lost to time. RIGHT-IN-THE-TEXT QUESTIONS: 1. How many cities have claimed to be Homer’s birthplace? 2. What clues have led scholars to believe that Homer was blind? 3. What other works have been attributed to Homer, besides the Odyssey?
Homer: Blind Greek poet singing to sailors Date 9th - 8th Century BCE Artist Unknown
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QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION: 1. Do you know of any other famous authors whose true identity remains cloudy? 2. If Homer was a blind bard, wandering the countryside telling stories to any who could pay to listen, what do you think that life might have been like? 3. Why do you think that Homer’s works have survived the test of time? What is it about these stories that still captures our imaginations?
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About the Director and Adaptor: Annie DiMartino A native of Seattle, Ms. DiMartino received her Masters of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton where her emphasis was acting. While living in California, Ms. DiMartino performed in and around the Los Angeles and Orange County areas where she was nominated for both a LA Weekly Award and OC Theatre Award for her work in Grasmere wherein she originated the role of Dorothy Wordsworth. Her work would later have her reprising the role at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and Off Broadway at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York. During her decade on the East Coast, Ms. DiMartino held the position of Director of Education for Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven CT, where she was in charge of all educational programming. Having returned to Seattle in 2015, Ms. DiMartino is currently the Director of Education for Book-It Repertory Theatre. In her tenure with Book-It, Ms. DiMartino has adapted 4 touring shows including A Splash of Red, Last Stop on Market Street, Ada’s Violin (of which she also directed) and the current touring production of The Odyssey. Professionally, Ms. DiMartino has performed in Anton in Show Business with Theatre Four, and served as an acting company member with ARTFARM where she appeared in leading roles in The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, Shakespeare’s Argument, Much Ado About Nothing and King Lear. In addition, Ms. DiMartino performed extensive recording work having lent her voice to a multitude of radio ads, article readings for Yale’s Center for Dyslexia and Creativity and voiced the role of Destra in the animated film Prodigal Son produced by Gener8tion Entertainment. RIGHT-IN-THE-TEXT QUESTIONS: 1. Where is Annie Di Martino from? Where else has she lived? 2. What else has Annie DiMartino directed for Book-It Repertory Theatre? 10
ARTISTIC STATEMENT Annie DiMartino “Greek history has long been an interest of mine. I can recall learning about the myths and reading the plays as early as middle school and found the topic of hubris and the fall of man fascinating. However, it wasn’t until my son (who was 10 at the time) was introduced to Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson Series that I began to look at Greek storytelling through fresh eyes. Bonding over Greek mythology, we would have higher level conversations about the gods, the wars and what we thought was the reason for the stories’ sustainability. Simply put, my son admired the stories of every day heroes who were born from the gods they could never see, but were there watching over them all the same. He liked that one could find comfort in the way history could be blamed on fate and the actions of others, but that the future could be altered and determined based on the decisions made today. He enjoyed stories where he could root for the underdog and really loved it when a seemingly impossible obstacle was won through wit and perseverance. It’s these conversations with my son (who is now 15) that I bring with me into the telling of our Odyssey. “Wanting to stay authentic to elements of epic conventions and Greek theatre, I have incorporated into our staging masks and head pieces for the elevated characters. I have placed the gods on stage the entire time and will underscore pivotal moments of seemingly unsurmountable challenges with music, highlighting the moment when an answer presents itself. It’s in this way that I hope the audience will want to root for Penelope and Odysseus; that they will find comfort in knowing that even though these characters seem to be on this adventure separately, that, in fact, they are never alone; and that it’s through wit and perseverance that Penelope will dissuade her suitors and Odysseus will tackle every challenge in order to return home.” 11
In Conversation with: Catherine Cornell, Set Designer & Kelsey Rogers, Costume Designer Q: Tell us about your design process. How does it begin? How you you know when you’re on the right track? In what ways is it independent and in what ways is it collaborative? Catherine Cornell: The process for every show is a little different, but it always starts with me reading the script, and, if it's based on a book, I'll read that too. I usually then talk with the director about the show, what it means to them, what message they want to tell. I'll gather images that inspire me and draw sketches, then talk about them with the director and other designers. They often bring their own images to Catherine Cornell the table as well and, after a lot of talking, we usually end up with a clearer vision of how we want the show to look.... But sometimes we don't, and that's okay too because creativity doesn't always happen quickly. I know when we're on the right track when the director gets excited about the show. When my ideas inspire them with new ideas, we're doing something right. Theatre is very collaborative because it's type of art that takes a lot of people to create. We all have our specific roles and expertise, but anyone can have a good idea about any part of the show. Sometimes a costume designer will solve a challenge with the scenery. Sometimes the stage manager will have an idea that can inspire the costume designer.
My job is independent in the that I am ultimately responsible for the design of the set and creating all of the drawings and paperwork that allow the other team members (carpenters, painters, etc.) to build the set as I intend it. Kelsey Rogers: The first thing I do is read the story a few times. After a few read throughs, I usually find a character or a theme that my mind keeps drifting to and I start there. I start researching for imagery that 12
has the same feeling as the story or the theme. Sometime these images are not even clothing but they help me start communicating with the Director and other Designers. I usually talk to the Director early on and hear about their vision for the show. I show them some imagery and between us we start to form a vocabulary of words that are important to the show we are creating. Words like Whimsical, tell me that we might want to play with bright colors and soft flowing fabrics, while a word like Stately might suggest muted tones, heavy fabrics, and structured garments. We work separately and then meet back as a team every week present new ideas and continue to develop the story we are telling until it is ready to be performed. Q: What about this story inspires you? CC: I like that it's an epic tale with a lot of adventure and cunning. But what really inspires me for the design is that it's set in Ancient Greece. Both modern theatre and modern architecture in the United States and Europe have roots in Ancient Greek theatre and architecture. And its art is full of interesting designs, patterns, and colors. KR: The Odyssey has always been a story of perseverance for me. It’s also been a story about Top: Inspiration Images, Catherine Cornell Bottom: Rendering of Throne, Catherine Cornell coming home. No matter how crazy or alien the world gets you can always keep trying, and there will always be a place of refuge and calm to look forward to. 13
Q: Tell us about your design for the Odyssey. What story are you telling through your design choices? CC: The design for The Odyssey incorporates colors and patterns used in a lot of ancient Greek art - particularly pottery. That is most evident in the backdrops, but the piece used as the throne and Odysseus' ship also incorporates some design elements of ancient Greek chairs and boats.
What I wanted to show most through the design was the richness of pattern and color that one can find in ancient Greek art. Back then, not everyone could read stories like The Odyssey, so instead the stories were told through pictures on pottery or through theatre. KR: The Odyssey is often taken as a darker story, but we wanted to breath new life and whimsy back into the story. All of the clothing is both modern day American and ancient Grecian. While every element is based in history we find brighter colors, modern garments that allow us to look at this story as a timeless one. It was very important to our director to use masks like they did in Ancient Greek Theater. The shape and structure of these masks is historical, while we are adding new elements of color, depth, and character to the faces we create. Q: Do you have any advice for a student interested in theatrical design work? CC: Draw. Sculpt. Sew. Write. Create. Use your imagination and tell stories in ways that are fun for you. In theatre, we have to be able to create anything out of nothing and we don't always know if we're going to be successful, but we try it anyway. KR: Theatrical design isn’t like fashion design or drawing a picture. It’s not about making something look beautiful, it’s about telling a story. Never stop reading, Do lots of research, Learn about Archetypes and Symbolism, and Most Importantly go out there and do it. Look for the opportunities to go see theatre, go to theatre camp, even put on a play in your own living room. The most valuable type of learning is experience; it will make you a strong and insightful storyteller. 14
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Activity: Theatrical Design Set designer Catherine Cornell used these images (pictured right) to inspire her design for the mast set piece in the Odyssey. One of her renderings (a very precisely measured drawing) for this set piece is also pictured below. Imagine that you had an unlimited budget to create your own boat or mast-inspired set piece for a production of the Odyssey. Use the space provided below (alongside Catherine’s rendering) to sketch your own ideas. You may use the above images for inspiration as well, or you may look through the study guide for other images that pique your interest. Catherine’s Rendering
My Rendering
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Greek Gods
(https://www.britannica.com/list/12-greek-gods-and-goddesses)
Several Greek Gods and Goddesses play major roles in the lives of the Odyssey’s mortals. Poseidon, god of the sea, is the reason for Odysseus’s suffering— he was first angered by Odysseus’s support of the Greeks in the Trojan war and later infuriated when Odysseus blinded Polyphemus, his son. Athena, goddess of wisdom, is the one to plead Odysseus’s case to Zeus, king of the Gods, which enables Odysseus to return home. Hermes, the messenger God, is the one to supply Odysseus with the antidote to Circe’s sorcery. And this is not unique to Odysseus’s story—In Ancient Greece, citizens believed their lives to be constantly shaped by the whims of the gods. Familiarize yourself with the Greek Gods and Goddesses below and on the following page: Zeus Hades King of the Gods, God of the Sky King of the Dead
Hera Queen of the Gods, Goddess of Marriage
Aphrodite Goddess of Love and Beauty
Poseidon God of the Sea
Apollo God of Music and Healing
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Greek Gods Artemis Goddess of the Hunt
Hephaestus God of Fire
Athena Goddess of Wisdom
Hestia Goddess of the Hearth
ACTIVITY: Greek Gods Looking at this array of Gods and Goddesses, it is clear that while some may have aged well (for example, we may still value wisdom today), some are less relevant to our modern lives (do we still use the word “hearth?�). If we were to imagine a new pantheon (array of Gods and Goddesses), are there any deities we might swap out for a newer model? Deities whose duties we would add to (should Hephaestus be responsible for modern technology)? Use the space below to draw and name a new God or Goddess, relevant to our lives now, in 2019.
________________ God(dess) of _____________
Hermes Messenger God
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The History of the Trojan War
(from https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/trojan-war)
The story of the Trojan War—the Bronze Age conflict between the kingdoms of Troy and Mycenaean Greece–straddles the history and mythology of ancient Greece and inspired the greatest writers of antiquity, from Homer, Herodotus and Sophocles to Virgil. Since the 19th-century rediscovery of the site of Troy in what is now western Turkey, archaeologists have uncovered increasing evidence of a kingdom that peaked and may have been destroyed around 1,180 B.C.—perhaps forming the basis for the tales recounted by Homer some 400 years later in the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey.”
Helen of Troy
According to classical sources, the war began after the abduction (or elopement) of Queen Helen of Sparta by the Trojan prince Paris. Helen’s jilted husband Menelaus convinced his brother Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, to lead an expedition to retrieve her. Agamemnon was joined by the Greek heroes Achilles, Odysseus, Nestor and Ajax, and accompanied by a fleet of more than a thousand ships from throughout the Hellenic Aegean Sea world. They crossed the Aegean Sea to Asia Minor to lay siege to Troy and demand Helen’s return by Priam, the Trojan king. 18
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The siege, punctuated by battles and skirmishes including the storied deaths of the Trojan prince Hector and the nearly-invincible Achilles, lasted more than 10 years until the morning the Greek armies retreated from their camp, leaving a large wooden horse outside the gates of Troy. After much debate (and unheeded warnings by Priam’s daughter Cassandra), the Trojans pulled the mysterious gift into the city. When night fell, the horse opened up and a group of Greek warriors, led by Odysseus, climbed out and sacked the Troy from within.
After the Trojan defeat, the Greeks heroes slowly made their way home. Odysseus took 10 years to make the arduous and often-interrupted journey home to Ithaca recounted in the “Odyssey.” Helen, whose two successive Trojan husbands were killed during the war, returned to Sparta to reign with Menelaus. After his death, some sources say she was exiled to the island of Rhodes, where a vengeful war widow had her hanged.
RIGHT-IN-THE-TEXT QUESTIONS: 1. According to classical sources, what started the Trojan War? 2. List the allegiances (countries from or fought for) of the following players in the conflict: • Paris • Helen • Menelaus • Hector • Achilles • Odysseus 3. How did the Greeks win the Trojan War? Who warned the Trojans of their plan? 4. What happened to Helen after the war was over? 19
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The Science Behind the Myth (from Matt Kaplan on TEDEd)
Click on this link and watch the video. Afterwards, return here to discuss your answers to the following questions. 1. This talk gives one explanation for how the Odyssey, a piece of mythology, could be interpreted as a true account of history. What is the difference between history and mythology? Do you think it is reasonable to interpret the story in this way?
2. Kaplan proposes that Circe, far from being a magical sorceress, was an advanced chemist. Throughout history, many women have been called “witches” or “sorceresses” for possessing great skill or intellect (for example: Joan of Arc, Cleopatra, etc.) Research some of these women. Why do you think their actions were viewed as sorcery in their time? Can you think of any women called witches today?
Matt Kaplan is the author of Science of the Magical: from the Holy Grail to Love Potions to Superpowers and The Science of Monsters and co -author of the blog, A Matter of Fact and Fiction. If you found this video interesting, you may want to check out some of these other works.
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The Odyssey in Adaptation Throughout history, the Odyssey has been told, re-told, and told again, first by traveling storytellers in the time of Homer and now, by Book-It Repertory Theatre. Check out some of the following well-known adaptations of the Odyssey. Do you recognize any of them? For those you recognize: did you know they were inspired by this ancient Greek epic poem? Can you think of any other adaptations?
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The Hero’s Journey
(adapted from https://blog.reedsy.com/heros-journey/) The Hero's Journey is a classic story structure that's shared by stories worldwide. Coined by academic Joseph Campbell in 1949, it refers to a wide-ranging category of tales in which a character ventures out to get what they need, faces conflict, and ultimately triumphs over adversity. Like many other story structures, we can boil the narrative arc of the Hero's Journey down into three broad acts: • The Departure Act: the Hero leaves the Ordinary World. • The Initiation Act: the Hero ventures into unknown territory (the "Special World") and is birthed into a true champion through various trials and challenges. • The Return Act: the Hero returns in triumph. In 2007, screenwriter Christopher Vogler refined Campbell’s original structure in his book, The Writer’s Journey. In it, Vogler expanded upon Campbell’s three phases, defining 12 stages that make it up (pictured in the chart below).
The Hero's Journey has its fingerprints in everything from The Lion King to Star Wars and Arrival. 22
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Let’s look at how well the Odyssey and other popular stories follow this structure. In the leftmost column are the stages of the Hero’s Journey, briefly explained. In the second column is the Odyssey, with some gaps for you to fill in. In the third column, you are encouraged to pick a story of your own and see how well it fits into this template. Suggested stories: The Lion King, Harry Potter, Star Wars, the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and the Wizard of Oz.
1. Ordinary World
In which we meet our Hero.
2. Call to Adventure In which an adventure starts.
3. Refusal of the Call In which the Hero digs in their feet.
Odysseus lives in Ithaca with his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. Odysseus is summoned to attack the city of Troy. Odysseus refuses to leave his wife and newborn son.
4. Meeting the Mentor
In which the Hero acquires a personal trainer.
5. Crossing the First Threshold
Odysseus fights in The Trojan War.
In which the Hero enters the other world in earnest.
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies In which the Hero faces new challenges and gets a squad.
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
Odysseus comes close to home but is blown back out In which the Hero gets closer to sea. to his goal.
8. Ordeal
In which the Hero faces his biggest test of all thus far.
9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)
Odysseus arrives home at last!
In which the Hero sees light at the end of the tunnel.
10. The Road Back
In which the hero struggles to get back to normal.
11. Resurrection
In which the last test is met.
12. Return with the Elixir
In which our Hero has a triumphant homecoming.
Suitors defeated, Odysseus celebrates being home with his wife and son. 23
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Connecting Self-to-Text: Staying True to Yourself Throughout their travels, Odysseus and his men encounter many obstacles, many of which challenge the core of who they are (for example, Circe tries to turn them into pigs). No matter the challenge, Odysseus and his crew always find a way to remember who they are and where they come from. Write or draw your responses to the following prompts to help you connect your life to the lives of Odysseus and his crew. 1. Who are you and where do you come from?
2. What is most important to you?
3. Imagine that someone asked you to forget about your response to the previous question. What would you do?
4. Have you ever been asked to change who you are? When and why? How did you respond?
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Interpreting a Map: Odysseus’s Route Take some time to explore this interactive map of Odysseus’s travels. Consider: is the route taken by Odysseus and his crew the fastest way home to Ithaca from Troy? How would their journey have been different had they taken a different route home? Dramatic Play for Grades K-3: Invite students to imagine that they are Odysseus’s crew, attempting to navigate rough waters home. All they have to guide them in your travels is the map below:
Identify a place in the room to represent their starting point in Troy. From there, they should be able to use the map to point the way home. But every time they try to go in that direction, the gods keep sending unfavorable winds and rough waters (option: you can cue “rough waters” which sends students swaying around the room for 5 seconds and “unfavorable winds” which sends students to the nearest wall)! Between these interruptions, encourage students to continue to explore the space, stopping on islands where you might encounter… Cyclopes! Circe! Sirens! Encourage students to embody these characters fully by changing their physicality and voices to suit each. Incorporate props and costumes if desired. Continue the activity until students have been “blown” to all of Odysseus’s destinations or the activity has reached its natural conclusion. 25
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Interpreting a Map: Odysseus’s Route Mapmaking Extension for Grades 4-6
Set up: Place signs around the room recalling important landmarks in Odysseus’s travels (i.e. Polyphemus’s island, Circe’s island, Troy, etc.) The relative locations of these signs to one another should not be important. Encourage students to explore the space, pen and paper in hand, drawing a map of where these important locations are. Make sure students add details such as a compass rose and key. Next, invite students to imagine they are members of Odysseus’s crew. See how well students can navigate the path that they took on their journey home. Finally, have students trace the path they took onto their map. They may use the below map for reference, keeping in mind that locations may not be the same— one map is of Greece, the other of their classroom— but the journey should follow the same general path.
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K-3 Activity
Greek Masks Paper Masks
(from https://www.childdrama.com/papermasks.html)
Materials: • Heavy card stock, 8.5x11, enough for sheet per student. • Thin (around 1/4 inch) sewing elastic, enough for about 14 inches per student. (Often you can buy this by the yard on a large spool.) • Scissors. • Hole-punch. • Crayons or markers. Directions: • First, determine the distance between the eyes. The easiest way to do this is to close your eyes and very gently place two fingers (thumb and second finger seem to work best) on your eyes. Open your eyes and transfer the distance to the paper and mark they eyes with dots. The eyes should be about a third of the way down the paper, and centered. • Once you have marked the location of the eyes, draw the eyes around your dots. Make them about as big as, or a little bigger than, your own eyes. • Draw the shape of a head around the eyes. The head should be as big as the paper, especially at the sides. (Otherwise, among other things, the elastic will not be long enough.) Depending on the character you have in mind, you can make the head basically oval or a more fanciful shape. Remember, though, that it should use most of the paper, or your own face will show through. • Once you have drawn the basic shape of your mask, you can decorate it any way you like with crayons or markers. Try to make your mask a definite character. • If you have the time and the inclination, you may provide students with construction paper and glue so they can add three-dimensional details. • Once the mask has been decorated, cut it out. Teacher may have to help cut out the eyes. • Punch holes on the sides, around one inch below the eyes. Be sure the holes are far enough in not to just tear out. • Carefully tie one end of a 14" piece of elastic to each hole. If the elastic is too loose, re-tie one side. • Your mask is ready to wear. 27
4-6 Activity
Greek Masks Plaster Masks
(from https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/plaster-masks/) Materials: • • • • •
Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) Plaster bandages, fast setting (4″ wide are good; “fast setting” is about 4 minutes) Water (and containers for water) Scissors Comfortable and safe environment.
Directions: Before the session begins, cut the plaster bandages into strips that are proportionate to the size of the face of the person receiving the mask. (students in a classroom can do this step themselves). Cut strips in various lengths and sizes as you will be overlapping them to form a sturdy surface — the mask itself. Spread an ample amount of petroleum jelly over the entire face (the “mask person”); be sure to cover eye lids, lips and especially eyebrows! Dip the strips of plaster bandages into water to wet fairly thoroughly; begin putting the strips on the child’s face, starting with areas that do not cover eyes, nostrils and mouth. Overlap and smooth plaster as you work. The child can decide if they want their eyes, nostrils and mouth covered as this is optional. When all areas that the child wants are covered with plaster and there is a nice firm covered surface, let dry for about 4 minutes or until it is firm enough to the touch to pull it off without the mask falling apart. Pull the mask off the face by having the child make faces… smile, frown, wiggle etc. so that the mask simply pulls away from the face. The mask can be further smoothed out, added to, patched etc. before letting it dry completely. Add plaster bandages around edges (the edge of the mask; the eyes, mouth or nostrils, for example if they were not covered with plaster) for a nice, finished look. This also strengthens the mask so it will not fall apart. When the mask is completely dry, paint and decorate as desired. Display, use and enjoy!
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K-3 Activity
Greek Masks Dramatic Play: Physicalizing Emotion Materials: • Masks (enough for every student) • Open space with room for students to move around without bumping into one another Directions:
Invite students to split into two groups, approximately equal in size. Give each group a secret emotion (whisper these words so that the other group cannot overhear). Have students put on their masks and form two parallel lines, facing one another. Take turns having groups “perform” their emotions for one another while the other group guesses. Repeat as many times as desired with different emotions to physicalize. Questions for Discussion: Did the masks make it harder or easier to communicate with the other group? Did you find yourself making your body movements bigger or smaller when you were trying to communicate?
Dramatic Play: Physicalizing Character
4-6 Activity
Materials: • Masks (enough for every student) • Open space with room for students to move around without bumping into one another Directions: Have students form an audience. Ask for 2-3 volunteers to come up to the front, put on their masks, and use their body to create a tableaux (frozen picture) of one of the following characters: Odysseus, Penelope, Polyphemus, Circe, a siren, a sailor, or a pig. When all bodies are still, invite your audience to interpret the images they see. Rotate until every student has gotten a chance to create several images.
Variation: Ask students to first create these tableaux without masks and then add masks for comparison. Questions for Discussion: What made some images more successful at communicating than others ? How did the visual appearance of the masks help some students in their storytelling and hinder others? Was it more difficult to read a “Odysseus” wearing a silly mask, for example? For variation: What changed when your classmates put on their masks? 29
4-6 Activity
Oral Storytelling (Then and Now) Before it was written down, the Odyssey existed only in the form of oral storytelling— it was passed between individuals and through generations through repeated telling and memory. Through this dynamic practice, the story must have shifted and grown, becoming the tale we still hear, read, and speak today. For more background on the ancient and modern practice of storytelling, check out some of these TED talks.
“The Moth's mission is to promote the art and craft of storytelling and to honor and celebrate the diversity and commonality of human experience.”
The Moth is a non-profit organization that produces over 500 live storytelling events in more than 29 cities each year. The Moth has a large presence in Seattle. Take a look at their tips for storytellers here. Which seem like they would be particularly helpful in preparing to tell a story? Are there any tips that surprise you? Check out the Moth’s story library. Are there any stories you particularly connect with? Why? Can you identify moments where the storytellers use strategies suggested in the Moth’s tips for storytellers? Find a live event near you and attend a telling! 30
The Odyssey Study Guide Sources: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/homer https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/trojan-war https://www.britannica.com/list/12-greek-gods-and-goddesses https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-science-behind-the-myth-homer-sodyssey-matt-kaplan https://blog.reedsy.com/heros-journey/ https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2014/8/6/10-movies-stolen-right-out-ofthe-odyssey/10/ http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/content/homer/multimap.html https://www.childdrama.com/papermasks.html https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/multic/plaster-masks/ https://www.ted.com/topics/storytelling https://themoth.org/
Book-It Repertory Theatre would like to thank the following Arts & Education Program Supporters Norcliffe Foundation
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