Athena's Effect on the Suitors' Death

For my final post, I have decided to write about how Athena affected the suitors' death once Odysseus had reached his palace.

       I found Athena's actions toward the end of the book particularly interesting. Athena began to make the suitors act even more unkindly to Odysseus while he was still disguised as a beggar. The suitors began to enfuriate Odysseus and it encouraged his rage even more. I feel that the outcome of the book may have been completely different if Athena hadn't controlled some of the actions of the suitors. If they weren't as harsh, I think Odysseus may have spared more of the suitors.

      Aside from Athena controlling the actions of the suitors, she affected many important events in the book by changing the appearance of characters. The first, very obvious example, is her disguising Odysseus as a beggar. This was the reason Odysseus was able to attack the suitors unsuspectedly. Another example would be Athena changing Penelope's appearance and making her more attractive. This led to the increased desire for Penelope and the gifts given by the suitors. 

      I think that Athena contributed to the achieved outcome in the book equally as Odysseus did, if not more. It seems Odysseus would not have made it very far at all without Athena's help. 

Foreshadowing of the Suitors' Death

“In Book 17, there is a lot of foreshadowing of what will happen to the suitors. Find three examples of this (quote them in your post), and explain what you think this means for the fate of the suitors.”


This week we read books 17-20. In book 17 Telemachus goes to the city and the castle. Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, ventures into the town with Eumaeus. Later on Odysseus and Eumaeus go to the palace. During the time while Odysseus is at the palace, some of the characters foreshadow the upcoming fate of the suitors. On page 271, Odysseus says “May death come to Antinous before marriage does.” He says this after Antinous attacked him. On page 273, Penelope is speaking to Eumaeus and she talks about the suitors and how Odysseus would make them pay for this “Outrage.” Telemachus then sneezes at her words. Sneezing when someone says something is believed to reveal the truth in a statement. Afterwards, Penelope says, “Didn’t you see my son sneeze at my words? That means death will surely come to the suitors, One and all. Not a single man will escape.” Lastly, on page 275 Eumaeus is speaking to Telemachus about the suitors. Eumaeus says “Many of these men are up to no good. May Zeus destroy them utterly, before any harm can come to us.” Telemachus then replies, “Amen to that. Go after supper. But at dawn come back with your best boars for sacrifice. Everything here is up to me, and the gods.”


Overall the message is pretty clear. In the first quote, Odysseus simply wishes death before marriage upon Antinous.  In the second quote, Penelope's message about the suitors death being confirmed by Telemachus' sneeze was very interesting. In the third quote, Telemachus asks Eumaeus to bring boars for sacrifice and says he and the gods will control what will happen. From what Odysseus, Eumaeus, Penelope, and Telemachus have said, it seems the suitors will face death soon. 

Formulaic Language

Find three examples of formulaic language (include them here) and explain how you think these might have been helpful when singing or speaking the Odyssey in the oral tradition.




I chose to discuss some of the formulaic language used in the Odyssey. One example is “The Owl-Eyed Goddess.” This refers to Athena, and it can be found throughout the book. Using this language gives the listener or reader a sense of the personality of the character. 

On Page 80, Book 6, the phrase “Godlike Odysseus” is used. It gives an idea of Odysseus’s power, popularity, and other qualities which resemble a God, even though he is not one. 
This last example is “Quicksilver Hermes.” Quicksilver generally refers something that moves rapidly. It’s a very interesting description of a character. 
Overall I think that this language is very important to give the reader a deeper understanding of the characters and the book. 

The Odyssey - Beginning Proem

“The proem is the very first part of the Odyssey. It begins with "Speak Memory -" and ends with "And tell the tale once more in our time." The proem sets up many of the major topics/themes of the Odyssey.  What do you think you might be able to tell about the topics/themes of the Odyssey just by reading the proem? Use evidence from the proem to support your claims.”


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPEAK, MEMORY—
Of the cunning hero, The wanderer, blown off course time and again
After he plundered Troy’s sacred heights.


Speak Of all the cities he saw, the minds he grasped,
The suffering deep in his heart at sea
As he struggled to survive and bring his men home 
But could not save them, hard as he tried— 
The fools—destroyed by their own recklessness 
When they ate the oxen of Hyperion the Sun, 
And that god snuffed out their day of return.


Of these things,
Speak, Immortal One,
And tell the tale once more in our time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By now, all the others who had fought at Troy— 
At least those who had survived the war and the sea— 
Were safely back home. Only Odysseus
Still longed to return to his home and his wife.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The first part of the Odyssey book begins with a proem. It’s a brief introduction into some of the things occurring before the Odyssey began. It tells the story of Odysseus, and how he is unable to return home. Odysseus is trapped in a cavern by the goddess Calypso. One of the main themes you’ll notice towards the beginning brings up the theme of cunning versus strength. The importance of intelligence and cunningness over muscle can be found throughout various places in the book. After the first couple lines, themes of capture and fighting are visible. Another theme is family / loyalty. This is shown towards the end of the selection of text. The poem speaks about how Odysseus wants to return home to his home and family. This leads to Penelope, who is waiting for Odysseus, who is showing her loyalty to Odysseus (Which you learn about out past this poem). 

Edward Covey

"Write about anything having to do with the book that interested about which you did not get to write or discuss yet." 

     Edward Covey was very important in Douglass' life and escape from slavery. Covey was a poor farmer that was known in the community for being a "n***** breaker." This reputation was very important to him. Douglass was sent to Covey in the 1830's so that Covey would "Break his spirit." Covey would often beat and whip these slaves for long periods of time. The turning point in Douglass' life was when he defended himself from Covey. The interesting thing is, Covey did not punish Douglass' or have him sent away. Covey needed to maintain his reputation to avoid embarrassment, and didn't beat Douglass again. Even so, it's surprising to me that Covey didn't find a way to punish Douglass without letting others know about his previous defeat in the fight. The only reasoning I can find behind this is that since Douglass wasn't his slave, only loaned to him, he couldn't kill him, or it was just easier for Covey to let Douglass maintain his dominance. I believe this win for Douglass was a great motivation for him and it made him feel more powerful. 

Education and Human Freedom

"In the autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, how is education related to human freedom?"



      During Douglass' autobiography, he speaks about he and other slaves were not allowed to receive an education. In the book, Douglass describes how his ability to read led him to reading abolitionist papers and learning about freedom. One specific moment in the book which was very important was when he was denied further education from Mrs. Auld by Mr. Auld. By restricting a slave's education and keeping him less knowledgable, they were more easily able to deceive and control their slaves. From the experience with the Auld's he became motivated to learn more. Douglass' education gave him a greater awareness and understanding of the world, which led him to escape slavery. With this education, he learned about slavery and freedom in the North. 

Slave Ownership Effect On People.

"How did being a slaveowner affect a person? Provide examples from the book."

    Throughout the book Douglass provides examples of his masters altering their attitude and actions toward him and other slaves over a period of time. One example from the book is Mrs. Auld. She was the husband of Mr. Auld, and was described as a "pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman." Douglass is very surprised by her kindness when he first meets her, and she teaches Douglass the alphabet, allows him to look her in the eyes, and doesn't support beating. Douglass was progressing in learning words, but that came to an end when Mr. Auld found out about the teaching. Mr. Auld told his wife that teaching a slave was unlawful and dangerous. On page 22, Douglass says "Slavery soon proved it's ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities." Mrs. Auld was influenced by the practices of slavery and other slave owners around and became more cruel. Douglass said slave owners become corrupted with power over time, and turn cruel to keep the obedience of their slaves. 

Slave Family Separation

"Why do you think slave families were separated? How did this benefit the masters and how did it affect the slaves?"    


 In the "Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass", Douglass says he was separated from his mother when he was an infant. He also says that children are often taken from their mothers and separated before the child reaches "it's twelfth month". I think this is done to keep the child from having emotional ties to his or her parents. A mother would likely be very protective of their child, and it could cause issues considering the way slave owners treated their slaves. Slave owners also likely didn't need or want an entire family and probably were looking for a specific gender or age. An entire family of slaves could also team together and fight against their master. Separating families probably caused a great deal of emotional harm to the family and it likely left them feeling alone.

"After visiting the Houston Museum of Fine arts, write about how the piece that you chose to take a photo of represents the characteristics of the era that you chose to study for your sub-genre reader."

      

      This painting, titled "View over Quisisana and the Bay of Naples", was painted in 1820 by Johan Christian Dahl. This painting shows a scene of tranquility, with Mount Vesuvius erupting in the background.  In my previous post, I discussed some of the characteristics of Romantic literature. 

There aren't many characteristics of Romanticism exhibited in this painting, but the importance of nature and the lack of urban civilization is present. There is a shepherd observing his animals and he appears to also be admiring the scenery. This relates to the characteristic of respect and reverence towards nature. The erupting volcano is one of the focal points in this painting, and I find it interesting the people are pictured peacefully observing.

Romanticism - The Poison Tree

"Describe three major characteristics of the sub-genre that you chose and apply that knowledge to one of the poems in your sub-genre reader."

~The Poison Tree~

William Blake

I was angry with my friend; 

I told my wrath, my wrath did end. 

I was angry with my foe: 

I told it not, my wrath did grow. 

And I waterd it in fears, 

Night & morning with my tears: 

And I sunned it with smiles, 

And with soft deceitful wiles. 

And it grew both day and night. 

Till it bore an apple bright. 

And my foe beheld it shine, 

And he knew that it was mine. 

And into my garden stole, 

When the night had veild the pole; 

In the morning glad I see; 

My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

          The Romantic Era, or Romanticism was an artistic literary movement which lasted from the mid 17th century to the late 18th century. A few major characteristics in Romantic poetry are feelings and emotions, reverence to nature, and individualism. 

          The theme of nature is visible throughout The Poison Tree. Blake compares his wrath to a plant, and he "watered" it with fears and tears. Throughout the rest of the poem Blake continues to cultivate his wrath with his emotions and feelings. Metaphors are present in The Poison Tree, and are important in connecting his emotions to nature. Individual expression is also common in poetry from the Romantic Era. Throughout the poem Blake speaks in the 'I' voice expressing emotions and feelings. 

The Theme of Monologue for an Onion

For my post, I chose to discuss the theme in Monologue for An Onion.

I would consider the theme of this poem to be The search for truth, or elusive truth. The onion expresses that the person is peeling away the layers, “layer by layer” to find the heart. The onion insists there is nothing inside and it is only “pure onion”. (“Beneath each skin of mine / Lies another skin: I am pure onion--pure union.”) The person is chopping, in search of the heart. (“That you are, you who want to grasp the heart.”) The person continues to look for the heart, but only sought their desired truth. (“A stopless knife, driven by your fantasy of truth.”) As the poem continues, the person has hurt and changed themselves. (“Lies. Taste what you hold in your hands: onion-juice, / Yellow peels, my stinging shreds. You are the one / In pieces. …”) I believe that the message of this poem is that the truth can hurt and you can get lost looking for a deeper truth and meaning. (“...Poor fool, you are divided at the heart, / Lost in its maze of chambers, blood, and love, / A heart that will one day beat you to death.”)

"We Real Cool" - Enjambment

“In "We Real Cool," (poetry reader page 11), Gwendolyn Brooks uses the poetic element of enjambment (see your glossary). Why do you think she does this, and how does it affect the meaning of the poem?”


    The poetic element Enjambment is very important in the poem “We Real Cool”. This poem is fairly short, but the use of Enjambment seems to make it flow much quicker. Enjambment changes the rhythm of this poem and puts emphasis on “We”. Using Enjambment also gives the poem a sense of urgency. The last line also really stands out in comparison to previous lines. The poem explains bad choices these “Players” have made, and it leads quickly to an end. I think “We Real Cool” stands for this group of players [We] doing things to be cool, and not making great decisions in the long run. At the beginning of the poem it mentions some bad choices such as “We/Left School”, then leads to “Sing sin”, and “Thin gin”. I noticed “sin” and “gin” when I read this, and the poem eventually leads to “We/Die Soon”.

HMNS Paleontology Hall Visit

    On Wednesday my science class visited the Hall of Paleontology at HMNS. There were many different fossils and objects that I found very interesting.     



     The first portion of the exhibit had some Stromatolites and an astounding number of Trilobites. Stromatolites are the oldest existing evidence of life on Earth. This exhibit supposedly has one of the top five largest Trilobite collections. There were many Trilobite fossils and Trilobite imprints.


Left: Some Trilobite fossils and prints.


     Once we passed the section with fossils from the earliest life, we ventured on to the rest of the exhibit which had many fossils, fossil imprints, and entire skeletons of dinosaurs and other animals. There were some authentic fossils but there were also some models. If you see metal framework supporting the skeleton, it is likely authentic.

     I found the "Zuhl Collection" to be very interesting. This portion of the exhibit had fossilized sections of tree trunks that are millions of years old. When the tree died, it was petrified instead of rotting away. For a trunk to petrify, it must be buried and exclude oxygen. The chemical reactions that cause the wood to decay do not occur if there is no oxygen. Volcanic sediment was rich in soluble silica. The silica dissolved into the water that the trees were soaked in and when the water evaporated, it left behind the solid silica. The end result is an amazing colorful petrified tree trunk.
-                                                                                                      Right: Petrified Oak Trunk
         
Overall, the trip to the HMNS Paleontology Hall was very informative and enjoyable. I'd like to learn more about the early aquatic animals featured at this exhibit. I'm looking forward to my next visit to the Paleontology Hall. Thank you Dr. Ott!

Little error image below I can't seem to remove. 

'Out of the Amazon: Life on the River'

   On Tuesday, the IHSS group took a guided tour of the ‘Out of the Amazon: Life on the River’ exhibit at HMNS. I found this exhibit to be very interesting. There were many amazing artifacts and objects and we had a very informative tour, thanks to our docent.

    The Amazon is located in South America and spans across Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and many other countries. It is also the largest tropical rainforest in the world. The Amazon River is the second longest river in the world, just a few hundred kilometers less than the Nile. The Amazon is referred to as "the lungs of the Earth". Approximately 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon.

     It is believed that nearly 10,000,000 natives once inhabited the Amazon. Today, that number is around 700,000. These inhabitants exist within tribes, many of which are very diverse in culture and heritage. Some tribes haven’t made contact with the outside world and are still hunter-gatherers.

     I found the Shuar tribe and their customs particularly interesting. Their tribe was one of the largest tribes, and were often referred to as the “savages”. The Shuar have long resisted the efforts of rivals to conquer them and they are considered to be war-like people. Warfare, headhunting, and revenge are generally accepted. They live in isolated homes only for a single family, not in villages. The homes were built to defend against attacks. For example, they had double walls to protect themselves from projectiles and tunnels for means of escape. One of the most well known customs of the Shuar is the “shrunken skulls”, or “tsantsa”. Their reputation is largely derived from those customs. These shrunken skulls were part of the actual heads of their enemies. They believed that the deceased warrior’s spirit would come back to get revenge on their executioner. By shrinking the skulls and sewing the eyes and lips together, the Shuar believed they prevented the soul from exacting revenge. The process involved the skin of the deceased warrior being removed from the head. The skin was removed, boiled, and shrunken, and the lips and eyes were sewn together as part of the ritual. They were also known to shrink other animal heads. It is said that these shrunken animal skulls were used for a substitute for a “tsantsa”, for educational purposes, or to sell to foreigners who were interested in these shrunken human skulls. These “tsantsa” were not considered a trophy, but could increase a warrior’s “Arutam”. The Shuar believed each warrior had personal power, called the “Arutam”. By collecting shrunken heads, a warrior would increase his “Arutam”. The practice of shrinking heads allegedly came to an end after World War II due to an increase in demand for the heads, which led to a rise in headhunting.

 I have added some pictures from the exhibit below.

Shrunken human head 

Shrunken animal head 

Man holding a shrunken human head

Poetry and Prose

Poetry and Prose: What's the difference?

Poetry is a literature or language composition which expresses or evokes ideas and emotions. Poetry is arranged according to it’s rhythm, sound, and meaning.

Prose (prosa) is a word of Latin origin which translates to ‘straightforward’. Prose is like the ordinary form of language and is generally composed of paragraphs and dialogue. The language in Prose is more grammatical and natural. Much of what is written today can be considered Prose.

In poetry, ideas may be grouped into lines and stanzas. Prose is almost always contained in sentences forming paragraphs. Poetry and Prose aren’t always easily distinguishable, but Prose is more straightforward and follows general grammar rules, and Poetry has pattern, rhythm, and is more structured.