Book 11, 1-377

Okay, I can appreciate that starting back at school after four days off can be a challenge. No doubt, you stayed up late and got up late many of the past few days so that getting up early for school this morning left you overly exhausted. This fatigue showed in your discussion this morning, which took more prompting from me than should be necessary. Each night’s reading is short enough to allow you time to reflect on at least one significant passage in discussion the next day. Push yourselves to read at least one passage very closely, noting not only plot implications, but the connotations of words chosen by Fagles to represent Homer’s Greek.

Without prompting today, you noted that the sexism of Homer’s society comes through in the way that Odysseus interacts with the souls of the women he encounters. Their glory, their reason for being noticed, and their importance all grow from their connections to fathers, lovers, sons. You also talked about the ritual of the ghosts drinking the blood of animal sacrifice. For example Odysseus describes how his “mother/approached and drank the dark, clouding blood” (11.174-5). Blood, you noted, gives substance to the wraiths. Blood connotes life. Its darkness and clouding, furthermore, connote its substance. It is not clear and ghostlike the spirits; it is associated with mortality; it is physical, tangible.

I had to prod you into discussing Tiresias’ prophecy, which provides huge clues for reading the rest of the epic. It foreshadows Odysseus’ trip to Thrinacia, the island of the sun god Helios, and suggests that even upon returning to Ithaca, Odysseus will remain in disfavor with Poseidon until Odysseus spreads Poseidon’s influence among people unconnected with the sea.

I also had to prod you to discuss Odysseus conversation with Anticleia, his mother. She lays the mother of all guilt trips on him and, more importantly, reveals that Penelope remains true to him.