AT LAST!! :) :) :) Ok, so it wasn't really that bad, but I'm kind of tired of it. When I started it seemed like Ulysses was a good guy, but at the end he's murdering everyone, even his servants, and he's enjoying it. That just seems wrong. It seems like most everyone then thought that killing (which, in general, is different than fighting in a war to me) was good. I'd didn't like it at all. One thing I found highly confusing/annoying is that in many areas of the book it would say one thing, then a few pages later would say another. One example of that sort of thing was when Ulysses would swear upon the gods to tell the truth about his trip (or something), then he would tell a complete lie. It was so annoying! I'm glad we're done for now.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The Odyssey: Books VIII-XVII
I enjoyed this section of the book. I am glad to see Ulysses and Telemachus both together and safe (ish) for the moment. I am predicting that they will over power the suitors, but that Ulysses will get injured, and maybe die. I hope that Eumaeus doesn't get dragged into the disagreements between the Suitors and Ulysses, but he probably will support Ulysses because of his loyalty. Yet again, I found spelling and grammar errors. They are getting very tiresome. I am still intrigued by the difference in the culture then, and now, and the differences between their religon and mine.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Odyssey: Books 8-12
So far, I am finding that The Odyssey is ok, but it is not one of my favorites. Recently I have been finding the amount of trust that they put in their gods, and how their gods work annoying. I am trying to keep an open mind- but really
1. Why does did Posiedon hate Ulysses before he blinded Polyphemus?
2. Isn't it harsh to kill a whole ship of people, even if they did steal some cows?
Some of the things that happen just seem unnecessarily harsh or wierd, but I am trying to still enjoy it.
It was nice to, in a sense, get the background of a lot of the monsters/things/events mentioned in the Percy Jackson series.
1. Why does did Posiedon hate Ulysses before he blinded Polyphemus?
2. Isn't it harsh to kill a whole ship of people, even if they did steal some cows?
Some of the things that happen just seem unnecessarily harsh or wierd, but I am trying to still enjoy it.
It was nice to, in a sense, get the background of a lot of the monsters/things/events mentioned in the Percy Jackson series.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Odyssey: Books V-VIII
Overall, the story seems to be getting better, but I don't like it that much. It seems to come in waves for which parts I like- I'll like the first part of this chapter, but not the last part, or the first part of the nest section, and so on.
I find that reading about the gods is starting to get annoying, both becuase I don't really know who they are, and because I don't worship them, and the people in this novel do. I also dislike the gods because there have been a few instances where one part of the book will say something, and then a different part will something completely different about the same god or subject.
Why is Neptune annoyed with Ulysses? I still don't get that (but then, I don't get how the people can have such firm belief in such interesting figures.)
I have found that taking notes and certain parts of active reading make absorbing the story more difficult. I am quite tired of many aspects of reading The Odyssey right now but maybe I'll start enjoying it more next week.
I find that reading about the gods is starting to get annoying, both becuase I don't really know who they are, and because I don't worship them, and the people in this novel do. I also dislike the gods because there have been a few instances where one part of the book will say something, and then a different part will something completely different about the same god or subject.
Why is Neptune annoyed with Ulysses? I still don't get that (but then, I don't get how the people can have such firm belief in such interesting figures.)
I have found that taking notes and certain parts of active reading make absorbing the story more difficult. I am quite tired of many aspects of reading The Odyssey right now but maybe I'll start enjoying it more next week.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
The Odyssey: Books 2-4
Summary
In book 2 when Telemachus wakes up he has been given power and courage by Minerva (Athena). As Minerva suggested, he called together a council meeting. After going through the formalities, Telemaschus explains why he called the council together. When he explains that it is because many suitors are ravaging his house, with the excuse of marrying his mother some people pity him, whiles others do not care. Antinous in particular doesn't care, and promises to continue ravaging their estate. Telemachus warns that if his father is returning he will endure suitors for one more year, but that if he finds that his father is truly dead that he will take over his house, and (think about this next line) make his mother marry again. The suitors continued to fight with Telemachus, but eventually Telemachus got together his supplies and set of.
Book 3 starts with Telemachus getting to the lands of Pylos. Once they are on shore Telemachus goes to the house of Nestor to see if he had heard anything about his father. Once they have gone through the formalities and eaten, Nestor finally starts to explain his part of the journey during which Ulysses was lost, and what he knew of how Ulysses was. (I found some of that part confusing.) Nestor suggests that Telemachus go to Menelaus to see if he knew more. That afternoon Nestor made a sacrific to the gods, then sent Telemachus and his youngest son, Pisistratus.
At the beginning of book 4 Telemachus and Pisistratus have just arrived at Menelaus's. Again, there are many greeting and formalities to be exchanged. Menelaus explains what he knows. Two parts that stick out to me are that Helen, Menelaus's wife, tried to betray Acheans when they were hidden in the wooden horse, but she still ended up as Menelaus's wife. It does say at some point that that was planned by heaven. The other piece of important information was that he had heard what had happened to Ulysses, and knew that he was being held captive by hte nymph Calypso. The suitors didn't truly believe that Telemachus would go to look for his father, so when they found out that he did, they prepared an ambush for him when he was on his way home, so that they could take over his stuff.
Thoughts
I found parts of this section, especially when Nestor was explaining what he knew of Ulysses very confusing. I felt more confused when I tried to summarize each paragraph or two, so I stopped doing that. The suitors are really annoying. Their so stupid, and generally impolite- they just get on my nerves. One thing that I found interesting is that is says "the child of morning, rosy-fingered dawn" a lot. It's not really that interesting, but it's a different way of saying morning. Just in books 2 to 4 it says that 4 times.
I don't have many predictions right now, but I'm that Telemachus might go on a quest for his father without returning to get anything else from his home. I'm also guessing when he does eventually go home that the ambush the suitors have planned will fail miserably.
Some of the sacrifices that they do, and the way they greet people are very different from what I would expect. Also, when they make a sacrifice do they eat some of they meet, or do they burn all of it? It seems like both happen.
In book 2 when Telemachus wakes up he has been given power and courage by Minerva (Athena). As Minerva suggested, he called together a council meeting. After going through the formalities, Telemaschus explains why he called the council together. When he explains that it is because many suitors are ravaging his house, with the excuse of marrying his mother some people pity him, whiles others do not care. Antinous in particular doesn't care, and promises to continue ravaging their estate. Telemachus warns that if his father is returning he will endure suitors for one more year, but that if he finds that his father is truly dead that he will take over his house, and (think about this next line) make his mother marry again. The suitors continued to fight with Telemachus, but eventually Telemachus got together his supplies and set of.
Book 3 starts with Telemachus getting to the lands of Pylos. Once they are on shore Telemachus goes to the house of Nestor to see if he had heard anything about his father. Once they have gone through the formalities and eaten, Nestor finally starts to explain his part of the journey during which Ulysses was lost, and what he knew of how Ulysses was. (I found some of that part confusing.) Nestor suggests that Telemachus go to Menelaus to see if he knew more. That afternoon Nestor made a sacrific to the gods, then sent Telemachus and his youngest son, Pisistratus.
At the beginning of book 4 Telemachus and Pisistratus have just arrived at Menelaus's. Again, there are many greeting and formalities to be exchanged. Menelaus explains what he knows. Two parts that stick out to me are that Helen, Menelaus's wife, tried to betray Acheans when they were hidden in the wooden horse, but she still ended up as Menelaus's wife. It does say at some point that that was planned by heaven. The other piece of important information was that he had heard what had happened to Ulysses, and knew that he was being held captive by hte nymph Calypso. The suitors didn't truly believe that Telemachus would go to look for his father, so when they found out that he did, they prepared an ambush for him when he was on his way home, so that they could take over his stuff.
Thoughts
I found parts of this section, especially when Nestor was explaining what he knew of Ulysses very confusing. I felt more confused when I tried to summarize each paragraph or two, so I stopped doing that. The suitors are really annoying. Their so stupid, and generally impolite- they just get on my nerves. One thing that I found interesting is that is says "the child of morning, rosy-fingered dawn" a lot. It's not really that interesting, but it's a different way of saying morning. Just in books 2 to 4 it says that 4 times.
I don't have many predictions right now, but I'm that Telemachus might go on a quest for his father without returning to get anything else from his home. I'm also guessing when he does eventually go home that the ambush the suitors have planned will fail miserably.
Some of the sacrifices that they do, and the way they greet people are very different from what I would expect. Also, when they make a sacrifice do they eat some of they meet, or do they burn all of it? It seems like both happen.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Odyssey: Book One
Book I of the Odyssey is pretty good. One thing that both challenged me, and made the story more enjoyable is that when I read it my mind tried to translate any gods that we read about from their Roman names into their Greek names. One prediction that I've made is (guess what!) that Telemachus is going to attempt to save Ulysess. It seems like a good story. Something that interested me is the way that some of the sentences are worded, or the meaning of the sentences. One of those sentences said for telemachus to "Make his mother marry again." At the time when Telemachus lived, that might have been common practice, but now it has been realized that women are perfectly capable of making their own choices. Another sentence was (also directed at Penelope by Telemachus) "Go, then, within the house and busy yourself with your daily duties, your loom, your distaff, and the ordering of your servants; for speech is a mans matter, and mine above all others- for it is I who am master here." Both of these sentences just go to show how times have changed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)