Reaction Paper In English

Submitted by: Nikka Denise Pisuea

Summary of Plot A highly condensed summary: The Iliad is set three millennia ago, during the final year of the Trojan War, a conflict in which Greek warriors sailed the Aegean to what is now Turkey and besieged the citadel of Troy for ten years.

In the first few pages the Greek hero Achilles quarrels with the chief king, Agamemnon, over a female slave whom the Greek soldiers had awarded to Achilles as a prize of honor in recognition of his exploits.

Agamemnon seizes the woman. Achilles withdraws from fighting in a rage, and remains withdrawn for the bulk of the poem, during which time the Trojans, led by Hector--Trojan King Priam's son--almost burn the beached Greek ships and drive the invaders into the sea.

Hector kills Achilles' close friend, Patroclus, prompting Achilles to resume fighting. The Greeks drive the Trojans back to their citadel. Achilles kills Hector. He abuses the corpse but, in the final pages of the poem, returns it to Priam for funeral honors.

The Iliad ends there, before Achilles dies from an arrow shot into his heel, before the Greeks enter Troy by means of a hollow wooden horse and destroy the citadel.

Listening Activity 1. What are the specific reasons that Andromache gives to dissuades her husband from fighting? Andromache had a feeling that hector is going to fall in battle, and since she loves her husband she didnt want this to happen.

2. What reasons does Hector have give to explain why he has to go out of the city when troy is well-fortified and safe within? Hector has to go out of the city because, he have to defend his kingdom and his family from Greeks he also believed that gods are with him.

3. What are his concerns for the future of his wife and child? His concern for his family that they would be alright even though he is gone, good faith, mostly for his son to become more powerful leader he could ever be.

4. What details show great love between Hector and Andromache? Hector and Andromache have a very loyal and loving relationship, when hector takes a break from the war to shame his coward brother Prince Paris back into battle; he visits his wife and son for the last time. Andromache runs to meet him they weep together and Andromache begs him to stay out of war or else his child will lost his father and her shall be long widow. 5. What suffering had Achilles caused the family of Andromache? She becamed widow, witnessing the brutal death of her husband. Andromache despairs at the murder of her son Astyanax and is then given to Neoptolemus as a concubine. In his Andromache, Euripides dramatizes when she and her child were nearly assassinated by Hermione, the wife of Neoptolemus and daughter of Helen and Menelaus

Paired Discussion 1. Which side do you want to win the war? Why? Im in favor for the Trojans, because the Trojan people were innocent and they were only affected of what Prince Paris has done 2. Lacoon remarked A greek cannot be trusted even if he brings gifts. What does this remark mean in light of our society today? Do you agree with the remark or not? Explain briefly

Like in the story the Greeks brought gifts to troy a large horse full of warriors inside. The Trojans thought that the battle was already done because of the peace offering of Greeks which is unfair. Comprehension Response 1. Why was Andromache on the battlements? Andromache was on the battle 2. What misfortune did Andromache suffer from Achilles? Hector was killed by Achilles, and their son Astyanax was thrown from the city walls by the Greek Herald Talthybius. Neoptolemus took Andromache as a concubine and Hector's brother, Helenus, as a slave. By Neoptolemus, she was the mother of Molossus, and according to Pausanias, of Pielus and Pergamus. When Neoptolemus died, Andromache married Helenus and became Queen of Epirus. Pausanias also implies that Helenus' son, Cestrinus, was by Andromache. Andromache eventually went to live with Pergamus in Pergamum, where she died of old age. 3. What prayer did Hector makes for his child?

Before he went to war he embraces his family his son and wife and prays to Zeus for their good faith, mostly for his son to become powerful leader could ever be. 4. Why is it dangerous for King Priam to ransom the body of Hector? Greeks could not be trusted, he was also worried that the Greeks might kill him while he was claiming the body of his son.

5. Describe how different are the Greek funeral rites from what is done in our country. Greek funeral rites Prthes is the deposition of the body of the deceased on the funereal bed and the threnody of his relatives. Ekphor is the process of transport of the mortal remains of the deceased from his residence to the church, nowadays, and afterward to the place of burial. Cicero describes the habit of planting flowers around the tomb as an effort to guarantee the repose of the deceased and the purification of the ground, a custom that is maintained until today. Two days after the burial, a ceremony called the thirds would take place, while eight days after the burial, the relatives and the friends of the deceased assembled at the burial spot, where the ninths would take place, a custom that is maintained until today. In addition to this, in the modern era, memorial services take place 40 days, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year after the death and from then on every year on the anniversary of the death. The relatives of the deceased, for an unspecified length of time that depends on them, are in mourning, during which women wear black clothes and men a black armband.

Values Connection

1. What is the implication of this statement: The Trojan women have gone to Athenas temple to make supplications?

The Trojan women goes to the temple to pray for their husband or children while fighting in the war. This is also where they can find the answer if their husband will die on battle. 2. Why is Andromache called Hectors precious wife? Mention three things that would make a precious woman?

Andromache portrays her as a perfect wife, giving Hector sound advice regarding the defense of Troy which he disregards in favor of meeting the Greeks in the field of battle.] When she hears of Hector's death, she is embroidering flowers into a purple cloak, demonstrating her distinction from Helen, who is portrayed embroidering a battle scene earlier in the epic. 3. From what conversation between hector and Andromache, choose details that show great love between two. What qualities in each are revealed?

 Hector and Andromache have a very loyal and loving relationship, when hector takes a break from the war to shame his coward brother Prince Paris back into battle; he visits his wife and son for the last time. Andromache runs to meet him they weep together and Andromache begs him to stay out of war or else his child will lost his father and her shall be long widow.

4. Do you believe that suffering unites people and prosperity divides them?

Yes 5. How does funeral unite people?

Funeral rites unites the people because this is where the family gets together and mourns for their love ones.

SUMMARY

Odyssey battles internal and external conflict to take part in the Trojan War. It is at a time when his son Telemachus, is only a month old. Ten years after the war, Odysseus retraces his steps back home. By that time, Telemachus is twenty and living with his mother Penelope in Ithaca. His mother has to deal with 108 suitors, who are boisterous and adamant that she should agree to marriage. Athena, Odysseus's guardian, decides with the King of Gods according to Greek mythology, Zeus, to take the form of Mentes, a Taphian chief and speak to Telemachus. She urges the boy to look for his father. Telemachus and Athena witness Phemius the bard entertaining the rowdy suitors with "Return from Troy". Even as Penelope objects, urged by Athena, Telemachus orders Phemius to read on. Athena finds Telemachus a ship and crew and helps him to depart for the mainland. Welcomed by the Nestor family, Telemachus then embarks on a land journey alongside Sparta, Nestor's son. He chances upon Helen and Menelaus bear witness of a meeting with sea-god Proteus. They inform Telemachus that his father has been captured by Calypso, a nymph. Odysseus, meanwhile, spends seven years in captivity. He is released only to incur the wrath of Poseidon, the sea-god who was not present on Mount Olympus when Athena and Zeus interacted. Escaping the wreckage, Odysseus swims ashore exhausted and falls asleep. He then seeks the hospitality of Arete and Alcinous. Odysseus struggles through a situation where his identity is always in doubt. A raid on his twelve ships by storms, lotus eaters and blinded with a wooden stake, leaves the hero a broken man. A boon from Aeolus, the wind god helped Odysseus harness all the winds. However, with destiny playing truant, Odysseus does not retain the only 'safe' wind that could blow him homeward. His escapades with the pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses, a treacherous sailor, Laestrygones the cannibal, Circe, the witch goddess and the spirit of Tiresias, leave Odysseus spent and longing for home. Odysseus' lucky meeting with the Phaeacians, buys him a homebound journey. Disguised as a beggar, Odysseus learns about his family. He meets Penelope with the intention of testing her love for him. Eurycleia, the housekeeper, discovers Odysseus' identity and all is well when he strings his own bow as part of the suitor competition set by Penelope.

Comprehension Response 1. Analyze Polyphemus character by analyzing his words and actions.

Polyphemus is the youngest son of Poseidon he is like to be childish because he was lack of love and he is not whith his brothers. 2. What second thoughts restrained Odysseus from stabbing Polyphemus. Odysseus had a second thoughts on stabbing Polyphemus because when Odysseus offered wine to him he promised Odysseus not to kill him, and they cannot open the enormous stone that Cyclopes is the only one who can open it. 3. Explain how Polyphemus was blinded. Odysseus made him drunk and while he was asleep they stab Polymphemus in the eye and he became blinded

4. Relate how Odysseus and his men managed to escape.

Being drunk, Polyphemus thinks of it as a real name and says that he will eat "nobody" last and that this shall be his guest-gifta vicious insult both to the tradition of hospitality and to Odysseus. With that, Polyphemus crashes to the floor and passes out. Odysseus, with the help of his men, lifts the flaming stake, charges forward and drives it into Polyphemus' eye, blinding him. Polyphemus yells for help from his fellow cyclopes that "nobody" has hurt him. The other cyclopes think Polyphemus is making a fool out of them or that it must be a matter with the gods, and they grumble and go away. In the morning, Odysseus and his men tie themselves to the undersides of Polyphemus' sheep. When the blind Cyclops lets the sheep out to graze, he feels their backs to ensure the men are not riding out, but because of Odysseus' plan, he does not feel the men underneath. Odysseus leaves last, riding beneath the belly of the biggest ram. Polyphemus does not realize that the men are no longer in his cave until the sheep and the men are safely out.

5. Prove that Odysseus was indeed wise and courageous.

 Odysseus is truly a wise men because he was the one who managed to escape from Cyclopes and it was odysues idea to build a Trojan horse in order that to defeat the troy, and in addition he manged to defeat the enchantress of Circe

Values Life Connection 1. What can you conclude about the Cyclopes from the words among these people no assemblies meet?

2. Explain: In this island none comes here to follow hounds.

It means that there are no such men or humans on the island to hunt and live.

3. Explain: Offer us hospitality and give the gift which are the strangers due.

In order to have hospitality strangers must give gifts. 4. Does Polyphemus deserve to be blinded? Why?

Yes, Odysseus has no choice but to blind Polyphemus because he ate 6 of his greatest men if they wont able to escape he and his all men shall die.

Reaction about the Iliad

A very important part of being a hero is having human qualities, particularly faults and shortcomings. At times these larger-than-life heroes can make very mortal, human mistakes; they are victims of fate and chances as well. At times, these mistakes have grave consequences

The Iliad is a marvelous piece of work. Great in its fame and content, the Iliad was used as the first historical text, philosophical writing, and story book. Historians use it for an account of the time. For students like us it can have a great learnings between man and gods. One use of Iliad according to the internet is that it is an illustration of humanity. It is an illustration that man or woman life exists with conflicts. The Iliad illustrates that it is human nature to create and live with conflicts, whether by choice or not, in order to have purpose in life. Humanity creates conflict by means of external and internal struggles in human, conflicts about love even in times of peace, man create conflict it is a story where reality is shown, love, envy, conflicts, gods, and a lot of strong emotional feeling

Reaction about Odyssey Odyssey is one of the famous ancient Greek epic written by homer. I think that it was really interesting. Where there are a lot of suitors who want to take place of Odysseus and the adventure of Odysseus way back home, in the story is more on fantasy but many learnings. It is the first movie to show that man uses his brain and to be wise. How long does love wait? A month? A year? Three years? Seven? Maybe getting back with your love will require you to wait a lot longer than you could've ever imagined. If it's meant to be then it will be no matter the time in between or the relationships you enter and leave in the meantime. Finding the love of your life is a joyous occasion. It's like coming home. Nothing compares to the connection, understanding, and aliveness that swells up within you during this experience. What a feeling! When and if love should return it will be right. It will be nice. It will be destiny. It made me wonder if true love really does return in its own time. Obviously, not every love story ends this way. Perhaps you have loved, lost, and moved on to another love that is just as special. But what about those who want to hold on, knowing and believing that they have met their soul-mate? Do you wait, date in between the years, move on but keep your options open just in case? What really sucks is that it's not that the love isn't real or not returned but that outside situations get in the way. Situations like what your family thinks, or maybe you are of two different races, religions, cultures, or classes. Sometimes peoples' desire of financial security take over and love takes a back sit, like in the movie. However, I suppose what is meant to be will be and what is not meant to be will not be. Not knowing the outcome is the hard part. Not knowing but learning to move on regardless of whether or not love returns is a challenge. Not knowing while learning to love self is the best you can do for your life. Like what on Odysseus story he portrays on how long love can wait, he and his wife waited for 20years or more just to see each other, Odysseus fights for his love even he will encounter all gods