1. What is the Homeric chief/king like? In what ways is he different from the non-chiefs? What motivates him? Contrast between poems?2. What is the governmental structure in the poems? Contrast between poems?
3. How do these chiefs/kings relate to each other? What are the components of xenia (guest-friendship)? How is it important for the poems? Contrast between poems?
4. What is the position of women in the society (or positions)? Contrast between poems?
5. Religion: How do the deities relate a) to one another, b) to humans. How do the deities act with regard to morality? Other aspects of religion in the poems? Contrast between poems?
Helpful links for the Iliad:
- A summary of the Iliad (http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/bull27b.html)
- A quick reference guide for some of the main characters (http://cw.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/powell2/chapter19/custom1/deluxe-content.html)
Helpful links for the Odyssey:
- A summary of the Odyssey (http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/bull29.html and http://www.bulfinch.org/fables/bull30.html)
For a more humorous view, courtesy of one of last year's students:
- A quick reference guide for some of the main characters (http://cw.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/powell2/chapter21/custom1/deluxe-content.html)