Ancient Greece: The legend of the Hero Odysseus, as told by Homer (Lecture)

Course intent

We shall follow the ten year journey of Odysseus and explore his many adventures on his way home from Troy to his beloved wife Penelope and to his kingdom of Ithaca.

What will I learn?

"We shall investigate: - The structure of Homer’s second epic, namely the Odyssey; for example Homer was the first poet to employ the ‘flashback’ technique, now a common feature of books, films and TV. - Why was Odysseus given the epithets ‘cunning’ and ‘resourceful’ and how did he use these skills to escape the threats from powerful gods, humans, giants and creatures with magical powers? - What dangers were awaiting Odysseus in Ithaca? How did he regain his kingdom and restore his relationship with Penelope after 20 years?!

We shall be looking at key passages from the text, supported by the many visual images from Athenian vase paintings, Roman wall paintings and art work from later generations."

Who is this course for? Is there anything I need to know before joining?

This lecture is suitable for everyone.

What do I need to bring to the first class? Will there be any extra costs?

We recommend bringing a pen so you can make notes.

What can I do when I finish the course?

We offer a wide range of courses on aspects of history, as well as other Humanities subjects that may be of interest to further your knowledge.

Additional information

We welcome learners with additional needs and disabilities. When you enrol, please let us know if you would like to discuss your extra support needs with a member of the Supported Learning Team who will then contact you as soon as possible. If you are enrolling within 10 days of the course start date, we may not be able to contact you before your first class.

How to enrol

You can't currently enrol online for this course, so please call 0300 200 1044 to express your interest or to make an enquiry for further information.

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