The Odyssey Book Club
A 5 week classic literature adventure through ancient Greece with Odysseus as he encounters monsters and gods on his journey home from Troy.
Becky McCoy
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(17)
What's included
6 live meetings
6 in-class hoursHomework
4+ hours per week. Students will have to read or listen to five "books" (chapters) per week. They should arrive to week one having already read or listened to the first five chapters. The students will also be working together on a project, in which they will create a tabletop game of Odysseus's perilous journey home.Class Experience
US Grade 7 - 10
In this class, we will be reading Homer's classic tale The Odyssey over the course of five weeks. Students should come to the first class having read the first 5 "books" (chapters) of the book. The meetings will begin with a quick powerpoint recap of what happened in the chapters we'll be discussing that week. Much of the meeting after that will be discussion based, but will include teaching time that, over the course of the five weeks will cover: -Greek epithets -Xenia and Theo-xenia (ancient hospitality rules) -Names and characteristics of various Greek gods and monsters -The role of women and servants/slaves in the story -Classical versus modern versions of heroism -Examples of Greek mythology in modern media We will read and discuss 5 chapters of the book every week, beginning with the first week, and students will be working together along the way to create a tabletop-style game that follows Odysseus' adventures! Periodically, we will watch some videos on YouTube and listen to some audio clips that help us to better understand the story. We will end the course with some Odyssey trivia, and we'll have time to play the game the students made throughout the course of the club. Students don't need any previous experience with Greek myths to enjoy the club, and I am perfectly happy if students prefer to listen to an audiobook version rather than reading a physical copy of the book. Students should come to the meetings prepared to discuss their ideas and opinions of what happened in the story.
Learning Goals
Students will finish the club with a strong understanding of the events in this classic story, as well as the tools needed to better understand the ancient world in which the story is set.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
The Odyssey is from a violent time, and the book contains multiple character deaths that include things like people being eaten by monsters, turned to stone, and killed with swords and axes. It doesn't tend to be graphic by today's standards, but it does make mention of blood, etc. It also includes disabling events such as one character being blinded by a red-hot stick.
The book also includes multiple mentions of extra-marital relations, including by the hero, Odysseus. These are NOT graphic in any way. They usually amount to something to the extent of, "so he went to her bed and laid with her."
The story is also dealing with ancient religious practices, and includes sacrifices made to the gods (NO human sacrifices are made in this book, though one is mentioned from a previous time, but they do include offering animals and, at one point, blood to hungry spirits), as well as examples of magic (Circe transforms some men into pigs, etc.), and a brief trip into the underworld.
Finally, there are slaves in the book, and we will be discussing their roles and treatment as we encounter them. All told, the book is very kind to slaves, giving them some very important roles, however, slavery was normal and common in the ancient world and there is no point in the book where the morality of it is questioned. We will, of course, acknowledge the evils of slavery in the class, just as we will acknowledge the destructive nature of misogyny that is also present in the book.
Supply List
Students must have their own copy of the book The Odyssey. I HIGHLY recommend the Emily Wilson translation (https://www.emilyrcwilson.com/the-odyssey) which is available on Amazon, Audible, many libraries, and any bookstore should either have it or be able to order it. This is the edition I will be teaching from, and sometimes different translations do make a big difference to the reading experience. It's okay if student's have a different translation, but I do encourage the Emily Wilson version in either print or audio if possible. Students should read the first 5 "books" (chapters) before the first meeting.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined July, 2019
4.9
17reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have a Master's degree in English literature from the University of Reading, and have 10 years of experience in private tutoring, teaching small classes (usually for homeschooled students), and running literature and drama clubs. I have taught The Odyssey many times before, and it's one of my favourite because we always have some very interesting conversations along the way!Reviews
Live Group Class
$15
weekly or $90 for 6 classes1x per week, 6 weeks
60 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-16
2-6 learners per class
