The Odyssey Essay

The final essay is due on Monday, November 17. However, we will work on the essay each day in class this week, so bring the latest version of your typed essay to class each day.



Essay Question


Even though The Odyssey is an Ancient Greek story, Homer’s epic teaches the reader many lessons about life (theme) that are still applicable today. Choose a topic from the following list and develop it into a theme that is still relevant today:

· Arrogance
· Revenge
· the role of women
· hospitality
· the role of a hero
· perseverance (the quest)
· reverence
· patience

Essay Checklist

____ The essay is at least two pages long.


____ The essay has a creative title that connects to the thesis statement.


____ The introduction paragraph has an attention-getting device that makes a thematic connection between The Odyssey and life today.


____ “The Odyssey by Homer” appears somewhere in the introduction.


____ The introduction ends with a thesis statement that not only states the theme that will be developed in the essay, but also includes and a brief outline of the sub-points of the theme that will be developed in the body paragraphs. This outline is often simply a list of key words that are part of paragraph topic sentences.


____ There are transitions between paragraphs.


____ The body paragraphs have clear topic sentences, often at the beginning of the paragraph.


____ Body paragraphs include analysis of the sub-points of the theme.


____ Analysis is supported with direct quotations from the epic. The quotes are integrated naturally with the text instead of with phrases such as “this quote shows.”


____ A strong technique for developing analysis is the PIE format. Point, Illustration, Explanation.


____ Body paragraphs end with a recap sentence.


____ MLA Format is followed throughout the essay including:
1. The essay is double-spaced, 12-point font, with one inch margins.
2. A header appears on the top right of each page with student last name and page # (e.g. Jones 1).
3. MLA format includes a heading on the first page of the essay with student name, teacher, class and date. This heading is double-spaced, just like the rest of the essay.
4. Epic poems follow a specific MLA format to cite all direct quotations, e.g. “They came on Circe’s palace / built of dressed stone” (10.229-230). That citation indicates the book and line numbers for the quotation, and a slash is included at the line break in the direct quotation.
5. A work cited appears at the end of the essay.


____ The conclusion leaves the reader with a lasting impression by commenting on the relevance of the topic for the reader’s life today. In other words, why do we still care about this topic so many years after Homer wrote the epic? The timeless relevance discussed in the conclusion should connect to the attention-getter in the introduction.


____ Each day during composition week, students will bring the latest version of the essay.


____ The final essay is due on Monday, November 17.