Page 50 - FOCUS year 1

C. The actors
Verses 25-31

1) Which grammatical person does the poet use? Justify his choice.
2) What does the poet may mean by the word “journey”?
3) Improvise, based on the given verses, and make sure to emphasize the concept of
“journey” and its duration.

Teachers collaborate with the students, in order to guide them to discover the deeper
meaning of the poem:

”In Ithaca, based on the myth of Odyssey, the poet talks about the journey of life,
which we all make, and in its beginning we have dreams and hopes in ourselves, but
soon we are faced with adventures, failures and disappointments. The mind must
listen to these conditions and defeat its fears of having a leisurely journey. In our
path we must seek to visit new places, meet new people and situations, because all
these experiences will be of great value in the future.
Ithaca, however, is not only a destination, but a goal. And although the result may
not leave us satisfied, we should not be disappointed, as the goal has been achieved,
but also because the next one comes to a goal, a new Ithaca invites us to explore it!
The poem is advisory and written in the second person, addressed directly to the
reader-traveler. It is also symbolic: Ithaca, besides the destination of life,
symbolizes the greatest goal that one puts. Lasestygenes, Cyclops and Neptune
symbolize the obstacles that he encounters on the road and his personal struggle.
The "primitive ports" symbolize everything new and beneficial (people-places-
experiences), "good things" refer to the excellent spiritual and physical goods that
must be conquered, and Egypt represents knowledge.“

This is the end of the second hour

 Returning to groups
The groups prepare a common worksheet for approximately 10 minutes.

COMMON WORKSHEET (for all 3 groups)

Verses: 32-37
1) In the last six verses of the poem, the poet uses the word “Ithaca” in the plural form.
Justify his choice.

2) What is “Ithaca” for you? Write at least two verses to express yourself and
incorporate your answer to the question.

 Performing