The Odyssey
Simile
The comparison of one thing with another of s different kind using "like" or "as"
Tiresias
A Theban prophet who inhabits the underworld. He meets Odysseus when Odysseus journeys to the underworld in Book 11. He shows Odysseus how to get back to Ithaca, tells him his fate, and allows Odysseus to communicate with the other souls.
Allusion
A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art; calls something to mind without mentioning it explicitly
Scylla
A six-headed sea monster who haunts the rocks of a narrow strait opposite Charybdis. She swallows one of Odysseus' men for each head when they sail past.
No. When landing on the island to rest, they are desperate for food, and despite Odysseus telling them not to eat it, they do when he goes to sleep. Tiresias' prediction comes true. Helios, angered, tells Zeus to set a storm upon the ship, killing all the men but Odysseus.
Do Odysseus' men listen to the warning about The Cattle Of the Sun God?
Metaphor
Figure of speech in which a word or phrase represents or symbolizes something else that is not literally applicable, without using "like" or "as"
Poseidon
God of the sea, and the antagonist of Odysseus. After Odysseus blinds his son, Polyphemus, he continues to hamper Odysseus for the rest of his trip, but sometimes helps him.
Helios
God of the sun, who owns seven herds of oxen and seven flocks of sleep that Odysseus must not go near.
Athena
Goddess of wisdom and war, the daughter of Zeus. She assists Odysseus and Telemachus with many powers and benefits throughout the story.
He offers the Cyclops some strong wine, making the cyclops drunk. Tired because of the wine, Polyphemus falls asleep, and when he does, Odysseus hardens a stake in the fire, and pokes Polyphemus' eye with it, blinding him. When the Cyclops goes to let the sheep out in the morning, he cannot see that Odysseus and his men have hid in the undersides of the sheep.
How does Odysseus escape from Polyphemus?
He is very excited to see his dog once more, however, he must act neutral so that there is no suspicion of his identity, and acts as if he does not know the dog.
How does Odysseus react when Argos recognizes him?
He uses his guile to come out of many dangerous situations. An example would be his use of trickery when facing the Cyclops to get out safely.
How does Odysseus rely on clever deceit, or guile, to survive?
When passing by the Sirens, Odysseus orders his men to plug their ears with wax so they will not be tempted. Odysseus, however, still wants to hear the song without being driven into their trap, so he has his men tie him firmly to the ship's mast. When approaching Scylla and Charybdis, Odysseus must sacrifice six of his men by sailing past Scylla, the safer route, instead of going by Charybdis.
How does Odysseus survive the dangers posed by Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis?
Telemachus does not know yet that Odysseus, disguised as an old man, is actually his father, but the readers do.
How is the scene in the swineherd's hut with Odysseus and Telemachus a clear instance of dramatic irony?
Zeus
King of the gods, he is somewhat unpredictable but usually supports wayfaring suppliants, hospitality, and his daughter Athena in her concern for Odysseus.
Hermes
Messenger of the gods, who helps Odysseus by giving him the herb to protect him from Circe and by convincing Calypso to release him.
Eurymachus
One of Penelope's suitors
Assonance
Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity, or closely related
Epic Theme
Something that reflects universal concerns such as courage, a homecoming, loyalty, the fate of a nation, beauty, and life and death.
Calypso
The beautiful nymph who falls in love with Odysseus when he lands on her island-home of Ogygia. She holds him prisoner there for seven years.
Circe
The beautiful witch-goddess who lives on Aeaea, who transforms Odysseus's crew into pigs when he lands on her island. With Hermes' help, Odysseus resists Circe's powers and then becomes her lover, living in luxury at her side for a year.
Antinous
The most arrogant of Penelope's suitors. Antinous leads the campaign to have Telemachus killed. Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically, and he is the first to die when Odysseus returns.
Polyphemus
The one-eyed son of Poseidon, a cyclops, who imprisons Odysseus and his men soon after leaving Troy
Odysseus has great traits such as his bravery and strength in dangerous situations. He is very intelligent and crafty, able to come up with solutions to getting out of obstacles he faces during his journey, often using trickery.
What are Odysseus' strengths?
Odysseus tends to be over-confident, boastful, and full of pride. These traits have led him into several consequences.
What are Odysseus' weakness?
Hospitality, loyalty, vengeance, appearance vs. reality
What are some major themes of The Odyssey?
An epic hero possesses superhuman strength, craftiness, and confidence. They are usually a king, prince, or a god, and have the potential for greatness based on their attributes. Odysseus has many of these attributes, such as courageousness and intelligence. He used many traits of an epic hero when facing the cyclops Polyphemus and defeating him.
What are the characteristics of an Epic Hero? When does Odysseus display the traits of an epic hero?
She decides that whoever can bend and string Odysseus' now and shoot it through twelve axe handles will get to marry her. Odysseus wins this contest.
What decision does Penelope make for the anxious suitors? Who wins?
He kills Antinous, and then declares he will kill them all. Eurymachus asks for forgiveness, but Odysseus will not listen. He kills every man in the room.
What does Odysseus do after revealing his identity in the hall among the suitors?
Odysseus will return home to find men trying to marry his wife, and that his ship and men will be destroyed and he will return alone.
What does Tiresias predict will happen if Odysseus raids the herds of Helios?
Odysseus travels here to find a blind profit named Tiresias. To see the souls, he must sacrifice a black lamb. Tiresias will tell him how to get home to the land of Ithaca and warn him not to touch the cattle of the sun god and tell Odysseus that he will survive alone. He first meets one of his men that passed away because he fell off of Circe's roof. Odysseus then finds Tiresias, who tells him that Poseidon is punishing him for blinding his son, the Cyclops. Afterwards, Odysseus finds his mother, who tells him what has occurred in Ithaca since he left. She also tells him that she died from grief and sadness waiting for him to return home. He also met many spirits of many men and heroes. He listens to them tell their stories of how they lived and died.
What happened in "The Land Of The Dead?"
Calypso, a goddess, has held Odysseus captive on her island for seven years, however, by the final year, Odysseus is very homesick. Hermes the Wayfinder travels to Calypso's island to tell her to let Odysseus go. Calypso agrees and goes to meet Odysseus, telling him she is setting him free, taking credit for Hermes' words. She helps him build a raft, and he sets out on his way. He is caught up in a storm and washes up at Scheria, the home of King Alcinous.
What happened in the story "Calypso"?
Odysseus is welcomed by Alcinous. He asks Odysseus to tell him who he is, and his story. Odysseus reveals who he is with the quote "I am Laertes Son", and the flashback begins of his long journey.
What happened in the story "I am Laertes Son"?
Odysseus first talks about his encounter with the Lotus Eaters, in which some of his men were tempted to go onto their island and were tricked into eating a flower that made them essentially drunk and want more. Odysseus and his other men had to pull them off the island and force them back onto the boat. Next, they land on the island of the cyclopses, where Polyphemus lives. They enter the cave to find an abundance of food and goods, and make themselves at home. When Polyphemus returns, he is angered by the sight, and eats two of the men. He blocks the exit to the cave with a large rock, and Odysseus and his men are held captive. The next morning, Polyphemus eats two more men, and leaves to graze his sheep. He eats another two men that night, and then Odysseus comes up with a plan to escape. He offers Polyphemus a strong drink of wine, making him drunk. The cyclops asks for Odysseus' name, and Odysseus replies "Nobody." Polyphemus says he will eat "Nobody" last, and falls asleep. Odysseus hardens a stake in the fire, and with the help of four men, they poke out Polyphemus' eye, blinding him. Polyphemus cries out that "Nobody" has hurt him, and none of the other giants believe he has been harmed. In the morning, when he goes to let out his sheep, Odysseus and his men hide in the undersides so that the cyclops cannot sense them leaving. Once sage on the boat and sailing, Odysseus boastfully reveals his real name, but this will cause problems later, because now Polyphemus knows who hurt him.
What happens in the story "The Cyclops"?
Odysseus and his men land on Circe's island, Aeaea. Eurylochus takes some of the men to Circe's home, and Circe drugs them with a kind of wine that turns the men into pigs. Eurylochus hurries back to Odysseus and tells him what happened, and Odysseus tries to save his men. Hermes gives him a special plant so that he can overpower Circe's witchcraft. When he drinks the wine, he doesn't turn into a pig, and Circe says she will only free his men if he takes her to bed. They stay this way for a whole year, and when leaving, Circe advises that they must go to see the prophet Tiresias.
What happens in the story "The Witch Circe"?
They turn into pigs, and Circe traps them.
What happens to Eurylochus' men after they drink Circe's wine?
An epic simile is the comparison of Scylla capturing some of Odysseus' men and eating them to a man catching a fish with a fishing rod.
What is an example of an epic simile in the story?
Penelope and the suitors believe that Odysseus is dead, however, the readers know he is not.
What is an example of dramatic irony in the story?
It is ironic that Odysseus calls himself "Nohbody" at Polyphemus' request for his name, because now he cannot be named as an aggressor towards the cyclops, but as "nobody."
What is an example of irony with the Cyclops?
The Illiad is the story of the Trojan War. It relates to the Odyssey because it leads into Odysseus' long journey home. Odysseus has left Ithaca in the first place to fight in the war. It takes place between 700-600 B.C.
What is the Illiad? How does it relate to the Odyssey? What time period does it take place in?
Odysseus is trying to return home to Ithaca, but there are many obstacles and delays along the way.
What is the major conflict throughout the entire journey?
He goes to the hut of his swine herd in disguise to get to see him and to get to see Telemachus.
Where does Odysseus go first when returning to Ithaca?
His son, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and his servants
Who helps Odysseus fight the suitors?
Homer
Who is the author of the work?
He is homesick and has been away from his home, Ithaca, for so long. He wants to return to his wife and son.
Why does Odysseus want to leave Calypso and her island?
She does not recognize him, and tests him to make sure it really is him, and not someone pretending to be him.
Why does Penelope test Odysseus?
He doubts that it is his father, because a moment ago Odysseus had been dressed in rags and looked like an old man, and had suddenly transformed.
Why is Telemachus fearful when his father first reveals his identity?
Epic Hero
a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. They are helped and harmed by interfering gods, and embody ideals and values that a culture considers admirable. They emerge victorious from perilous situations.
Charybdis
a dangerous whirlpool personified as a female sea monster, lives opposite of Scylla who sucks and spews water three times a day. Odysseus and his men manage to avoid her.
Epic Simile
a detailed comparison in the form of a simile that is many lines in length
Eurylochus
a member of Odysseus's loyal crew, trusted officer
Archetype
a very typical example of a certain person or thing
Epithet
an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned.
Sirens
creatures, part woman and part bird, whose songs lure sailors to their death
Epic Plot
involves a long journey full of complications, such as strange creatures, large- scale events, divine intervention, & treacherous weather.
Epic Setting
place that includes a fantastic or exotic lands and involves one or more nations
Telemachus
son of Odysseus and Penelope, heir to the throne of Ithaca. He was just a baby when Odysseus left to fight in Troy.
Alliteration
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
Imagery
visually descriptive of figurative language, especially in a literary work; appeals to the senses
