The Odyssey
Books 21-24
BY ANAM RAHMAN, FRANCES CRUZ, AND JORDAN HARNAGE
Plot
ExpositionPenelope brings
out the bow that
the suitors will use
to win Penelope’s
love. (page 391
line 3)
Climax- Odysseus
killed Antinoos with
the bow and
angers the suitors to
the point where
they want to slit
Rising Action- The
Odysseus’ throat.
bow is given to the (page 409 lines 8suitors to win
21)
Penelope’s hand
but none but
Odysseus is able to
pull back the great
bow. (page 404-405
lines 475- 484)
Falling Action- The
suitors attack
Odysseus and
Telemakhos after
being denied mercy
but Odysseus goes all
out and kills all the
suitors except Phemios
and Medon. (pages
411 line 85 – 421 line
433)
ResolutionOdysseus and
Penelope
reunite and
Odysseus is
once again King
of Ithaka. (page
435 lines 231 –
page 436 line
262)
All About Odysseus- Feared
Page 410
lines 44-46
Page 411
Lines 72-73
All About Odysseus- Skillful

Page 404 Lines 460-466: “But the man skilled in all ways of
contending, satisfied by the great bow’s look and heft, like a
musician, like a harper, when with quiet hand upon his instrument he
draws between his thumb and forefinger a sweet new string upon a
peg: so effortlessly Odysseus in one motion strung the bow.”

Page 405 Lines 487-491:” ‘Telemakhos, the stranger you welcome in
your hall has not disgraced you. I did not miss, neither did I take all
day stringing the bow. My hand and eye are sound, not so
contemptible as the young men say.’ “

Page 413 Lines 136-138: “While he had arrows he aimed and shot,
and every shot brought down one of his huddling enemies.”
Other Than OdysseusPenelope the Doubtful
page 429
lines 14-17
page 431
lines 63-68
Other Than OdysseusTelemakhos the Courageous
Page 421
Lines 18-20
ThemeExpect from others what you do to
Page 410
them.
Page 411
Lines 38- 43
Lines 65-73
Player’s Choice
This basically means that Eurymakhos had
been shot in the liver by Odysseus and
when the arrow had hit him it had been
shaking and had bounced off his chest.
Page 411
Lines 89-92
Archetype
Ultimate Boon- When Odysseus with the help of Telemakhos kills all of
the suitors and the disloyal serving maids.

Refusal of the Return- When Penelope was testing Odysseus to see if
it was really him or not, because she believed that it was too good
to be true and that there was no way that her husband was still alive
and come back to her.

Crossing Back/ Return / Master of Two Worlds- When Odysseus
returns to being the ruler of Ithaka and he is the master of the sea
ways and of the land ways.
Wheel of Fortune
Rules of the Game The class will be divided into groups.
 Each group will take turns spinning the
wheel and answering a question.
 The number you land on will be multiplied
by 10, so for example if you land on a 2
and answer correctly then your group will
get 20 points. (points will also be
deducted!)
 Group with the most points wins!!!
Questions?
Who, other than Odysseus, has the
strength and power to string the
bow?
Telemakhos
To what men does Odysseus
reveal his identity?
Eumaios the swineherd and
Philoitios the cowherd.
What was Odysseus’ plan?
To kill the suitors.
Which men does Odysseus spare
from the slaughter?
Medon the Herald and Phemios
Why was Medon spared?
Because Medon had taken care of
Telemakhos when he had been
younger.
What was the omen that Odysseus
received that told him it was time
to start killing the suitors?
A crack of thunder from Zeus.
What happens to the disloyal
serving women?
They are hanged.
Why is Penelope so hesitant to
greet her husband?
She thinks that he might be a trick
from the gods.
How does Penelope test Odysseus?
Tells Eurykleia the nurse to move the
bed that Odysseus himself carved,
then watches to see his reaction
(which was anger) .
What was the bed made out of?
An Olive Tree.
Which suitor did Odysseus shoot
with an arrow and hit in the liver?
Eurymakhos
Where does Odysseus go after
reuniting with Penelope?
To his father, Laertes’, house.
Why does Laertes wear rags and
not bathe?
Because he was mourning his son,
Odysseus, whom he thought was
dead.
What does Athena do when the
families of the dead suitors attack
Odysseus?
She sets peace between them
disguised as Mentor and later
makes an agreement to battle no
longer.
In the oral epic there is a lot of
repetition. List at least two
examples that have been used by
the poet repeatedly.
 Dawn
spread out her finger tips of rose.
 Grey-eyed Athena
 O my swineherd
 Odysseus, the great tactician
 Son of Laertes, Odysseus
 Clear-headed Telemakhos
 O Father Zeus
For how many years in total had
Odysseus been gone from Ithaka?
20 years
What did Odysseus tell his father his
name was?
Quarrelman
Who was the first suitor to die?
Antinoos
Who called away the ghosts’ of the
suitors’?
Hermes
Who did Odysseus tell to lock the
women inside a room while he and
Telemakhos killed the suitors?
Eurykleia the Nurse.
Who was Melanthios?
The Goatherd.