Odyssey Unit Packet
You will be able to define and identify the following literary terms:
 Theme
 Oral Tradition
 Point of View
 Archetype
 Protagonist
 Antagonist
 Setting
 Epic
 Meter
 Epithet
 Epic Hero
 Flashback
You will be able to identify the following historical items and explain each one’s importance to The
Odyssey:
 Ancient Greece
 City-State
 Titans
 Olympians
 Homer
 The Trojan War
THE ENTIRE ODYSSEY THAT WE ARE READING IS IN THE OLD PURPLE TEXT BOOKS. WE WILL NOT BE
READING THIS OUT OF THE NEW TEAL BOOKS!
Exam Date: __________________________________
“An Introduction to the Odyssey” p. 740
1.
What are the names of the two great epics written by Homer?
2.
What was the cause of the Trojan War (according to Homer)?
3. What is the Odyssey about?
4. What are epics?
5. What is the theme of the Odyssey?
6. What are some examples of that theme in Western literature?
7. How is Odysseus different from other heroes?
8. What is the name of the island Odysseus is from?
9. What idea did Odysseus have to enter into the city of Troy? Why was entering the city so
difficult before this idea?
10. What is a myth?
11. Who do the later Greeks believe Homer was?
12. Who are considered to be “rhapsodies”?
Book 1
1. What does the invocation (the first 12 lines) say the poem as a whole will emphasize?
2.
What first impression does this book give us of the gods?
3.
How much of a role do they (gods) play in human affairs? What seems to motivate their
actions?
Book 5
4. What sort of character is Calypso?
5.
How long does Odysseus stay on her island?
6.
What is the source of Calypso’s power over Odysseus?
7.
To what extent does she help Odysseus or hinder him once the decision to let him go is forced
upon her by Hermes?
Book 8
8. What effect does the song sung by the minstrel Demodocus have upon Odysseus?
Book 9
9. When does Odysseus reveal his identity? How has he been careful in keeping that information
to himself from Books 5-8?
10. List Odysseus’ tales in the order that he tells them. You will need to be familiar with these
locations!
11. What do the individual stories Odysseus recounts tell us about him and his men? For example,
what makes Odysseus a worthy leader? Does he make mistakes while leading his men? How is
he better than his men? Are there dangers in his strengths?
Books 9-11
12. Describe the Lotus Eaters.
13. Why does Odysseus have to take his men off the island of the Lotus Eaters by force?
14. What happens when Polyphemus finds Odysseus and his men in the cave?
15. How does Polyphemus prevent Odysseus and his men from leaving his cave?
16. Of what does Polyphemus’ diet consist?
17. Are the Cyclopes in any way civilized? Explain.
18. What mistake does Odysseus make as he sails away from the Cyclops?
19. After the attack from the Laestrygonians, how many ships are left out of the original twelve?
20. What sort of character is Circe?
21. Into what does Circe transform Odysseus’ crew?
22. What does Hermes give to Odysseus?
23. What makes Odysseus give in to Circe’s enticements? Is this typical of him?
24. How long does Odysseus stay in Circe’s palace?
25. Why does he want to leave?
26. Where must Odysseus go to learn his way home?
27. What ritual does Odysseus perform in order to meet those in the Underworld?
28. What does Teiresias do in order to speak to Odysseus?
29. What does Odysseus learn about his journey from Teiresias in Hades?
Book 12
30. How do the Sirens destroy men, and how do Odysseus and his men avoid this destruction?
31. What is Scylla (describe her)?
32. What is Charybdis (describe)?
33. What happens to Odysseus’ men after they land on the island of Helios’ cattle?
34. What happens to Odysseus after the Lord Helios incident?
Book 13
35. How does the story come full circle at this point?
36. How does Odysseus get back home to Ithaca?
37. How and why does Athena disguise Odysseus?
38. Where does Odysseus go first?
Book 14
39. Who is Eumaeus?
40. Why does Odysseus hid his identity from Eumaeus?
Book 15
41. Athena warns Telemachus of something. What does she say?
Book 16
42. To which person does Odysseus reveal his identity?
43. How does Telemachus react to this revelation?
44. What instructions does Odysseus give to Telemachus?
Book 17
45. Why does Telemachus not tell Penelope the truth about Odysseus?
46. What does the fortune teller tell Penelope about Odysseus?
47. How do the suitors treat Odysseus when he is disguised as a beggar?
48. Who is Argos and what happens to him?
49. What does Emaeus reveal about the servants while Odysseus has been away?
Book 19-end
50. What does Odysseus ask the swineherd and cowherd to do for him?
51. What does Odysseus offer these men for their help?
52. What test does Penelope set up for the men in order to choose a suitor?
53. What does Telemachus do that helps Odysseus?
54. Who is the ringleader of the suitors?
55. What is the test that ensures for Penelope that Odysseus is truly home?