The Odyssey Final:
1. You should know each of the following characters:
*=Covered in the movie
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** = Need to look them up in Mythology ***=Part of Trojan War
Aeolus*, Calypso*, Charybdis*, Circe*, Polyphemus*, Lotus Eaters**, Scylla*, Sirens**,
Teiresias*, Telemachus*, Penelope*, Athena*, Helios** (in Mythology, he is referred to as “The
Sun”), Hermes*, Poseidon*, Zeus (Zeus helps “The Sun” by sending the lightening bolt: this is not
mentioned in Mythology), Odysseus*, Paris***, Agamemnon***, Helen***, Achilles***,
Hector***, Eris***, Menelaus***
2. Elements of oral story telling: Rhapsodes, Episodic, Poetry, Epithets, Homeric/epic simile, Formal Rhetoric,
Repetition.
3. Basic things about Homer (very basic)
4. You will also have a definition for an “epic,” “Arete,” and “Invoking the Muse.”
Items from Mythology that you will be expected to know:
5. How the Trojan War starts (how Helen is captured). This is the “golden apple” story from Mythology where
you learn about Helen, Paris, Agamemnon, Eris, Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera. It is referred to as “The
Judgment of Paris.”
6. How Odysseus tries to avoid going to the Trojan War
7. How Achilles’ mother tries to keep Achilles home from the Trojan War
8. Who fights on which side of the Trojan War (The Greeks vs. The Trojans): Agamemnon, Menelaus, Hector,
Paris, Achilles, Odysseus (this is somewhat covered by the movie).
Items 1 and 8 will be contained in a very large (50 question?) multiple choice test. Items 2-7 will be short answer.
The only character names you will need to know are the ones listed on this sheet. You will not be held responsible
for any location names. I will give you notes on items 2-4. If you miss any days of school, you will be expected to
get the notes from someone or, if it’s a movie day, read Mythology to get caught up. I would definitely encourage
you to read (reread) the sections on “The Trojan War,” “The Fall of Troy,” and “The Adventures of Odysseus,” in
preparation for the final. In addition, you will answer the following questions in your journals. Some of the
answers will be found in Mythology, while others you will need to use my literature books. There will be some time
in class to use my literature books.
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What does Homer say to invoke the muse?
Where is Odysseus when The Odyssey begins?
If he starts here, how do we find out about all of his adventures?
Who are the Lotus Eaters and how do they affect Odysseus and his men?
What do the Cyclops’ brothers say when he calls them for help?
How do Odysseus and his men escape from the Cyclops’ cave?
What is the curse that the Cyclops puts on Odysseus?
Who do Odysseus and his men go to visit after the Land of the Dead/Hades?
What does this person do for Odysseus at this point?
What does this person tell Odysseus to do regarding Scylla and Charybdis? Why?
What is the warning about Helios?
Who are the Sirens?
How do the men avoid hearing the Sirens?
What does Odysseus do?
How does he react to the Sirens?
Where do Odysseus and his men go after Scylla/Charybdis?
What happens there?
How does Odysseus lose his ship?
Who/what recognizes Odysseus first when he returns home?
How does Penelope test her husband to make sure that the gods are not playing a trick on her?