The Odyssey – Part One Review
Including background & vocabulary (pp. 1041 – 1082)
Know what traits help define an Epic Hero (1041)
Know the meaning of in medias res and how The Odyssey illustrates it?
- How, when, and why does Odysseus tell his story?
- What is a flashback? How is this used in The Odyssey?
Know the Vocabulary (1042)
Know Homer (1043)
Who is Helen and why is she relevant to the Trojan War?
- How did the Greek army finally breach the walls of Troy?
- Why are certain computer viruses classified as “Trojan Horses?
Who is King Alcinous? (1046)
Who or what are: Laertes? Penelope? Telemachus? Scylla? Charybdis?
Tiresias?
What is Ithaca? Why is it important to Odysseus? (1047)
What is “guile” and how does it help define Odysseus’ reputation and legacy?
The Episodes of Part One:
Sailing From Troy (1047)
What causes trouble for the Achaeans (Greeks) in this episode?
What traits are displayed by Odysseus’ men in this episode?
What is a possible “moral of the story” or lesson learned?
The Lotus Eaters (1048)
What human traits or weaknesses are illustrated by this episode?
How does Odysseus show leadership?
The Cyclops (1050)
Which character trait of Odysseus gets the Achaeans in trouble?
What strength does Odysseus employ to get them out of trouble?
What does Odysseus assume about the inhabitant of the cave when he decides to
sit and wait for the owner to return? (1052 - think about the Greek code of
hospitality)
Why does Odysseus lie about the fate of his ship and crew?
Why do the other Cyclopes wander away without helping Polyphemus?
How do the men finally escape from the Cyclops’ cave?
To whom does the Cyclops pray and why?
The Land of the Dead (1064)
Know the background stories:
Who is Aeolus and how is he involved in the story?
Who is Circe and how is she involved in the fate of Odysseus and his crew?
Which shades surprise Odysseus when he visits the underworld, and why?
What does Tiresias see in Odysseus’ future?
The Sirens (1071)
Who or what are the sirens?
Which human frailty or weakness is exploited by the alluring songs of the sirens?
Based on the outcome of the episode, what do humans need in order to resist
temptation?
Scylla & Charybdis (1073)
Who or what are they?
Which obstacle does Odysseus choose to pass, and why?
What does this episode suggest about the nature of leadership?
The Cattle of the Sun God (1076)
When and why do Odysseus’ men decide to kill and eat the sun god’s kine?
Why are they able to get to the cattle? (What happened to Odysseus?)
What does Helios do that convinces Zeus to punish Odysseus and his men?
Conclusion (1082)
Upon whose island does Odysseus land after escaping Charybdis a second time?
To whom has Odysseus been telling his long tale?
Why has Odysseus bothered to recount his adventures to this individual?