Name ____________
Teacher __________
Period ___________
Date ____________
English I
Spring 2012
The Odyssey
The Odyssey Study Guide Part 1
1.
Why does Homer give an invocation at the beginning of Part 1? 839
2.
Who does Homer describe with the EPTITHET “the man skilled in all ways of contending”
in line 2? 839
3.
What did Odysseus fight for on his journey home? 839
4.
What did Lord Helios do to Odysseus’ men? (map # _____) 839
5.
Which God raged against Odysseus on his journey home? 840
6.
Who is Odysseus’ wife? Who is Odysseus’ son? What is his homeland called? 840
7.
Who has held Odysseus prisoner for 7 years? (map # _____) 840
8.
How does Odysseus survive Poseidon’s wrath after Zeus has him released from his
prisoner? 840
9.
Who does Odysseus tell his story to in present time? (map # _____) 840
10.
How many ships were in Odysseus’ fleet when he left Troy? 841
11.
What was Odysseus’ first adventure after leaving Troy? (map # _____) 841
12.
What was the effect of eating the lotus plant? (map # _____) 842
13.
Describe the race of Cyclopes? 843
14.
Why did Odysseus sail to the island of the Cyclopes? (map # _____) 843
15.
What do the Cyclopes do? How do they live? 844
16.
How do we find confirmation of the Greek value of hospitality on the island of the
Cyclopes? 845-846
17.
What epic SIMILE is used to describe the slaughter of Odysseus’ men in line 190? 846
18.
Why doesn’t Odysseus kill the Cyclops in the cave? 846-847
19.
What EPITHET is used to describe the dawn in line 208? 847
20.
What epic SIMILE is used to describe the cyclop’s closing of the cave in line 216? 847
21.
What physical weapon did Odysseus use against the Cyclops? 849
22.
What epic SIMILE is used to describe the blinding of Polyphemus in line 293? 849
23.
How is Polyphemus related to Poseidon? How will this further endanger Odysseus and his
men? 850
24.
What EPITHET is used to describe the dawn in line 352? 851
25.
List as many mental “weapons” or tricks as you can that Odysseus used against
Polyphemus:
26.
What tactical error does Odysseus make when leaving the island? How might this affect his
journey from this point on? 854
27.
What EPITHET does Odysseus use to describe himself in line 428? 854
28.
What EPITHET does Polyphemus use to describe Odysseus in line 455? 854
29.
What “curse” did the Cyclops make to Odysseus? List all the parts … 854
30.
How does Odysseus attempt to appease Zeus for his actions? Does it work? 855
31.
What EPITHET is used to describe the dawn in line 488? 855