English I Name _______________________________________ Date ______________________ Period __________ Book 1 “The Odyssey” Study Guide 1. What is the purpose of the first ten lines of the poem? Book 5 2. What is Zeus’s command to Calypso? 3. Which god/goddess brings Zeus’s command to Calypso? 4. What has Calypso offered Odysseus if he will stay with her? 5. Do you believe Calypso is evil? Why or why not? 6. What happens to Odysseus before he reaches the shores of Scheria? 7. What happens to Odysseus at the end of Book 5? Book 6 8. Who discovers Odysseus on the shore? Book 9 9. What does Odysseus’ description of himself make you think about him? 10. What idea does Odysseus express in lines 143-­‐146? 11. What is the importance of line 176-­‐178? 12. What happens to Odysseus’ men in the land of the Lotus Eaters? 13. What kind of creature does Odysseus encounter in the next land? 14. Why do you think Odysseus and his men burn an offering to the gods? English I 15. Why does Odysseus lead his men into Polyphemus’ cave? 16. What happens when Polyphemus finds Odysseus and his men? 17. How is Odysseus able to wound Polyphemus? 18. How do Odysseus and his remaining men escape the cave? 19. How is the craftiness and cunning of Odysseus revealed in this escape? 20. Why does Odysseus reveal his name to Polyphemus after he escapes? Book 10 21. What natural phenomenon is controlled by Aeolus? 22. What are Laestrygonians? English I English I 23. Who helps Odysseus outwit Circe? 24. Why must Odysseus visit the house of Hades? Book 11 25. To whom is Odysseus referring when he uses the term “sovereign death” in line 603? 26. Look back at book I. Will Odysseus’ men heed the warning of Teiresias? 27. Does the blind prophet’s prophesy come true? Explain. Book 12 28. What are Scylla and Charybdis. Give descriptions. 29. Why does Odysseus put wax on his companions’ ears? 30. What is the purpose of lines 772-­‐777? 31. What happens to Odysseus’ companions? Why? 32. What happens to Odysseus? Book 13 33. Why does Athena suggest that Odysseus disguise himself? Book 14 34. Who is Eumaeus? Book 15 35. What are the suitors demanding of Penelope? Book 16 English I 36. What is the reaction to Telemachus’ arrival? 37. Why does Telemachus go see Eumaeus first after his arrival? 38. What does Athena then do to Odysseus? Why? 39. How does Telemachus respond to Odysseus as he reveals his identity? Book 17 40. How does the hound recognize Odysseus? 41. Why does Penelope support the “beggar”? Book 18 42. What does Penelope do that makes Odysseus happy? Book 19 English I 43. What action does Odysseus take now? 44. How does the nurse discover the identity of Odysseus? Book 20 45. What is Odysseus told about the suitors? Book 21 46. Who, other than Odysseus, has the strength to string the bow? 47. Why is Penelope crying in lines 1096-­‐1099? 48. To what men does Odysseus reveal his identity? 49. For what reason does Odysseus check the bow? Book 22 English I 50. Why does Odysseus first turn to Antinous with his bow and arrow? 51. Why are the suitors called “fools”? 52. What does Eurymachus offer Odysseus? Why? 53. How does Odysseus respond to the offer? Book 23 54. What happens to the disloyal maids? 55. How does Penelope test Odysseus? Explain in detail. English I