English Honors I
Compare/Contrast Literary Analysis Essay: The Odyssey
For your final assessment of The Odyssey, you will write an essay comparing The
Odyssey or Odysseus with a topic of your choosing. Choose one of the following
writing prompts:
Choice #1: Compare/contrast The Odyssey to another epic tale.
Choose a relatively well-known story that you believe follows the epic cycle and compare it to
the epic cycle in The Odyssey. You MUST use quotations from both The Odyssey AND the
other story you choose (even if it’s a movie or T.V. show). Cite these quotations using MLA
documentation. Cite both stories on your works cited page.
Choice #2: Compare/Contrast Odysseus to another epic hero
Choose a relatively well-known hero from a different story and compare his/her epic hero traits
to Odysseus’s epic hero traits. You MUST use quotations from both The Odyssey AND your
hero’s story (even if it’s a movie or T. V. show). Cite these quotations using MLA
documentation. Cite both stories on your works cited page.
Choice #3: Compare/Contrast Odysseus to a Modern or Historical Person
Choose a modern or historical person who possesses some of the traits of an epic hero. Research
this person’s life and compare/contrast that person to Odysseus. If you choose this option, you
MUST use both quotations from your research and quotations from The Odyssey. You will use
MLA documentation to cite these quotations. Cite The Odyssey and all of your research sources
on your works cited page.
You choose whether you want to write the essay in block format or point-by-point
comparison. Follow the rubric on the back of this sheet and attach it to your final
essay.
Outline/Prewriting DUE:
Rough Draft DUE:
Revised Draft DUE:
Final Draft DUE: