Monarch High School
9th Grade L.A.
Name:
Ms. Grace
revised 3/2009
Date:
Per.:
Study Guide Questions: The Odyssey, Part One
Directions: Using blue or black ink, answer these questions in complete sentences on your own notebook paper.
Book 1 “Invocation” pg. 895
pg. 895
1. The Odyssey begins with the speaker’s prayer to Calliope, the Muse of epic poetry. What is a
Muse and what does the speaker ask of the Muse?
2. What opening lines tell the reader that they are listening to the tale of an epic hero?
3. What moral theme is stressed in the opening lines 10-11?
4. Why does Odysseus not return home with his fellow Greeks?
5. Why does King Alcinous give Odysseus a banquet before he even knows Odysseus’ true
identity?
Book 9 “New Coasts and Poseidon’s Son" pg. 896
1. Why is Odysseus reluctant to identify himself in the home of the Phaeacians, who are sailors?
Explain.
2. Why do you think Homer has Odysseus recount his own story?
3. What qualities of an epic hero does Odysseus attribute to himself in these opening passages of
Book 9?
pg. 898,
903, 908,
913
4. What epithet is repeatedly used to describe the Dawn? What is the resulting image?
5. Why do Odysseus and his men go into the Cyclops' cave?
6. What details indicate the Cyclop's personality under his brute strength?
pg. 902
7. What is ironic about the Cyclop's comment about traffic? (line 157)
pg. 902
8. Why does Odysseus emphasize the social custom of giving hospitality to strangers to the
Cyclops?
9. Why does Odysseus tell this lie? (lines 186-190)
pg. 903
pg. 907
10. To what does Odysseus compare the wooden stake as it pierces the Cyclop’s eye? What is
this an example of?
11. Is it wise for Odysseus to laugh at Polyphemus at the end? Explain.
pg. 911
12. Had Polyphemus been forewarned about these events? How?
13. Is Polyphemus the "victim" or "the bad guy"? Do you feel sorry for him? Explain.
14. Do you think Poseidon will ever stop tormenting Odysseus? What will Odysseus have to do
to calm Poseidon's wrath
Book 10 "The Grace of the Witch" pg. 916
pg. 916
pg. 916
1. What are some plausible reasons why Odysseus doesn't tell the sailors what is in the bull's hide
bag?
2. What events cause further losses for Odysseus after his visit to Aeolus’ island?
3. Who leads Odysseus’ men on their exploration of Aeaea?
pg. 918
4. What does Polites say that relieves the men’s fear when they see Circe?
5. Why does Eurylochus hang back? Was this wise?
pg. 920
6. Who is Hermes and how does he help Odysseus resist Circe's sorcery?
pg. 922
7. Why does Odysseus refuse to eat and enjoy Circe’s luxuries?
pg. 924-25
8. Why does Odysseus stay with Circe? What happens that finally awakens his desire to return
home?
pg. 925
9. What does Circe say Odysseus must do if he wants to return home?
10. Are Odysseus’ actions while with Circe that of an epic hero? Why or why not?
Book 12 "Sea Perils and Defeat"
pg. 928
1. In the summary of Book 11, the reader learns about Odysseus’ trip to the underworld. Who is
Tiresias and what does he tell Odysseus? Who else does Odysseus see in the land of the dead?
How did this person die?
pg.929
2. According to Circe, what do the Sirens do to men whose ship crosses their path?
3. Why might Odysseus want to listen to the Siren's song? If he does, what must he do?
p.930
4. Describe the peril between the headlands that Circe tells Odysseus about.
5. What is the modern equivalent of the expression "caught between Scylla and Charybids"?
When might you use such an expression?
pg.932
6. What does Circe predict will happen if Odysseus and his men “raid the beeves”? Why?
7. Under what conditions does Circe predict that Odysseus will return home?
pg. 934
8. Is Odysseus a “good” leader here? Should he have warned his crew first? Is his silence
justifiable? Why or why not?
pg. 936-37
9. To what does Odysseus compare Scylla’s strike? How is this an apt analogy?
10. Do you agree with Odysseus that this scene stands out from the rest of his adventures as the
most horrific and gruesome, the hardest to face? Explain.
pg. 937
11. Why and how are the rest of Odysseus' men finally killed?