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Odyssey Part 1 Study Guide
Tell the Story pg 651: Answer the questions
1. What does the poet ask of the Muse?
2. What do we learn about Odysseus and his journey home?
3. What do we learn about Odysseus’s men?
4. Who is Odysseus being held captive by?
5. What does Homer foreshadow for Odysseus?
6. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
The Wanderings: Calypso, The Sweet Nymph pg 652-654: Answer the questions
1. Who informs Calypso of Zeus’s will?
2. What is a Homeric simile?
3. What is Hermes’ flight compared to here?
4.. What is Calypso’s reaction to this information?
5.. What gift does Calypso offer Odysseus to convince him to remain with her?
6. What does Odysseus’s response tell you about his feelings for his wife?
7. By what means does Odysseus leave the island?
8. What causes the storm winds to descend upon Odysseus?
9. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
I am Laertes’ Son pg 656-658: Answer the questions
1. Who is Laertes?
2. Who is Alcinous?
3. What impression do you get of Odysseus from his description of himself?
4. Describe some of the hardships Odysseus tells the king about.
5. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
The Lotus Eaters pg 658: Answer the questions
1. Describe the Lotus-Eaters
2. Explain why the land of the Lotus-Eaters has been said to symbolize escapism.
3. Why does Odysseus tie down the three men? What does this action tell you about him?
4. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
The Cyclops pg 660-670: Answer the questions
1. What is the race and lineage of Polyphemus?
2. What does the Cyclops think of Zeus and the gods?
3. What does the Cyclops do to two of Odysseus’ men?
4. Although Polyphemus is asleep and vulnerable, why can’t Odysseus use this opportunity to kill him?
5. Describe Odysseus’ plan to overtake the giant.
6. What trick does Odysseus use when giving the giant his name?
7. What is ironic about the Cyclops’s saying that he will eat Nohbdy last?
8. Do you think it is wise for Odysseus to laugh, considering that he and his men are obviously not yet out of
danger?
9. How does Odysseus taunt the giant?
10. What prophecy had been forecast by the Cyclops?
11. Describe Odysseus’ personality. What are some of his strengths as a leader? What are some of his
weaknesses?
12. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
The Enchantress Circe pg 673-675: Answer the questions
1. Where have Odysseus and his men landed?
2. What did Circe do to Odysseus’ men?
3. Do you think Circe violated the laws of hospitality? Why or why not?
4. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
The Land of the Dead pg 675-677: Answer the questions
1. What does Odysseus have to do in the land of the dead?
2. In the underworld, who is Odysseus addressed by?
3. What does Teiresias warn Odysseus of?
4. What does Teiresias tell Odysseus he will find when he finally arrives home?
5. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
The Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis pg 678-683: Answer the questions
1. What advice does Circe give Odysseus in regards to the Sirens?
2. How many heads does Scylla have?
3. Describe Charybdis.
4. Which route does Circe advise Odysseus to take; Scylla or Charybdis? What is her rationale?
5. Do you believe Odysseus should have shared Circe’s last prophecy with his men? Would you have handled
the situation differently?
6. Why does Odysseus put wax in his men’s ears?
7. Should Odysseus have warned his men about the dangers of Scylla?
8. Describe the Homeric simile regarding the action of Scylla and Odysseus’s men.
9. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
The Cattle of the Sun God pg 684-685: Answer the questions
1. What does Odysseus tell the men in regards to the cattle?
2. What does Odysseus mean when he says that no man can avoid the eye of Helios?
3. What is Eurylochus’s plea? What is his reasoning?
4. What exactly has happened to cause the gods fury?
5. In the Odyssey, Odysseus constantly takes credit when things go well. Now, when a tragedy occurs, he
blames the gods for making him fall asleep. What does this reveal about his character?
6. Locate a Meaningful Passage and describe its meaning. Include page numbers and line numbers.
Part I test to follow