The Odyssey
Movie Guide Notes
Ithaka
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Odysseus’ home island
Wife is Queen Penelope
Newborn son: Telemachus
Odysseus has to go to the Trojan War because
of the Oath of Tyndareus (he was one of
Helen’s original suitors)
Troy
• The Trojan War lasts 10 years
• Achilles dies before the end of the war
• Odysseus comes up with the plan of the
Trojan Horse to allow the Greek army to
infiltrate Troy
Polyphemus
• On the way home, Odysseus and his men land
on the island of Polyphemus, a Cyclops
• Cyclops: one-eyed giant
• Polyphemus eats some crew members
• Odysseus and his men blind Polyphemus to
escape his cave
• Polyphemus calls on his father Poseidon, god
of the sea, to avenge him
King Aeolus
• King Aeolus: king of the winds
• He tries to help Odysseus by bagging up all the
winds except a favorable one
• Odysseus’ men open the bag before they
reach Ithaka and they are blown off course
once again
Circe
• Circe is a sorceress
• Odysseus and his men land on her island
• She turns his men into pigs (movie: assorted
animals)
• Odysseus is helped by Hermes: given an herb
to prevent him from being turned into a pig
• Circe undoes her magic and Odysseus and his
men stay with her for one year
The Underworld
• Like most heroes, Odysseus must visit the
Underworld
• He finds Tieresias the prophet, who helps tell
him how to get home
Scylla and Charybdis
• Scylla: a 6-headed monster that eats men off
ships
• Charybdis: a whirlpool monster that sucks in
ships
• Odysseus and his men must sail between
them
Calypso’s Island
• After other adventures (not shown in the
movie) Odysseus is the only person to survive
and is washed ashore on Calypso’s island
• She keeps him prisoner for seven years
• She loves him and won’t let him go until the
gods order her to
Ithaka
• Meanwhile, in Ithaka, Queen Penelope is
trying to hold off the rude suitors who are
demanding that she remarry
• She says she’ll remarry when she finishes
weaving a tapestry
• Each night she unweaves part of her work
Phaeacia
• Odysseus arrives at the land of the Phaeacians
• The Phaeacians are friendly and also expert
sailors
• They agree to carry him home
Ithaka Again
• Once home, Athena disguises Odysseus as a
beggar so he can investigate what’s happening
at his palace
• He and Telemachus reunite
• 20 years have passed since he left home!
Penelope’s Challenge
• Penelope’s weaving trick has been discovered
by the suitors
• She sets up a last challenge: whoever can
string the great bow of Odysseus and shoot an
arrow through the rings of 12 ax-heads will be
her new husband
• Only the “old beggar” can do it!
Final Battle
• Odysseus reveals his true identity after the
battle
• He and Telemachus slaughter the suitors
• Happily ever after! (…?)