Name: ________________________________________________________ Per: __________ Test Date: ____________________
The Odyssey Study Guide
Please demonstrate in writing your knowledge of each of the following items. This is for a grade and you will
turn it in the day of the test.
I.
Characters:
A. You need to know names, homes, descriptions, relationships, and significant actions of the
following characters.
1. Odysseus
14. Calypso
2. Telemachus
15. Circe
3. Penelope
16. Eurylochus
4. Argos
17. Lotus Eaters
5. Eurycleia
18. Scylla
6. Eumaeus
19. Charybdis
7. Philoeteus
20. Sirens
8. Eurymachus
21. Tiresias
9. Antinous
22. Helios
10. King Alcinous
23. Athena
11. Polyphemus
24. Hermes
12. Nohbdy
25. Zeus
13. Poseidon
II.
Places
A. You need to know the residents of and the events that occur in each of the following places:
1. Troy
8. Scheria/Phaeacia
2. Ithaca
9. Land of the Lotus Eaters
3. Thrinakia
10. Telepylos on Lamos
4. Underworld/Hades
11. Island of Cyclopes
5. Ismaros in Cicones
12. Ogygia (Calypso’s island)
6. Aeaea
7. Aeolia
III.
Things
A. You need to be able to describe and explain the significance of each of the following items:
1. Odysseus’s bow
9. The spear in
2. Iron ax-helve sockets
Polyphemus’s cave
3. Odysseus & Penelope’s
10. The Sirens’ songs
bed
11. The lotus blooms
4. Odysseus’s scar
12. Moly (Hermes’s plant)
5. Helios’s cattle
13. Hermes’s wand
6. Beeswax
14. Zeus’s thunderbolt
7. Telemachus’s inheritance
15. Athena’s aegis
8. Aeolus’s gift to Odysseus
16. Swine on Aeaea
17. Disguises
Epithets & Patronyms
A. You need to be able to identify and explain each of the following epithets and patronyms:
1. Wine-dark sea
6. Poseidon’s son
2. Land-shaker/Earth7. Mistress of the isle
shaker
8. Rosy-fingered
3. Cronion’s son
Dawn/Dawn with
4. Wily Odysseus
fingertips of rose
5. Laertes’ son/Son of
9. Lord of High Noon
Laertes
IV.
V.
VI.
Vocabulary
A. You need to be able to define and use in a sentence the following 20 vocabulary words:
1. Adversity
11. Candor
2. Formidable
12. Disdainful
3. Ravage
13. Adorn
4. Profusion
14. Revelry
5. Adversary
15. Glowered
6. Rancor
16. Avails
7. Abominably
17. Lavished
8. Ardor
18. Aloof
9. Tumult
19. Pliant
10. Restitution
20. Tremulous
Miscellaneous things to know
A. Literary Elements
1. Epic
a. Definition
b. Features
c. Examples OTHER than the Odyssey and Iliad
d. Dactylic hexameter
2. Homeric simile
a. Identify three from Part II (Be able to identify examples on the test)
b. Explain/paraphrase these (Be able to explain/paraphrase on the test)
3. Personification
a. Find two examples of personification in the text (HINT: look at the epithet list)
4. Irony
a. Find examples of dramatic and situational irony. (HINT: look at your
homework!)
b. Be able to categorize examples of irony on the test.
5. In media res
a. Know the meaning
b. Explain how this story starts in media res
6. Flashback
a. Define it
b. Explain how this story features flashback
7. Invocation
a. Define it
b. Find the two examples from The Odyssey
B. Plot
1. Draw a timeline of the books of the Odyssey.
2. List the major events that happen in each book.
3. How does Odysseus finally make it to Phaeacia?
4. What is Telemachus doing while Odysseus is visiting King Alcinous post-Calypso?
5. How does the reader/audience find out about Odysseus’s adventures prior to
arriving at King Alcinous’s court?
6. Why should one NEVER anger or insult a god?
7. What personality trait or characteristic did Odysseus possess, inspiring the Ancient
Greek adoration of him? (Potential bonus question: How did the Romans feel about
him?)
8. How were guests supposed to be treated in Ancient Greece? (xenia)