The Odyssey
Essay test- 48
Essay: Choose one of the following questions to answer in a 5 paragraph essay. Again
introduction, body, and conclusion are necessary! Make sure you support your answer with
examples from the story. This paper should be hand written with very nice penmanship.
Option 1: Part 1: Which quality of Odysseus do you think gets him and his men into the most
trouble in this part? Which of his qualities seems most helpful to him and his men in this part?
Option 2: Part 3: What can you tell from Penelope’s meeting with “the beggar” about the kind
of person she is, what is important to her, and her state of mind at this point in the story? How
are her values different from the other people of Ithaca?
Option 3: Part 4: In your opinion, was Odysseus justified in killing Antinous? Was he justified in
killing the rest of the suitors? Support your opinions with references from the story.
Option 4: Discuss what it means to be an epic hero. How does The Odyssey give us information
regarding the essential details of a potential hero? How do the various characters play into this
epic hero mentality?
You will be graded in the following areas as you have been throughout the semester:
Ideas (10)-Is your paper clear and focused? Do you use relevant details from the story to
support your thoughts?
Organization (5) –Is the order, structure and presentation of information well showcased?
Voice (5) –Is the writing crafted well with an individual tone and voice?
Conventions/ Word Choice (5) – Is your paper using correct grammar and spelling? Are you
using numerous words that correctly portray meaning?
Fluency (5)-Does your paper have an easy flow and rhythm? Are your ideas connected through
strong transitions?
Documentation (10)-Does your paper cite examples from the text showing that your opinion is
valid? Make sure you cite appropriately for full credit.