Download The Odyssey: A Comprehensive Study Guide and more Exams Literature in PDF only on Docsity!
The Odyssey Study Guide
Homer - Correct Answer-Who wrote the Odyssey? Troy - Correct Answer-Where did Odysseus go to fight the war? Alcinous - Correct Answer-Who is the king of the Phaeacians to whom Odysseus tells his story? Odysseus - Correct Answer-Who is the king of Ithaca? Circe - Correct Answer-Who was the enchantress who turned Odysseus' men into swine, but also helped him on his journey? Zeus - Correct Answer-King of the gods Apollo - Correct Answer-god of music, poetry, and medicine Poseidon - Correct Answer-god of sea and earthquakes Athena - Correct Answer-goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare Polyphemus - Correct Answer-The Cyclops who imprisoned Odysseus and his men Laertes - Correct Answer-Odysseus' father
Tiresias - Correct Answer-Blind prophet who advised Odysseus Persephone - Correct Answer-Wife of Hades Telemachus - Correct Answer-Son of Odysseus and Penelope Sirens - Correct Answer-Creatures whose songs lure sailors to their deaths Scylla - Correct Answer-Sea monster who whisks sailors from their ships Charybdis - Correct Answer-Enormous and dangerous whirlpool Hermes - Correct Answer-Herald and messenger of the gods Eumaeus - Correct Answer-Old swineherd and friend of Odysseus Antinous - Correct Answer-Leader among the suitors Eurynome - Correct Answer-Housekeeper for Penelope Penelope - Correct Answer-Odysseus' wife Lotus Eaters - Correct Answer-Creatures who offer the sweet Lotus to travelers which makes the travelers desire to do nothing and stay forever
What does Odysseus promise to sacrifice for Tiresias? - Correct Answer-A black lamb What does Odysseus order his men to do before reaching the Sirens? - Correct Answer-He orders his men to plug their ears with wax and tie Odysseus up on the mast. What does Odysseus order his men to do before reaching Scylla and Charybdis? - Correct Answer-He orders them to keep calm and listen to what he says How many men does Scylla take from Odysseus? - Correct Answer-6 men What does Odysseus order his men to do when they reach the cattle of Helios? - Correct Answer-He orders them to NOT eat the cattle no matter how tempting it may be Who was the man that persuaded Odysseus' men to eat the cattle? - Correct Answer-Eurylochus Why does Odysseus not stop his men from eating the cattle of the sun god? - Correct Answer-He is asleep Why is Telemachus doubtful of Odysseus' plan to kill all the suitors? - Correct Answer-The suitors are large in number What does Odysseus order Telemachus to do? - Correct Answer-Stow the suitors' weapons away.
How many axhandle sockets must Odysseus shoot through? - Correct Answer- What does Odysseus do after the suitors offer restitution for what they did? - Correct Answer-He disregards the suitors' attempt for an apology and kills them all with the help of his servants and Telemachus. Who attempts to rally the suitors and get them to attack Odysseus? - Correct Answer-Eurymachus Why does Penelope test Odysseus with the marriage bed? - Correct Answer-He will know it's not movable. What does Athena do to Odysseus appearance after he arrives back on Ithaca? - Correct Answer-She changes him into a beggar so he can go incognito. Which god hates Odysseus? - Correct Answer-Poseidon bc he blinded Polyphemus. Which god helps out Odysseus? - Correct Answer-Athena sides for Odysseus, and she represents his cleverness and sharp mind. Why does Homer refer to the Muse in the first line? - Correct Answer-To inspire his storytelling. Which goddess intervenes and how? - Correct Answer-Athena intervenes by asking her father Zeus to help Odysseus.
Why don't the men kill the cyclops? - Correct Answer-They will not be able to move the rock. Odysseus' major epic hero trait in the Cyclops episode is - Correct Answer- intelligence What is Odysseus' tragic flaw at the END of the Cyclops episode? - Correct Answer-HUBRIS (excessive pride/arrogance) How will Odysseus prevent his men from listening to the Sirens? ("The Sirens") - Correct Answer-beeswax in their ears What lit term does the narrow passage that Odysseus must take between Scylla and Charybdis represent? ("Scylla & Charybdis") - Correct Answer-idiom Once they pass Scylla and Charybdis, where do Odysseus' crew insist on landing? What do they do there? - Correct Answer-They insist on landing on Thrinacia, Helios' island. They eat the immortal cattle that they were told not to, angering Helios and dooming themselves to death. What does Helios threaten to do if payment is not made for the loss of his cattle? How does Zeus respond? - Correct Answer-Helios threatens to stop the sun from shining. To placate Helios, Zeus sends down a thunderbolt that sinks Odysseus' ship and kills all his remaining crew. After Odysseus finishes telling King Alcinous his story, he finally goes home to Ithaca. How does he get there? - Correct Answer-King Alcinous' men row him home.
How and why does Athena disguise Odysseus? - Correct Answer-Athena disguises him as an old, homeless man so he can surprise the suitors at his house. Why does Athena want Odysseus to visit his old swineherd, Eumaeus? - Correct Answer-Athena wants Odysseus to visit Eumaeus to find out what's happening in Odysseus' house, and so Odysseus can see his son, Telemachus. What three things does Athena tell Telemachus? - Correct Answer-1. Go home. (Telemachus had been traveling around, searching for news about his father.)
- The suitors are planning to kill him.
- He should stay with Eumaeus for the night. What is Odysseus' plan once Telemachus tells him he will have to face more than 100 strange men at his house? - Correct Answer-Odysseus will follow Telemachus home in disguise. Telemachus will pretend not to know him, and lock up all the weapons and armor in the house. What happens to Argos after he recognizes his old master, Odysseus? - Correct Answer-He dies. Who are the two most rude, demanding suitors? - Correct Answer-Antinous and Eurymachus What does Penelope finally decide to do about the suitors? - Correct Answer- Penelope gives up waiting for Odysseus and tells the suitors that whichever of them can bend/string the heavy bow and shoot 1 arrow straight through 12 axe head hoops can marry her.
Helios - Correct Answer-God of the Sun who is very protective of his cattle One of the things that the Greeks regarded as most offensive to the gods was to: - Correct Answer-mistreat guests This story is based on Odysseus's return from the ________. - Correct Answer- Trojan War At the beginning of the story we learn that __________ have overrun Odysseus's house. - Correct Answer-Suitors (men who want to marry Queen Penelope) Odysseus's son, ________________, goes in search of him. - Correct Answer- Telemachus Calypso has held Odysseus prisoner for ____. - Correct Answer-7 years One of Odysseus's enemies? (god) - Correct Answer-Poseidon One of Odysseus's enemies? (cyclops) - Correct Answer-Polyphemus One of Odysseus's enemies? (goddess) - Correct Answer-Calypso One of Odysseus' enemies? (enchantress) - Correct Answer-Circe Odysseus is known as much for his _____ as his strength. - Correct Answer-Brains
How does Odysseus win the battle with the Cyclops? - Correct Answer-Tricks Polyphemus with a false name and wine, then blinds him and escapes under the bellies of sheep. What does Circe turn Odysseus's men into? - Correct Answer-Pigs What is Odysseus disguised as when he returns to Ithaca? - Correct Answer-a begger Which god gives Odysseus the most trouble? - Correct Answer-Poseidon What weapon is used in the challenge Penelope presents the suitors with? - Correct Answer-bow and arrow Odysseus is recognized by the nurse while she: - Correct Answer-washes his feet A mild danger, the lotus, is to be avoided because anyone who eats it: - Correct Answer-wishes to stay in the land of the lotus forever An epic is best described as a: - Correct Answer-long narrative poem about a hero Why does Odysseus blind Cyclops rather than kill him? - Correct Answer-Only Cyclops can move the boulder blocking the cave What trait of an epic hero does Odysseus show when he ties his men to the ram? - Correct Answer-cleverness
"Friends, have we never been in danger before this? More fearsome, is it now, than when the Cyclops penned us in his cave? What power he had! Did I not find a way out for us?" ...describe the situation: - Correct Answer-Odysseus is trying to encourage his men to stay brave and trust in him to see them through as they approach Scylla and Charybdis. "A man surf-casting on a point of rock for bass or mackerel, whipping his long rod to drop the sinker and bait far out, will hook a fish and rip it from the surface to dangle wriggling through the air, were borne aloft in spasms toward the cliff."....describe the situation: - Correct Answer-This is said right after Scylla has taken 6 men from Odysseus' ship. "rosy fingered dawn" and "master mariner" are examples of? - Correct Answer- epithet How long was the Trojan War? - Correct Answer-10 years Why did the Trojan War start? - Correct Answer-Aphrodite promised Paris (prince of Troy) the most beautiful woman in the world if he gave him the golden apple. He gave it to her. He took Helen (the Greek king's wife!). ..... and war began. Who was fighting the Trojan War? - Correct Answer-Greeks vs. Trojans What happened to men who ate the Lotus flower? - Correct Answer-They wanted to stay because the flower made them high and lose thoughts of home. How does Odysseus get his men past the sirens? - Correct Answer-fills their ears with beeswax
What happens when Odysseus crosses paths with Scylla? - Correct Answer-6 men die Why do Odysseus' men eat Helios' cattle? - Correct Answer-They're starving because they've been trapped on the island and have already eaten all their food... What happens to Odysseus and his men after they eat Helios' cattle? - Correct Answer-Zeus is mad; he strikes their ship with a lightning bolt and all die except Odysseus. Who helped return Odysseus home to Ithaca? - Correct Answer-The King on the Phaeacian island How did Athena help Odysseus when he returned home? - Correct Answer- Disguised him as a beggar AND provided a shield against the suitors Describe the challenge Penelope created to choose a suitor: - Correct Answer- string Odysseus's bow, shoot an arrow through 12 ax heads How did Penelope trick the suitors for 3 years? - Correct Answer-Wove a burial cloth by day (for Odysseus's dad) and then unwove it each night How long was Odysseus gone TOTAL from home? - Correct Answer-20 years! (10 yrs at war, 10 yrs getting home) Who was Calypso? - Correct Answer-Goddess/nymph that kept Odysseus on her island for 7 years
where Odysseus and his men go after they get thrown off track from the bag of winds - Correct Answer-they go back to get help from aeolus, but get rejected, so the then go to the Land of the Lestregonians (cannibals) where Odysseus and his men go after Land of the Lestregonians - Correct Answer- Circe's home what circe does to Odysseus' men - Correct Answer-Circe turns Odysseus' men into pigs how long Odysseus and his men live with Circe - Correct Answer-Odysseus and his men live with Circe for 1 year underworld - Correct Answer-Hades blind prophet who will help get Odysseus home - Correct Answer-Tiresias Odysseus' decision in order to save his crew from dying from Charybdis and Scylla
- Correct Answer-Odysseus decides to go towards Scylla, so only 6 men die, and not the whole ship how Odysseus' men were described as when being killed by Skylla - Correct Answer-looked like flopping fish how Helios felt when Odysseus' men ate his cattle - Correct Answer-Helios was infuriated, enraged, and upset
The person who told Helios "they have eaten your kine" - Correct Answer- Lampetia (Helios' daughter) what Zeus did to save Odysseus from dying at the island of Helios - Correct Answer-Zeus put Odysseus to sleep to save him from dying at the island of Helios what Zeus did to Odysseus and his men when Helios got mad at Odysseus' men - Correct Answer-Zeus sent a storm that killed everyone but Odysseus, and that blew his ship to pieces what Penelope did every night before she went to bed - Correct Answer-Penelope wove and unwove a burial shroud that was intended to be made for Odysseus' father what is the irony in these lines spoken to odysseus by the suitors, " may zeus and all god give you the dearest wish of your heart!" - Correct Answer-what odysseus wishes is for all the suitors to die in penelope's conversation with odysseus, what does she reveal that she has used to delay her remarriage - Correct Answer-she was weaving and unweaving her shroud every day how has penelope decided to pick her next husband - Correct Answer-she makes up a challenge that whoever can use odysseus' bow to shoot an arrow 12 times through ax sockets can marry her
Eurynome - Correct Answer-house keeper for Penelope, aka nan Eumaeus - Correct Answer-old swineherd and friend of Odysseus Hermes - Correct Answer-herald and messenger of the gods Charybdis - Correct Answer-enormous and dangerous whirlpool Scylla - Correct Answer-a monster of grey rock with 6 heads Telemachus - Correct Answer-Odysseus and Penelopes' son Persephone - Correct Answer-wife of Hades Tiresias - Correct Answer-blind prophet who advised Odysseus Eurylochus - Correct Answer-member of the crew, encouraged the crew to eat the sun gods cattle Laertes - Correct Answer-Odysseus' father Polyphemus - Correct Answer-the Cyclops who imprisoned Odysseus, man eating one eyed monster
Athena - Correct Answer-goddess of wisdom, warfare and the city Poseidon - Correct Answer-god of sea, earthquakes, horses, and storms at sea Apollo - Correct Answer-god of light, truth, music, poetry, and healing Zeus - Correct Answer-king of the gods Circe - Correct Answer-enchantress who transformed the crew into swine Calypso - Correct Answer-sea nymph who keeps Odysseus captive for 7 years because she loves him Odysseus - Correct Answer-king of Ithica and hero of the epic Where is Odysseus' home? - Correct Answer-Ithaca What significant role does Ithaca play in Odysseus' epic journey. - Correct Answer- The whole journey Odysseus is trying to get to his home in Ithaca. How do Odysseus and his companions expect to be treated by the Cyclops? - Correct Answer-They expect to be treated like honored strangers. What laws of behavior and attitude does Polyphemus violate in his treatment of the Greeks? - Correct Answer-hospitality
