Background Knowledge
What is a long narrative poem known as?
An epic
Where did the Cyclopes live?
In a cave
What fruit do some of Odysseus' men eat that removes their desire to return home?
The lotus flowers.
Who is the Cyclops' father and the god of the sea?
Posieden
How many years has Odysseus been away from home?
20 years
How many books are in the original Odyssey?
24 books, which were translated from 24 scrolls.
How did Odysseus and his men retaliate against the Cyclops?
They destroyed his eye with a hot, wooden spike.
Which two characters try to lure sailors in with their singing?
The sirens: Scylla and Charybdis
Helios
What does Odysseus disguise as when he returns home?
A beggar
In what language was The Odyssey originally written in and how was it originally presented to the audience?
Ancient Greece as a song.
What did Odysseus tell the Cyclops his name was and why did he choose that name?
Nohbdy, he wanted it to sound ironic to other Cyclopes so they didn't think a person was involved.
Who fell of Circe's roof and requested a proper burial from Odysseus?
Elpenor
Who is the ruler of the underworld?
Hades
What is Penelope's final challenge?
To string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through 12 iron axe heads.
What is a comparison that occurs over several lines and is very detailed?
Epic simile
Why did Odysseus decide to explore the land of the Cyclopes?
To discover if the Cyclopes would help them or try to hurt them.
What does Hermes give Odysseus to help him against Circe?
A plant called moly that makes him immune to Circe's power.
Who is the goddess of war who helps Odysseus?
Athena
What did Odysseus promise to do for Poseidon when he returned home?
Make an animal sacrifice offering.
A hero with superhuman strength, gods or fate changing outcomes, strange creatures, supernatural events, and a large setting are all examples of what?
Elements or characteristics of the epic
What is the name of the Cyclops?
Polyphemus
Whose island does Odysseus land at that gives Odysseus bags filled with winds?
Aeolus
Who is the goddess who lives on the island of Aeaea?
Circe
Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Philoetius.