The Odyssey Beginning
What is an epic hero? (Give two qualities)
An epic hero is
1. the main character in an epic poem, like The Odyssey, and
2. they have qualities that are almost superhuman
3. They go on a quest or journey
4. They have human characteristics and are not immortal
5. They have a tragic flaw
Which god delays Odysseus' return home?
Poseidon
Why does Poseidon hate Odysseus?
He blinded his son, the cyclops Polyphemus.
What do the suitors do when Odysseus doesn't return after the Trojan War?
They eat his food, drink his wine, and demand Penelope marry one of them.
When we first see Odysseus, where is he?
On the island of Phaeacia with Calypso.
Where is Odysseus from?
Ithaca
How does Odysseus try to convince Polyphemus to be kind to him and his men?
He tells him the gods expect people to treat guests well.
After they leave Cicones they land on place where everybody becomes addicted to a flower. What is the name of that place?
The Lotus Eaters
What is the test of the bow?
The man who strings Odysseus's bow and shoots an arrow through twelve axe-heads will marry her.
For how many years was Odysseus gone from Ithaca?
20 years
What makes Calypso let Odysseus go?
Why doesn't Odysseus just kill Polyphemus while he sleeps?
They could not move the stone that seals the cave.
Next Odysseus and his men end up on on a huge island where they run into a one eyed man. Where is this?
Cyclops' island
Why would people have told an ancient epic like The Odyssey?
To teach morals and values and for entertainment
At the beginning of The Odyssey, Homer says, "Sing in me, Muse." Why does he say this?
The Muses are minor gods that are credited with inspiring music and art.
What war did Odysseus just finish fighting in at the start of the Odyssey?
The Trojan War
How long does Odysseus stay on Calypso's Island?
7 Years
Odysseus landed here after his men opened the bag of wind (after Cyclops' island). The sorceress of this island turns men into pigs. She told Odysseus to go to the land of the dead.
Circe's island
How does Penelope "test" Odysseus to make sure it is truly him?
She tells him they will move the bed knowing it cannot be moved because he carved it out of a tree. Only Odysseus would know that.
Why wasn't The Odyssey written down by Homer? (Hint: Did people write things down in those days?)
The Odyssey was performed orally (spoken).
What does Odysseus tell the cyclops his name is?
Nohbody
What are Tiresias's predictions from the land of the dead.
Not to touch Helios's cattle and to make sacrifices when he returns home to all the gods
After Odysseus and his men set for home, whose cattle do they eat which causes the destruction of the rest of the crew and ship?
Helios
The Odyssey begins in medias res, in the middle of the action. Explain this. (Think flashback or frame story)
Odysseus tells the story of his travels before that point to the people of Phaenicia. We are reading the story he is telling to the king.