World Lit Odyssey

Front 1

Odysseus

Back 1

protagonist of The Odyssey. king of Ithaca, husband of Penelope, father of Telemachus. fought with the other Greek heroes in Troy, takes 20 years to return home from war. strong and brave warrior, well-known for his cunning. a favorite of Athena, enemy of Poseidon.

Front 2

Telemachus

Back 2

Odysseus' + Penelope's son, in early 20s. prince of Ithaca. in the way of suitors marrying Penelope, so they plan to kill him. he is courageous +good-hearted, but not bold + confident, so he can't oppose the suitoprs. matures through plot, eventually helps kill them.

Front 3

Eumaeus

Back 3

loyal Ithacan shepher who elps Od. recalim the throne. he has a good heart + give Od. food + shelter, though at 1st he doesn't know who Od. is b/c of disguise. initially believes that Od. is dead + never coming back, though Od. tries to persuade him otherwise

Front 4

Penelope

Back 4

Od.'s wife, Tele.'s mother. spends her time pining away for Od., who she loves despite not seeing him for 20 yrs. haunted + harped on by the suitors, but clever + and steadfast to husband always

Front 5

Athena

Back 5

goddess of wisdom + war; assists Tele. + Od. a lot. often appears disguised as Mentor, an old friend of Od.'s, or a shepherd.

Front 6

Ino

Back 6

sea-nymph who gives Od. the immortal scarf that keeps him alive when he jumps off the boat and basically keep him alive

Front 7

Calypso

Back 7

beatiful nymph who falls in love with Od. holds him prisoner in comfort and luxury on her island for 7 years. however, Hermes relays the message that the gods order her to release him (after Athena's intervention)

Front 8

Poseidon

Back 8

god of the sea. hates Od. because Od. blinded his Cyclops son Polyphemus. he tries to make Od.'s life as miserable as possible (esp. his journey home)

Front 9

Zeus

Back 9

chief god, god of thunder. clever, doesn't say which of 3 goddesses is most beautiful. tells Paris to decide, so he won't get in trouble with the goddesses. doesn't particularly side with either Greeks or Trojans. very fair.

Front 10

Circe

Back 10

beautiful witch who transfroms Od.'s men into pigs when they land on her island. with Hermes' help, Od. resists Circe's powers + then becomes her lover, remaining on her island for a year, but he never gives her his heart

Front 11

Aeolus

Back 11

king of the Land of the Midnight Sun. gives Od. the bag of bad winds that won't help him home, so he can get home faster.

Front 12

the Sirens

Back 12

temptresses who lure in men to their doom. they seduct men off their boats + then drown them in the ocean.

Front 13

Helios

Back 13

god of the sun. his cattle live on an island, and Od.'s men kill and eat them, even though Hephaestus warned them not to, which makes Helios very angry.

Front 14

Polyphemus

Back 14

Poseidon's son. Cyclops that Od. tricks and mocks after blinding him

Front 15

Hermes

Back 15

messenger god who tells Circe to let Od. go home. he also warns Od. about her potions + spells so that he won't fall to them.

Front 16

Hephaestus

Back 16

god of metal-working; makes new armor for Achilles after Patroclus takes Achilles' armor to battle and is killed.

Front 17

How does athena help Odysseus?

Back 17

- disguises him when needed
- gives him strength (fighting Melanthius, @ the competition)
- intervenes in Mount Olympus for him (ex. to leave Circe's island)

Front 18

How does Athena help Telemachus?

Back 18

- tells him what to do in dreams
- appearing in form of Mentor to guide him
- intervenes for him at Mount Olympus with the gods

Front 19

Describe the concept of fate as it relates to the interaction between the gods and mortals.

Back 19

the gods are blamed for ill and praised for good. they pick favorites (individually and ethnically). the gods intervene/ give advice a lot; no actual fate.

Front 20

How does Penelope keep the suitors from demanding that she choose one of them to wed?

Back 20

She tells them she can't be married until she makes a funeral shroud/tapestry for her father. she sews it all day, and unravels the whole thing at night, does it for 3 years.

Front 21

What actions make the goat herder one of Odysseus's antagontists?

Back 21

- makes fun of Odysseus and Eumaeus
- mocks him saying that he is a beggar b/c he is lazy
- supports the suitors

Front 22

How does Odysseus manage to elave Calypso's island after seven years?

Back 22

Hermes comes and tells Calypso that she needs to let Odysseus go, the gods have commanded it.
Athen

Front 23

What crucial blunder does Odysseus make in his interaction with the Cyclops?

Back 23

Od. tells his name to Polyphemus pridefully. Poseidon is the father of the Cyclops, so he knows that Odysseus is the one who wounded his son. This gives Poseidon a huge grudge that he holds against Od. for a very long time; he will do anything to keep Od. from getting home, or to make his life harder.

Front 24

What is the Odyssey made up of? (# of lines + meter)

Back 24

12,109 lines of hexameter(6 metrical units)

Front 25

When was the Odyssey written?

Back 25

8th to early 7th century B.C.

Front 26

Who wrote the Odyssey?

Back 26

Homer

Front 27

How long did it take to perform the Odyssey?

Back 27

3-4 days

Front 28

How many theoreies are there concerning the actually places mentioned?

Back 28

70 +

Front 29

What is an epic?

Back 29

a narrative form of poetry

Front 30

Describe an epic. (3)

Back 30

1) too long to read in one sitting
2) high style
3) historically real
-educational
-"tale of the tribe"

Front 31

Describe the epic hero cycle. (4)

Back 31

1) hero tested
2) main antagonist
3) hero visits magical/unreal world unable to be visited by normal humans
4) a resurrection