Odyssey- Part I Guided Notes & Review questions

An ______is a long narrative or narrative poem about the deeds and adventures of gods and heroes.  The central figure of an epic is the ______. o Example: ______

Epic conventions are the traditional characteristics of ______. The conventions include an ______statement of the theme; an appeal for ______help in telling the story called an ______; a beginning “in the middle of things,” called ______; long lists of ______and things; accounts of ______events; and repeated ______.

______uses sound devices to add ______and ______.  alliteration- the ______of initial consonant sounds in accented syllables  assonance- the repetition of ______sounds in stressed syllables containing dissimilar consonant sounds  consonance- the repetition of final ______sounds in stressed syllables containing dissimilar vowel sounds  onomatopoeia- the use of words to imitate ______

The ______of a literary work includes its historical and cultural ______.

Historical context includes details of ______, ______, and ______of the time period of the story.

Cultural context includes details about the ______, ______, and ______affecting writers and their works.

In the Iliad, two opposing armies share a similar cultural background. Each asks and receives help from the gods; each is concerned about honor.

The setting of the Odyssey, ancient ______, steeped in traditional ______, is important in understanding various aspects of key characters’ ______, ______, and ______. A ______is the central message or insight conveyed in a work of literature. Among the themes in the Odyssey are the role of the ______, family ______, long ______, and ______and ______.

______is the reason or reasons behind a character’s behavior. The motivations of Odysseus and other characters seem strange at first but become more understandable as the narrative progresses.

The purpose of comparing and contrasting characters in a literary work is to clarify and understand their ______and how those relationships relate to ______.

Review Questions

1. What qualities mark Odysseus as a hero?

2. What does “skilled in all ways of contending” mean? (line 2)

3. Which act led to this epic journey?

4. What qualities in lines 19-20 suggest that Odysseus is a hero?

5. What drives all of the action in the Odyssey?

6. In lines 34-37, what does Odysseus imply about his stays with Calypso and Circe?

7. Who asks Odysseus to tell his tale?

8. What mistakes do Odysseus and his men make on Ismarus?

9. What price do the men pay for their mistakes on Ismarus?

10. Which characteristics of a hero and leader does Odysseus show in the episode with the Lotus- Eaters?

11. What happens to the men who eat the Lotus?

12. In what ways is the world of the Odyssey similar to today’s world? In what ways is it different?

13. Based on Odysseus’ description of Cyclopes, what conflicts might arise for Odysseus and his men? (p.986)

14. Rephrase the description of the Cyclops in lines 130-133 in your own words. 15. In lines 167-174, Odysseus demonstrates one of his qualities that gets him into trouble. What is it?

16. In lines 201-203, what quality of an epic hero does Odysseus demonstrate?

17. What conflict is revealed in lines 217-233?

18. What does Odysseus tell Cyclops happened to their ship?

19. Reread lines 244-250. What heroic quality does Odysseus show in this passage?

20. What plan do you think Odysseus has in mind by offering the drink?

21. What does Odysseus tell the Cyclops is his name?

22. What is the main idea of lines 323-326?

23. In lines 352-356, what questions do the Cyclopes ask Polyphemus?

24. What literary element do you find in line 372?

25. How do the men escape from the Cyclops’ cave?

26. Which lines in the Odyssey match the moment portrayed by Wyeth in the painting on p. 995?

27. Who is the father of Polyphemus?

28. What 5 things does Polyphemus ask his father to do? (lines 484-493)

29. What lines are depicted in the painting on pg. 998?

30. What does Circe say Odysseus must do in order to reach home?

31. What outside forces and inner feelings does Odysseus confront as he faces the spirits of the dead?

32. What does Elpenor say happened to him on Circe’s roof?

33. What does Odysseus learn about his mother?

34. What difficulties does Tiresias predict for the journey to come? 35. What has Odysseus asked his shipmates to do in order to deal with the Sirens?

36. Which details in the Siren’s song are calculated to tempt a hero and bring him down?

37. It wasn’t essential for anyone to listen to the Sirens’ song. Why did Odysseus decide to do so?

38. What instructions does Odysseus give his men in lines 838-840?

39. What conflict is likely to arise from the crew’s hunger?

40. What does Scylla do to the six men she takes from the ship?

41. Do Eurylochus and Odysseus agree on p.1011-1012? Explain.

42. What important ancient Greek value does Odysseus reveal through his actions concerning the sacrifice?

43. What do the shipmates do while Odysseus is sleeping?

44. Which of Odysseus’ heroic qualities are revealed in lines 959-962?

45. How long does Odysseus drift in the open sea?

46. In which adventure (in Part I) does Odysseus act most heroically?

47. How does the danger posed by the Sirens compare to that posed by the Lotus-Eaters?

48. What are Scylla and Charybdis?

49. Was Odysseus right not to tell his men about his decision to sail toward Scylla? Why?

50. In which adventure does Odysseus come into conflict with forces of nature?

51. List traits of Odysseus as either heroic or mortal. Heroic Mortal