1) How does the Odyssey start “in the middle of things”?
When we first read the book we hear about Odysseus' journey when he is held captive on Calypso's island. Then we hear the greater part of the journey to the present.
2) What is Odysseus’ tragic flaw and how is it shown?
Overbearing and prideful.
3) Explain the motif of Agammenon and Clytaimnestra. What theme does it reinforce?
When Agammenon came home from Troy, his wife Clytaimnestra killed him upon arrival. They reinforce the evil of women, and loyalty because in the book, Penelope is the loyal good wife and Clytaimnestra is the disloyal evil wife.
4) Who are seductresses in the Odyssey and what purpose do they serve?
Possibly Helen, Circe and Calyspo. They may or may not actually be women but they try and lure men into forgetting about who they are.
5) Summarizes Books 1-4. What story do they tell?
Telemachos disides he wants to go learn about his father so he goes to the council and Zeus sends down an eagle (motif alert). The eagle is shown to give him consent to go on his journey. Telemachos leaves and travels to Pylos and meets Nestor , and then he goes to Lacedaimon and meets Menelaos. This story tells how Telemachos went to meet Trojan War heroes to find out if his father is alive or not.
6) Summarize Books 5-8. What story do they tell?
Zeus lets Odysseus leave Calyspo's island on raft and he lands on a Phaiacian town a few days later. He then meets Princess Nausicaa, who wants to help him return home so she has him meet her family(Arete her mother and her father Alcinoos). They agree to helping him and give him many gifts and send him on a ship.
7) Summarize Books 20-24. What story do they tell?
Penelope has the suitors play a game, ad whoever wins will marry her. Odysseus wins but she doesn't see. Odysseus kills all the suitors, he also kills the disloyal maids. Odysseus tells Penelope a secret only they know and she finally believes he is Odysseus. In the morning, Odysseus goes and meets his grieving father, and the people find out that the suitors were killed and they start fighting but Athena stops it.
8) Discuss the theme of Loyalty and give three detailed examples from the book.
Loyalty in the book is when you but someone before yourself and always stay true to them. In this book you see loyalty when Penelope doesn't kill Odysseus unlike Agammenon also we can see this them through Eumaios who even after many years is still there to constantly help his master. Lastly, you see through Telemachos, he lets a stranger into his own home and takes care of him.
9) Discuss the theme of Hospitality and give three detailed examples from the book.
Hospitality is shown when Telemachos goes to Pylos and Nestor invites to a feast, and also when Odysseus lands in Phaiacia and Arete and Alcinoo want to help hime return home.
10) Discuss the back-story of Troy, where it appears and what it represents.
The war between the Greeks and the people of Troy. The strife began after the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta. When Menelaus demanded her return, the Trojans refused. Menelaus then persuaded his brother Agamemnon to lead an army against Troy.
Odysseus fought this war. After, on his way back to Ithaca he was held on Calyspo's island until he finally returned 7 yrs after the war.
11) Discuss the symbol of Hades. What does it represent? Who is there? What do they say or do there?
The land of the dead, the final resting place for departed souls. we see Tantalus, Teresias, Achilles, Aias, Agammenon, and Anticleia. Odysseus speaks to his mother Anticleia about her death, the suitors also speak to Agammenon about how they die and Agammenon speaks of how penelope is a much more loyal than his own wife.
12) Discuss the symbol of birds. What does it represent? Give three examples from the book?
Penelope sees an eagle killing some geese in a dream, this represents Odysseus killing the suitors. Amphinomos sees an eagle carrying a dove, showing Odysseus is coming to kill them. Telemachos sees an eagle as he is presenting in front of the courts, this eagle means Zeus has approval of Telemachos'
13) Achilles - A Trojan war hero who died. He had a choice before he died between living a long uneventful life or get lots of glory and then die. He chose the latter.
14) Antinoos - The most arrogant of the suitors. Antinoos leads the campaign to have Telemachus killed. Unlike the other suitors, he is never portrayed sympathetically, and he is the first to die when Odysseus returns.
15) Emurymachos - Ithacan nobleman and one of the two leading suitors.
16) Nausicaa - Daughter of Alcinoos and Queen Arete, she finds Odysseus when he washes ashore on Paeicia and expresses and attraction toward him.
17) Scylla - Immortal sea monster that Odysseus passed in narrow waters. She has seven heads and lives in a cave.
18) Charybdis - Immortal sea monster that Odysseus passed in narrow waters. She sucks up the water like
19) Aiolos
20) Laertes
21) Orestes
22) Nestor
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