Book 1 - grid

What key themes are established in the opening lines? (1-11) (8 themes)

• Pathos

• Journeying (difficult)

• Fate / destiny

• Religion / divine intervention

• Leadership

• Resourceful / cunning (metis)

• Nostos (homecoming)

• Xenia (guest friendship + hospitality)

Quote to show pathos (1-11)

‘suffered great anguish’

Quote to show fate/destiny (1-11)

‘doom’ - comrades destined to die

Quotes to show divine intervention (1-11)

‘Hyperion the Sun-god’, ‘muse’ - gives poet more validity

Quote to show leadership (1-11)

‘their own transgressions that bought them to their doom’, ‘folly’ - Odysseus keeps failing his men + tension between them

What is Odysseus’ predicament? (12-21)

• Poseidon is trying to delay his journey

• Calypso won’t let Odysseus leave her island

• Odysseus wants to go home (nostos)

Which god opposes Odysseus'? (19-20)

Poseidon

At the assembly of the gods, what point does Zeus make? (22-44)

Moral framework - human folly leads to retribution

Athene pleads for Odysseus’ release from Ogygia. (45-63) What is Zeus’ response? (64-79)

• Zeus still favours Odysseus - because he is most generous in his offerings

• Odysseus blinded Polyphemus, Poseidon’s cyclops son

• The rest of the Olympians are going to team up against Poseidon and get Odysseus home

What plan of action does Athene suggest? (80-96)

• To send Hermes to tell Calypso to let Odysseus go

• Go to Odysseus’ son Telemachus and tell him to speak to the Suitors

• Then she will send T to Sparta (where Menelaus the rightful husband of Helen is) and Pylos (where Nestor lives). Homes of the 2 great Greek warriors who fought with Odysseus at Troy. T is to find out news of O. 

On reaching Ithaca who is Athene described as?(101-106)

Mentes (a family friend)

What is Telemachus doing when Athene arrives at the palace? What does this reveal about his character? (113-119)

He is sitting ‘disconsolate’ among the suitors, imagining the return of Odysseus. 

• no courage

• youthful

• passive

• liminality - by default the master of the household, waiting for something to happen