English Study Guide

Odyssey and Romeo+Juliet

How does Odysseus trick Polyphemus?

By telling him that his name is nobody

In exchange for wine, Polyphemus promises to…

spare the rest of Odysseus’ men

“Dissemble”

to conceal one’s true motives

“Maudlin”

foolishly sentimental

Who recognizes Odysseus as a beggar?

Argus the dog, Eurycleia the housekeeper, then Telemachus

Odysseus

The main character of the Odyssey. Has to return home to Ithaca and has many adventures.

Penelope

Odysseus’ loyal wife

Eurynome/Eurycleia

Housekeeper

Laertes

Odysseus’ honorable father

Eumaeus

Swineherd and friend to Odysseus

Nestor

Brave and wise king of Pylos

Nausicaa

Princess of the Phaeacians

Calypso

Minor goddess who is trapped on the lost island of Ogygia

Circe

Enchantress who tricked Odysseus and turned his men into animals

Athena

Goddess of wisdom who guides Odysseus through his journey

Poseidon

The sea god who cursed Odysseus

Zeus

God of thunder who supports Odysseus

Alcinous

King of the Phaeacians, who Odysseus recites his journey to in book 9

Polyphemus

The cyclops

Tiresias

The blind prophet in the underworld

“Go wisely and slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall.”

Friar Lawrence warning Romeo of falling in love too quickly

“I fear too early for my mind misgives…”

Romeo worrying about how the Capulet party might change his fate

“O she doth teach the torches to burn bright…”

Romeo comparing Juliet’s beauty to a flame

“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?”

Romeo comparing Juliet to sunlight

“With love’s light wings do I o’erperch these walls,”

Romeo on the Capulet property to talk to Juliet

“I defy you, stars!”

Romeo when he hears that Juliet has died

“Deny thy father and refuse thy name, Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”

Juliet wanting to defy their families so they can be together.

“These violent delights have violent ends.”

Friar Lawrence warning Romeo and Juliet about their feuding families

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”

Juliet wondering why Romeo had to be born a Montague and she was born a Capulet.

“O teach me how I should forget to think”

Romeo wanting to stop thinking about Rosalind.

“Serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!”

Juliet when she was angry that Romeo killed Tybalt.

“Two households, both alike in dignity".”

In the prologue introducing the premise of the play

“O me, what fray was here?”

Romeo at the scene of the Capulet/Montague fight

“Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Juliet saying goodbye to Romeo

“Do not swear by the moon, for she changes constantly, then your love would also change.”

Juliet because Romeo swears his love to her by the moon

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Juliet wondering why Romeo is a Montague

“Peace? I hate the word as I hate hell and all Montagues.”

Tybalt when he is starting a fight with the Montagues in the street.

“True, I talk of dreams, which are children of an idle brain.”

Mercutio at the end of the Queen Mab speech

“Out of her favour, where I am in love.”

Romeo talking about his unrequited love for Rosalind

“True apothecary thy drugs are quick”

Romeo when killing himself

“You kiss by the book”

Juliet after kissing Romeo

personification

comparing a non-living thing to a living thing.

simile

comparing two things using “like” or “as”

metaphor

comparing unlike things

onomatopoeia

sounds like the sound it describes

hyperbole

over exaggeration

assonance

the repetition of a vowel sound

consonance

resemblance in sound between two words

alliteration

repetition of same sound or letter