Literary Techniques in Homer's Odyssey
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230 Terms
Literary techniques
Methods used by authors to convey meaning, including narrative and descriptive techniques.
Composition
The act of creating a written work, particularly in the context of literature.
Epic
A long narrative poem that recounts the adventures of heroic figures.
Odyssey
An epic poem attributed to Homer, detailing the adventures of Odysseus as he returns home after the Trojan War.
Similes
Comparisons using the words 'like' or 'as' to create vivid imagery.
Epithets
Regular words or phrases that describe qualities of individuals, often used in epic poetry.
Formulae
Regular longer descriptions that are used in the composition of epic poetry.
Odysseus
The hero of the Odyssey, King of Ithaca, who struggles to return home after the Trojan War.
Trojan War
A legendary conflict between the Greeks and Trojans, lasting 10 years, which serves as the backdrop for the Iliad.
Penelope
Odysseus' wife, who remains faithful to him during his long absence.
Telemachus
Odysseus' new-born son, who grows up during his father's absence.
Chronological order
The sequence in which events occur in time.
Flashback technique
A narrative device that interrupts the chronological flow of a story to present events that occurred earlier.
Homer
The ancient Greek poet traditionally said to be the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Iliad
An epic poem attributed to Homer, focusing on the events of the Trojan War.
Books of the Odyssey
The twenty-four sections into which the Odyssey is divided, each detailing different parts of Odysseus' journey.
Wooden Horse
A cunning strategy devised by Odysseus that led to the Greeks' victory in the Trojan War.
Reclaiming his kingdom
Odysseus' struggle to regain control of Ithaca upon his return from the Trojan War.
Homer's influence
The significant impact that Homer's works have had on both ancient and modern literature.
Adventure and drama
The elements that characterize Odysseus' journey home, filled with challenges and conflicts.
Marble head of Homer
A sculpture from the 1st-2nd century AD, depicting Homer, now located in the Louvre Museum, Paris.
Setting of the Iliad
The backdrop of the Trojan War, which is debated to have occurred in the twelfth or thirteenth century BC.
Composition of the Odyssey
Thought to have been written down in the seventh century BC, after the events of the Trojan War.
Calypso
The goddess who keeps Odysseus on her island for 7 years.
Phaeacians
The people who entertain Odysseus after he leaves Calypso's island.
Books 1-4
Sections of the Odyssey where Telemachus searches for news of Odysseus.
Books 5-8
Sections of the Odyssey where Odysseus is with Calypso and the Phaeacians.
Books 9-12
Sections where Odysseus recounts his adventures after leaving Troy.
Books 13-24
Sections where Odysseus returns home and deals with suitors.
Cyclops
A creature Odysseus encounters during his adventures.
Sirens
Creatures whose singing lures sailors to their doom, featured in Book 12.
Lotus-eaters
A group encountered by Odysseus' crew, where eating the lotus fruit causes forgetfulness.
Seventy-two crew members
The number of Odysseus' crew lost during the counter-attack by the Cicones.
Alcinous
The King of Phaeacia who listens to Odysseus' tales.
The Trojan War
The conflict from which Odysseus is returning home.
Stratagems
Cunning plans or tactics, which Odysseus is known for.
Bard
A poet and storyteller who sings about the Trojan War.
Cicones
The people attacked by Odysseus and his crew after their victory.
Storm
A natural event that causes Odysseus' crew to lose their way.
Memory loss
The consequence of eating the lotus fruit encountered by Odysseus' crew.
Identity revelation
Odysseus reveals his identity to Alcinous as Laertes' son.
Beggar disguise
The form Odysseus takes when he returns home to deal with the suitors.
Suitors
Men who wish to marry Odysseus' wife during his absence.
Reunion with wife
The moment Odysseus is reunited with his wife after defeating the suitors.
Polyphemus
a one-eyed giant belonging to the race of the Cyclopes, who eats six of Odysseus' men
Circe
a witch who turns half of Odysseus' crew into pigs, but ends up being kind and hospitable
Aeolus
the keeper of the winds who traps all the winds in a bag, leaving out only the one that will blow Odysseus straight home
Laestrygonians
inhabitants who slaughter all of Odysseus' men except for those on his boat
Odysseus' false name
the name 'Nobody' that Odysseus tells Polyphemus, which prevents other Cyclopes from coming to help
Odysseus' injury
a significant event in the story that Homer spends time detailing
Odysseus' disguise
the beggar disguise that Odysseus uses during his time in Ithaca
Hermes' magic flower
a magical flower given to Odysseus that ensures he remains unaffected by Circe's magic
Odysseus' triumph
the moment when Odysseus shouts out his name to Polyphemus after escaping, allowing Polyphemus to curse him
Odysseus' crew
the men who accompany Odysseus on his journey and face various dangers
Odysseus' plan
the strategy devised by Odysseus to blind Polyphemus after getting him drunk
Polyphemus' cave
the location where Odysseus and his men encounter the Cyclops and steal his cheese
Odysseus' sleep
the moment when Odysseus falls asleep, leading to his men opening the bag of winds
Circe's hospitality
the kindness shown by Circe after initially turning Odysseus' men into pigs
Odysseus' return
the journey back home after the adventures with Circe and the Cyclopes
Study questions
questions posed to analyze the text and characters, such as why Homer reveals information at certain points
Epic poetry
the genre of literature to which Homer's Odyssey belongs
Odysseus' identity
the theme of identity and disguise explored throughout the story
Odysseus' adventure
the series of challenges and encounters faced by Odysseus on his journey home
Cyclopes
a race of one-eyed giants, of which Polyphemus is a member
Bag of winds
the magical bag that contains all winds except the one that will take Odysseus home
Eurycleia
Odysseus' former nurse who recognizes him by a scar.
The contest of the bow
A challenge set by Penelope where suitors must string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axes.
Antinous
The leading suitor who is killed by Odysseus.
Eurymachus
A suitor who tries to blame Antinous for the suitors' behavior and is ultimately killed.
Bards
Professional singers who recited myths and tales, often accompanied by a lyre.
Lyre
A stringed musical instrument used by bards to accompany their storytelling.
The scar
A mark on Odysseus' body that reveals his identity to Eurycleia.
The massacre of the suitors
The event where Odysseus and his allies kill all the suitors in the hall.
The role of Athena
The goddess who supports Odysseus during his battle against the suitors.
The false tale
The story Odysseus tells Penelope about his background to protect his identity.
The dream
A vision Penelope has, which Odysseus interprets as a sign of his return.
The disloyal maids
The serving women who are punished by being hanged after the suitors are killed.
Melanthius
An evil slave who meets a horrific end during the massacre.
The suitors' break
The moment when the suitors decide to take a break before Odysseus attempts to string the bow.
The tension in the palace
The heightened atmosphere as Odysseus prepares to reveal his identity.
The gifts from Circe
Items and advice provided by Circe to aid Odysseus on his journey.
The identity reveal
The moment Odysseus reveals himself to the suitors after killing Antinous.
The loyalty of the servants
The faithful servants who assist Odysseus and are spared during the massacre.
oral poem
a poem that is composed and told without the aid of writing
epithet
an adjectival word or phrase regularly added to a name to denote a personal or physical quality
formula (pl. formulae)
a section of an epic poem, longer than an epithet, that is regularly used to describe a person, place or object
simile
a figure of speech whereby one thing is compared to another thing of a different kind in order to make a description more vivid
in medias res
a narrative technique where a story starts in the middle of the action
repetitive elements
elements in epic poetry that are repeated wholly or in part, aiding memorization and performance
descriptive phrases
phrases used to highlight key aspects of a character, often in the form of epithets
Homer's description of Dawn
the phrase 'fresh and rosy-fingered' which occurs repeatedly to mark the start of a new day
12,000 lines
the approximate number of lines contained in the Odyssey
3,000 lines
the approximate number of additional lines contained in the Iliad compared to the Odyssey
improvisation in performance
the ability of a poet to create their own version of a poem using repetitive elements as a starting point
key aspects of character
important traits or qualities highlighted through the use of epithets in epic poetry
amazing deeds
extraordinary actions typically featured in epic narratives
varied settings
the diverse locations where the events of an epic story take place
literary features
specific characteristics such as epithets and similes that are found within epic poetry
quick-witted Odysseus
an epithet used to describe Odysseus, highlighting his cleverness in a specific situation
Topoi
A poetic scene that occurs regularly, which is made up of a series of standard elements.
Note 
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