Literary Techniques in Homer's Odyssey

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.