Two bits of scholarship for every theme in the Odyssey
Odysseus:
Wilson: He is free, unlike his family - he has many choices and many identities
Griffin: He is forced to learn self control
Kleos:
Griffin: Odysseus is not the type to through away his life for glory
Jones: The Episode with Polyphemus is “Odysseus’ greatest triumph”, portraying “heroic self-revelation”
Disguise:
Griffin: The only way to win in a world of treachery
Jones: Odysseus must scheme and deceive due to the Suitors’ duplicity
Minor characters:
Griffin: Helen’s story in Book 4 anticipates Odysseus’ disguise later in the poem
Kelly: Nausicaa moves between helper and harmer
Leadership:
Mandzuka: Homer frees Odysseus of the responsibility over the deaths of his comrades and the suitors
Penelope:
Wilson: She is defined by her marital status
Griffin: Penelope shows herself to be like Odysseus through her “self control and guile”
Nimheallaigh: Penelope through her weaving is the ideal woman
The Suitors:
Wilson: “abusive” who try to force Penelope to remarry
Morrison: Penelope’s trick doesn’t say much for their intelligence
Telemachus:
Wilson: Penelope’s “moody son”
Jones: He learns as much from what other heroes tell him as he does from acting himself
The gods:
Wilson: Portray empowered femininity, not mortal women
Jones: Odysseus’ metis is his most important trait and puts him close to Athene, who acts as a surrogate father for Telemachus
Jones: The gods only help those worthy of it
Oikos:
Halverson: The household is more important to the plot than nostos
Jones: The household is central rather than the battlefield
Xenia:
West: the relationship between host and guest appears at first to be unequal
Walcot: Polyphemus is a terrible host
Civilisations:
Segal: Phaeacia is a fantasy, mortal but magical
Hall: Odysseus views the Cyclopes as Greek colonists would have viewed other civilisations
Recognition:
Schein: Through her recognition scene, Penelope is portrayed as just as heroic as Odysseus
Morrison: Through these scenes we see Odysseus as lord and master of the household
Fate:
Camps: Supernatural powers are at work everywhere
Griffin: The divine allows for Homer to explain the world and its events
Odysseus:
Wilson: He is free, unlike his family - he has many choices and many identities
Griffin: He is forced to learn self control
Kleos:
Griffin: Odysseus is not the type to through away his life for glory
Jones: The Episode with Polyphemus is “Odysseus’ greatest triumph”, portraying “heroic self-revelation”
Disguise:
Griffin: The only way to win in a world of treachery
Jones: Odysseus must scheme and deceive due to the Suitors’ duplicity
Minor characters:
Griffin: Helen’s story in Book 4 anticipates Odysseus’ disguise later in the poem
Kelly: Nausicaa moves between helper and harmer
Leadership:
Mandzuka: Homer frees Odysseus of the responsibility over the deaths of his comrades and the suitors
Penelope:
Wilson: She is defined by her marital status
Griffin: Penelope shows herself to be like Odysseus through her “self control and guile”
Nimheallaigh: Penelope through her weaving is the ideal woman
The Suitors:
Wilson: “abusive” who try to force Penelope to remarry
Morrison: Penelope’s trick doesn’t say much for their intelligence
Telemachus:
Wilson: Penelope’s “moody son”
Jones: He learns as much from what other heroes tell him as he does from acting himself
The gods:
Wilson: Portray empowered femininity, not mortal women
Jones: Odysseus’ metis is his most important trait and puts him close to Athene, who acts as a surrogate father for Telemachus
Jones: The gods only help those worthy of it
Oikos:
Halverson: The household is more important to the plot than nostos
Jones: The household is central rather than the battlefield
Xenia:
West: the relationship between host and guest appears at first to be unequal
Walcot: Polyphemus is a terrible host
Civilisations:
Segal: Phaeacia is a fantasy, mortal but magical
Hall: Odysseus views the Cyclopes as Greek colonists would have viewed other civilisations
Recognition:
Schein: Through her recognition scene, Penelope is portrayed as just as heroic as Odysseus
Morrison: Through these scenes we see Odysseus as lord and master of the household
Fate:
Camps: Supernatural powers are at work everywhere
Griffin: The divine allows for Homer to explain the world and its events